New-York tribune., 1909-05-16

/
Hitherto the MANAGEMENT Of the household has
| been considered woman's especial prerogative Man
has been general manager of railroad and factory
| and store and NINE but under the psychlc sys-
| tenn he becomes a general manager OF housekeep-
| ms, working manager in name and deed Ihe
first man TO hold the office and administer culinary
and other domestic affairs IS John ForseA' an
artist who lives in big square mousse at No. rV1A
Waveland avenue Chicago. The mistress OF the
mansion is Mrs. Forsell. yet she does not say
my home when she speaks Of It, but rather our
home" thereby wishing it understood that every
occupant this unique habitation Is as nuch Ihe
boss as she herself She is the inventor OF
psychic" housekeeping. kind which she asserts
Is adaptable to two or more families, or to one
family and it's relatives or friends
NINE TO DO THE WORK
To start at the beginning, it should be stated that
the Forsen family consists OF nine persons-the
artist and his wife. another man and MS wl1e ana
five young men who have not yet mustered up SUI
fcient courage to undertake the support OF neip-
meet even though psychic housekeeping dis
penses with the servant girl question. and, be-
sides reduces the cost Of married life to the mini
All share equally in paying expenses ana
T every one does an equal amount of work
The messenger who calls for Dr. Brook at 6SV
a m will find him in the kitchen frying eggs or
making coffee And II the business house employees
who constitute part and parcel OF the Forseil
family happen to register late on the time clock 1t
is likely be due to elevated trains delay
but to their pledge make up their beds before
leaving home for the store every morning.
AS the general manager of this psychic house
hold Mr.. Forsen keeps set Of books. accounting
for every penny expended. and sees TO It that no
one shirks his allotted tasks. suoh as waiting on
the table, turning the wringer, scrubbing the
kitchen floor attending the furnace, He also has
to remember from day to day whose duty 1t Is to
feed the family cat.
Such a revolutionary system OF managing
house would be impossible of execution were It not
for the basic principle which it Is established
THE secret of our success says Mrs. Forsen.
tiles entirely in the creation Of psychic stmos-
phere. Nobody must harbor grudse.
But how can anybody avoid having one occa-
sionally?" she was asked
Nobody can," replied Mrs ForseIl. but
body needs to keep one. When OF our family
comes home with thing like that he must sit
down alone and say, Go away. grudge, Get
out Crouch until his soul gets into harmony with
altruism. When are all in that state We have
the psychic atmosphere
What is the practical effect of such frame
of nind?"
Why. you see." answered the artists wife the
motive of self-nterest the driving force of per-
sonal conduct is subordnated. Instead of the man.
and also the woman, wishing to do only that which
pleases him which BENEFITS him alone. he strives
to accomplish something for the pleasure benefit
Of his associates. Hence. whenever there is work
done in house. each is ready for any task.
whether It be personally agreeable disagree
able"
Surely do not mean that sucn an approach
70 human perfection is attainabe in Chicago?"
Not only attainable but attained right in this
house" replied Mrs ForseH you should see 1t
when we are all at hqme."
WHEN EVERYBODY GETS BUSY.
At o'clock that afternoon the men began TO
come home The first the artist. from his
easel He had place TO hang his coat and hat,
he put them in that place, not chair back.
Have you started the dinner?' asked the gem
eral manager Of the psychic" household who
didn't to be IN a mood that required the OBJ
liberation of a grudge or crouch.
Not yet" answered his wife; I'VE had unex-
pected company that remained late"
The general manager strode across the rugs Of
parlor and dining room. through a sried doorway
and into the kitchen. where he adjusted an apron
over his waistcoat The women followed and also
put aprons. Mr. Forsel lighted the gas range.
His wife brought out a skillet. The doctor came
in He Immediately set to work to make the tea
He needed no suggestion He saw that portion OF
the meal was under way, and proceeded 10
start it. a student arrived. He washed the cele-
cry. Ey the time the counting house men got in |
the dinner cooked and the table set; so they
enacted the role Of walters.
They were exceedingly awkward at first" said !
Mrs. Forsell the young men brought the edi- !
bles. but that didn't long"
When the dinner the nine members /
cleared off the table. brushed up the crumbs and |
washed and put away the dishes with CELEBRITY. |
Aftsrward they spent fifteen minutes IN deciding |
the bill of fare for the morrow. This routine !
accomplished, they gathered in the parlor and !
talked philosophy sang the spirit moved |
them. The morning they got breakfast in
the same way, then departed from the house, each |
TO his task Of provder.
Mrs Forseu contends that her system is adapt
a BILE to a number of families. She thinks that sew
eral families occupying apartment house or
fiat building might have common dining room
and kitchen and share the work and the expenses.
thus reducing the cost Of living. TO make her sys-
TEN appear more practical Mrs Forsell suggests
that II should be called cooperative housekeeping,
for that is what II is all along the line. Her hus-
bands books, balanced monthly, show in plain fig
ures that the household expenses for two years and
a half under the psychic regime has been s.
month person
The author Of this mcnnum-!ike existence does
not feel sure that any families set OF families
could produce the psychic atmosphere necessary TO
the success of her system. Natural inclnatons
should be studied before entanglng alliance is
made For instance, Mrs. Forshell sets worth that
one reason for the Of her system ih her
house is that all members Of the family are vegeta-
rians or practically Meat eating. she insists,
tends toward making people ferocious and I'll nat
ured: therefore everybody should partake sparingiy
of flesh If at all Some of the members OF her
family eat meat occasionally, but Mr.. and Mrs. For
sell never.