The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-08-03
FROM WOMAPS
POINT OF VIEW

The day OF the over-zealous housewife
/ is passing away. for women are discover
/ ing that wasting their strength and time
on useless tasks is foolish. There are
neat homes everywhere. and in many
/ Of them one pair Of hands, with whatever
/ help the children may give, does all the
work, and the owner is far from being
drudge
/ Domestic help is scarce and expensive,
and the ordinary family finds itself
obliged 10 get along without it. The thin
ming Of the ranks by means Of factories,
the high wages demanded even by in
1 experienced workers, and the SPECIALIZE
/ ton OF labor affect the masses only, for
money can smooth away most difficulties.
/ There was a time when green girls real
/ lied their ignorance, and the feminine
hec.. Of a wOrkinGman's household gave
/ them the training they needed, and small
wages. There was a time when house
work was the kind girls without homes
even considered. Those days have
passed and housewives have been forced
/ to work out their own salvation. The
model apartment, the delicatessen shop.
/ labor are the result We have learned
the art OF sighting. have found many,
/ but not all. the places where strength
ard time have been wasted.
Women 10 work by the hour can al
ways be secured. and one feels no COM
junction in requiring work of that nature
/ as long as the worker is willing 20 sup
/ ply it. All the rough work of a home
can be done IN that way, and the energy
OF children can be turned TO account in
many directions. I am not advocating
tasks beyond their strength. but little
duties which they can be taught TO re-
gard as play. For instance. a fve-year-
old girl wanted a little broom. and after
/ she got it she began to hunt for some
thing TO sweep. Why was it not better
| for her to have door mat to sweep. I'M
der the direction Of the maid, instead of
| sweeping the walks or any other place
that did not require sweeping?
Every child should be taught 10 keep
its own belongings tidy and neat, begin
ming with toys and extending to articles
| in closets and drawers Places should
/ be found for everything and each child
REQUIRED to see that its possessions are
nut back after use. Bed-making is gel-
orally a Joy TO small girls. and it is easy
! TO teach II thoroughly under such circum-
! stances. When a little daughter yezrns
/ to sew, teach her to replace a button o.
repair a rip In a seam. IT is only play TO
her. but the lesson will remain after play
/ is forgotten.
Mothers will have 10 find assistance IN
/ the family If home is 10 be maintained
/ LAYING the table. washing and wiping
dishes, busting rOOms-all are easily done
| By young hands, and mother and chill
dren arc better for the sharing in the
work. At a pattern department in a
store I was asked by young girl to as
sist in the selection Of a model by which
she proposed TO try her hand at fashion
/ ing her common frOcks. Her mother was
with her. but both were inexperienced
and unable 10 pick out the model that
meant the least bother and the easiest
/ to launder It Is needless to say that l
was interested. for q young girl who
thinks of such matters nowadays is not
common. This girl was English and not
thoroughly familiar with our easy way
of living and high prices for labor. Pos
sibly she had an unusually thrifty
mother.
/ 1t IS not a nice spectacle presented by
a Woodworking mother, worn and old
before her time, and indolent, well-dress-
ed daughters looking on. Young women
should be ashamed to take such a part
/ in life, and their mothers should be suf-
hciently self-respecting to require help
/ from able-bodied members of the family.
! There is no good reason why they should
slave for sons and daughters with a
talent for remaining in bed in the morn
/ ing and doing nothing useful at home at
other times, yet Il happens in more homes
than you imagine. 1 have not forgotten
/ the outcome Of a few instances where un-
/ grateful sons have figured in a way hard
/ ~ creditable. Within a month an old
man appealed TO the law to secure an al
\ lOwanCe OF one dollar a week from each
/ of his sons to prevent him from being
dependent upon the grUdging charity of
other relatives. Think of sons who com
| pei the law 10 decide their duty in a mat
/ ter involving so small weekly sum. I'm
questionably the fault can be traced back
/ 70 childhood when the sons were over
| INDUCED and spared all annoyances by
/ doting parents. What a harvest TO reap
/ from mistaken kindness!
BETTY BRADEEN.