Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-04
woMEN,s CLUBS AND THE HOME

Inc FeQoratlOn Oh WOmenS CLUBS,
which has been holding congress in
Boston, testifes by the discussions
and by the papers to the usual am
bilious aims and aspirations, but
there was also glimpse of the prac-
tical which appeals to the ordinary
person in such world as this" says
the Philadelphia Public Ledger. The
beaming woman who keeps house
furiously" in her impractical way was
there, and talked of the crying need
of "repose" in the home. The for
mula was this for complete happiness
in the household: Simplicity, sys-
tenn and poise," and these three were
to be treated to daily blast Of that
sacred fame Of Joy which throws a
dazzling light over life" Naturally
that was needed.
Some of the more prosafc women
discussed subject which comes home
to mems bosoms- the real, actual
house and home. The woman who
spoke of the preservation and comfort
Simplify, classify, jollify and glor-
ify." Simplify is explained thus: DIFF
tferentfate between the essentials and
the non-essentials. and then pray for
the courage to eliminate the non-es-
sentials." Classify means to be exec
utive and administrative and to elm
mate Irregularities" Jo1fify "is the
singing atyou-work spirit" and the
radiation Of sunshine" principle, and
gforify means to idealize your work
to common living
1t is to be noted that eve are get
ting warm in our approach to the
real, practical homemaking, and at
last one Of the speakers touched on
it-gingerly and at distance, to be
sure but she just mentioned at last,
the kitchen.
The Kitchen some day great
woman reformer will arise. She will
be Susan B. Anthony or Joan of
Arc or Florence Nightingale a
woman of massive courage, mighty
energy and splendid sense, and she
will tackle in earnest the American
kitchen and will smite it. and millions
will rise and call her blessed.
The American cannot cook The
American housekeeper does not know
how to show the cook how to cook,
nor how to demand decent product
vfded. The Americans have nearly ev-
cry fine tradition, but no tradition in
cookery. The American hired cook is
a person who takes up cooking just
because she cannot get anything else
to do. She is ephemeral and evanes-
cent, and does not stay long enough
at one post to learn anything, and If
she did there would be nobody to
teach her. The American kitchen is
provided-the most humble Kitchen
with conveniences which our grand
mothers did not dream of, and the
product is-a shame
There never was such spectacle of
incapacity. wanton and sinful waste
and general barbarity as is to be
found in the ordinary kitchen of re-
spectacle and comfortable Americans.
The most sinful part of it next to the
filth, is the shocking waste due to the
ignorance of the art Of cooking.
The Americans are lovely people,
who are doing pretty well IN the world
but the ordinary American family
with an income Of from $1,000 to
$4,000 Is an object of Just compassion.
All the members in it want to place
their gear too high" want to live
above their means; to rid themselves
of all the discomfort of attending to
the commonplace and of knowing any
thing whatever about diet or cooking
the real "humanities;; and in conse-
quence they are badly fed and often
shockingly Ill or mal-nourished. The
Federation of Women's Clubs wants
to abate tuberculosis. 1t is a laudable
aim, and if it shall teach the ordinary
household to cook it will aid in the
work.