New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-08
THE LURE Of THE TUBS
Women Find Both Pleasure and
Profit in Laundry Work.

Laundry work. so long regarded as a
Fynonyme for unintellisent labor, is now
one Of the fine arts and Is providing one
OF the newest fields for the activity OF
women. Teachers College has lately cs-
tabished courses both in domestic launder-
ing ard laundry management and a sur
prisngly large number Of women are taxi
ing them. While most Of them are looking
20 some financial return from their studies,
n cood many take the course in dome site
laundering simply that they may know
how to do up their own shirtwsists and
aces. There are also summer courses,
which opened on July and which never
lack students.
The importance which Teachers College
attaches TO these laundry courses is shown
by the fact that every student In laundry
management is required 70 take a years
rigorous training in chemistry, bacteri-
ology. sanitation and textiles. as we'll
as laboratory instruction in domestic and
institutional laundering.
Trained supervisors Of laundry work are
required by schools. colleges, hospitals,
and all public homes, but 1t is toward the
work Of the small hand laundry that
trained women are more and more tend
ing to direct their attention.
Professor Benjamin R. Andrews, Of
Teachers College, in an article in the July
number Of Good Housekeeping. gives
the experience Of one woman who sue
cessfuly established hand laundry in an
ordinary fiat. from which she quickly
graduated into larger quarters. Here Is
the story in her own words:
Gradually the work increased the teIe-
phone rang. or an order came by mail
from some frantic. impractical lady who
couldn't find n tidy. clean laundry where
chemicals were unknown: oh, please, could
I send at once and OH could she have
everything back Tomorrow night without
fail?
80 the work grew The woman now
washed half through the week; a second
ironer ranged up alongside the one win
dow 7 did forewoman's work. sorting
marking etc, urging the women on to
better and quicker work. The first two
rules made-and they were stringent ones
were that the clothes should be rinsed
until the water was perfectly clear and
that l should not be able to find the
tiniest wrinkles or rough-dried places on
the freshly ironed clothes
THE women complained and said that
took time. but they developed great pride
in their work: and | was able TO ask bet
ter prices
The day l washed the sweaters and
wool things the women stood and watched
10 see how fine IL was done at Teachers
College Later, l experimental with my
newly acquired knowledge on obstinate
rust stains. and, falling 10 follow direc-
tons. burnt a hole or two which cost me
money.
by the middle OF the third month the
| little fiat was swamped with business
Even with the great driers in the base
ment. and lines (six Of them strung across
the length of my bedroom. with as many
more in the kitchen and some In the iron
ing room. 1t was not possible to get every
thing dry on time. BY this time seven
women were at work. and l must get more
| ironers or move the business. For lack
of space IL was almost impossible 10 sort
or to pack the clothes, and where could
I squeeze in another ironing board? The
end Of IL was-Only IL is really just the
| beginning-that the laundry had 10 move
out. and as a remembrance 1t left me a
neat little savings bank account"