Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-07-27
TEACH ECONOMY
IN BUYING FOOD
Girls at Agricultural College Must
Figure Out Exact Cost
OF Material.
GOVERNOR RECEIVES LETTER.
IL Is In Reply to Inquiry Concerning
Purchase of Department Supplies
And Goes Into Details.

How much of your family income
may properly and safely go to the
buying of foods? And how much is
needed for clothes and shelter in pro-
portion. to guarantee a safe home
life with an ending outside OF a
sheriff's sale?
The question is one on which Miss
d. Cooper, head of the domestic sci
ence department of the Agricultural
college at Logan, has had her pupils
at work, each one taking statistics
and figures from conditions in her own
home. In a letter to Gov. Cutler, re-
plying to an INJURY as to what
methods We're in vogue in purchasing
supplies Miss Cooper has outlined
some of the results obtained from her
methods.
GOV Cutters letter was addressed
to President WidtsOe Of the Agricul-
tural college, and by him turned over
TO the head of the domescic science
department. Miss Coopers reply fol-
lows:
DR.. Widtsoe referred YOUR letter
of July 8, to me. The general princi-
pies of economy and care in buying
are not only applied to the food de-
partinent but to every department of
the home. We aim particularly to
give the girls the foundation princi-
pies of selection i'm purchasing foods,
furnishings for the home, ana cloth
ing. We consider the cost of mater
ials in and out of season, in large
and small amounts, and also their
care, and the cost of storage In short
we try to impress that true economy
is expanding money in such a way
that it may bring the largest return,
not so much what but how we spend.
The principles of economy are not
only applied to the expenditure of
money but also to the expenditure of
human energy for l believe thtat time
and energy may mean as much, if not
more, TO the individual in the scale of
human development, as money.
SOME OF THE PROBLEMS.
The following are some of the
practical problems worked out by the
girls:
What proportion of the family in
come may go for food and what is the
of expenditure for food to that
of clothing, shelter, education and
Tabulated outlines for individual
and houshold accounts are worked out
ties, higher life and savings.
What Is the minimum cost per
of food sufficient to give
necessary nourishment How much
shall this minimum cost be exceed
ed for the sake of added attractive
ness, increased digestibility or adap-
tation to individual taste?
COST OF FOODS.
Work out comparative cost of foods
considering cost of raw material,
waste. preparation and serving EX-
and tough cuts of
meat. eggs and meat, beans and meat,
rice and potatoes etc. Which will yield
the greatest food value for the money
expended. potatoes at &c per pound
or rice at sc. Rice at 10c or potatoes
at 1c. Meat at 15c per pound or eggs
at 25c per doz etc.
Make out list of food from which
to choose for 10. 90, 80 and 80
cent dietary. Plans of the well bal
lnced menu
Make out a list of foods for fam
Ily of six allowing So per individual
per month. Material bought at whole
sale and retail prices.
PREPARING DINNER
Each girl is given dinner to pre-
pare for eight guests at given price
per plate (this last year the prices
ranged from zoe to 81 per patel
The girl plans the menu, selects and
purchases the food prepares and serves
he dinner
Wooden, cotton, linen and silk
materials are studied from the stand
point of wearing quality. An itemized
list with cost of the articles necessary
for girls wardrobe for one year is
worked out
Economy Of labor as well as money
Is considered in purchasing home
SUPPLIES FOR COLLEGE.
The local dealers on an average give
us per cent discount and permit
rs to purchase In large or small
quantities. Such materials as dried
canned goods, -four. sugar,
aaVoring extracts. spices, etc, we can
buy for the year Nothing IL gained
1y buying more than n sack OF sugar
al time We have found that we
10 not save I'm buying lemons, oranges
butter and eggs In very large quaint
ties because Of the amounts used and
The convenience OF storage. Butter
however, is seldom discounted. Very
MISS b, COOPER.