The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-30

entirely to the poor cooking Of the tene-
ment house women. 4 workingman mas
TO be fed. A man who works with his
muscles needs a good hearty brea kfast. III
he doesn't get i at home, by noon ms craving
for food will lead him to the nea rest Tree
lunch saloon. He gets the beer. nut at the
same time. az a rule, he gets a better lunch
han he would get at home.
There is a great deal Of talk about the
drunkenness OF the men OF our tenement
house districts. Some persons go 40 iar
as TO say that it is because of their drunken
ness that tenement house districts exist
II they were to go one step further back
| think they could prove that because OF
the had cooking Of the tenement house
women the men drink.
How many men are there who wouldn't
go 10 q nearby saloon and buy a glass OF
beer when they get with 1t a tasty
nourishing bowl Of soup served hot in
stead of going home to a meal OF bakers
sen shop? That is the food which the
husband OF the average young tenement
house woman gets in his home. The. re-
suit is the saloon for the men and the hos
pitfalls for rickety children. We see the
effects and blame low wages and the mems
enough, but buying food from the deli
catessen shops does not make them go
what ia being done to help these girls
and tenement mouse mOlltIb III NtN iOIhI
Not very much, 80 far as ! know. Our
work is with the little mothers and their
families. Through these little helpers OF
their parents in the battle against want
we try to reach the whole family. The
little mother is usually the eldest daughter
years and who practically has known no
season Of childhood. As many Of them
as we have been able to reach we teach the
rudiments Of domestic and hygienic science
HI -.A. AA1 la t-
anticipation OF their becoming cooks,
nureemaids. laundresses and other do
mestic servants.
Our course in cooking begins with
teaching them how to wash the dishes.
For that they are required to get ready
hot water. a dish pan, a tray TO drain on, a
soap shaker, a dish cloth or mop and two
clean dry dish towels. After these are
prepared they clear the table, scrape the
dishes. separate them, placing plates in
one pile. saucers in another, ups, glasses,
they are ready for the actual washing
This IL begun by shaking the soap shaker
in the pan Of hot water until a good suds
is formed, then washing first the glasses,
then the silver. next the cup and eaucers
the plates, the knives, keeping, the handles
out Of the water, and last Of all the cooking
dishes.
THE second lesson teaches them how
to clean a stove, TO separate good coal
from ashes, blacken the stove, manage
the campers. Then comes the building
OF the fire and the danger OF using kerosene
oil for such a purpose. You see what
simple things these all are and Jet few
children come to us who know how to do
any Of them. After being taught how to
measure food they are taught how to buy II.
There are fourteen lessons in the cooking
course and when a girl has mastered them
she IL a pretty fair plain cook. She doeen't
know how to make any fancy dishes. but
she can cook three appetizing, nutritious
meals a day without the repetition OF one
dish or article that 10 30 tiresome.
"Of course the number we reach il small
compared with the size OF New York, not a
drop in the bucket. We are only struggling
10 solve the problem for the few girls and
their families who come to us with their
babies. To reach the whole city, to benefit
materially the condition Of the tenement
house districts, Il must be taken up by
the public schools. II such q course of
cooking and homework as we teach TO
our little mothere' should b introduced
In the public schools | am convinced that
there would soon be q noticeable change
for the better. Not only would the girls
of the tenemente be taught 20 cook and
care for their households but the class Of
our domestic servants would be improved.
Incidentally there would be fewer free lunch
saloons and delicatessen shopAs