Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-10
Domestic Science.

with the GIT Of nearly $4,000 for the
establishment Of a well equipped school OF
domestic science. Columbia university finds
itself enabled to make one more long stride
toward the goal set for II by its guiding
spirits and its intensely modern metropoli-
tan environment This goal Is the per-
fecting Of an educational institution which
shall give men and women the special
training, and also the broader culture de-
manded by the novel complex conditions
OF twentieth oantury ufe No other study
breaks more violently with old ideas OF
what a university should teach than does
the study OF housekeeping. But only
superficial observer can Jest at this "frill."
Every well read American woman knows
the poor showing her sisters make as house
keepers when compared with English.
French aud German women. She recog-
mixes, too, that the old excuse OF higher
ideals" and superior culture" will not
eNonerate her Net all the Browning clubs
In the world will ever put an end to house
keeping They may shift the work from
one person to another but this only makes
the problem one degree more complicated
by adding the double task of getting ser
wants and supervising them. And the fool
ish scorn Of housekeeping displayed BY
many women has helped nightly TO make
women OF the working classes avoid the
dosplsed occupation.
The school Of domestic science on Morn
ingside Heights has several important du-
ties to perform. 1t must make housekeep-
ing a fine art as It is in Europe. after
fashion. In order to do this Il must make
household tasks as easy as possible by
scientific study of means and methods, and
Il must lend to homework a higher at
Effectiveness by filing the house with the
labors OF the arts and crafts. Finally. Il
must help break down the dangerous
prejudice against domestic service by edu-
eating the daughters OF cultured and we'll
to-do families in housewifery. thereby Civ
ing the work its true status. There is no
denying that this program Is a vast one
1t cannot be carried out by any one school
Columbia's unknown benefactor will we
hope, stimulate men in other parts Of the
country to make like provisions for local
universities
Some persons may feel that, although
domestic science should be taught, its place
is not In cur universities coordinate with
law and medicine. II may be said, let the
private cooking schools, sewing circles, and
manual training schools do the work; keep
tho universities for the true sciences.
literature and fine arts. In reply to this
two things are to be said which more than
Justify the innovation. In the first place,
only the great universities can give domestic
science the prestige it sorely needs, And,
in the second place, the training Of domes-
tic science experts and teachers can be
properly carried on only where there is
opportunity for work on a large scale.
We hope that the young women of Amer
lea will crowd the new laboratories to the
doors, gain inspiration from their teachers,
ard have their eyes opened to the oppor-
tunities for widespread social betteTment
which lie within the four walls Of home. II
they do, we shall all be healthier. weather.,
and wiser for lt.--New York Tribune