The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-22
THE KANSAS FARMERS WIFE.
How She May Increase Her Leisure
Moments.

At the farmers institute at Hiawatha
Mrs. Emma Dowell read a paper on
Woman's Work On the Farm, as fol-
lows:
The old adage, MANS work is from
sun till sun and woman's work is never
done" is believed and accepted as truth
by too many women of the present
time. They look upon house work as q
kind of ceaseless toll never ended, never
completed. They give no thought to the
manner in which they might perform
their work with the least amount OF
time and labor. If they complete the
necessary work of one day they feel it
a duty to enter upon work of the next
day, thus they toll on from day to day,
never. realizing that a few moments
them to perform their work more easily
and more successfully. In whatever
cause we may be labOring those who
work with the greatest interest are the
most successful Certainly that woman
who spends all her time in doing her
household duties and finds no leisure mo
ments is not successful in her work. 1
do not mean that the work she does is
not neatly done but something must be
lacking and what is it?
When a person has interest enough
in any line of work to undertake it,
there must be some system or order
about it. We find this difficulty with
many. They think too lightly OF this
work housekeeping. I thing it is just
as essential that the housekeeper give
her best thoughts and her attention to
her work as in any other line of work.
Charles Dickens said: Whatever / have
tried to do in life I have tried to do
well. What I have devoted myself to L
have devoted myself to completely. Sue
cess in any vocation can be gained only
by giving our best thoughts to that
work. Should we compare the work of
housekeeping along with other occupa-
tions and how many do we find who
study their work and make the prepafa-
ton that those do who are otherwise
employed.
1t is the successful teacher who be-
fore beginning her work as teacher in
the public schools thoroughly system
ICES her work. She sees that every
cording to heT programme, every re-
cess, every lesson, comes promptly on
time. By her example she teaches or
der and system to her pupils. Let US
imagine a man who wishes to be nner-
chant he purchases a stock of goods
he has no system about shelving or
placing his goods. No order about OPP
ening and closing his store. We can
readily see what the result would be, a
decided failure.
order is the best manager of time
and unless work is properly arranged
time is lost. If the farmer wife would
increase her leisure moments she must
have order or system about her work.
The mother of a large family, dong
her own homework, was asked how she
found time for reading and recreation,
and still kept her house in order. The
answer was system. system, system.
When questioned further the mother
explained: Il try to do each duty of
the day at the same time and IN the
same order. I have a place for every
thing and endeavor to keep everything
in its place. I have taught my children
to do the same way Each child has his
duties and unless for sickness or some
other cause, knows he is expected to
attend them every day without having
to be asked. Children are born inita-
tors and will unconsciously follow
the example set them. My children
know my ways and they take real
and helpful interest in assisting me to
keep the household machinery running
smoothly and easily. Train up child
in the way it should 60 Teach 1t from
babyhood to be orderly and systematic
and first set the example yourself
Let US look for a moment into the
home of this woman who had system