The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05
SOME FACTS GATHERED IN
 TALKS WITH HOMEMAKERS
BY MRS. J. E. REID.

With q view to finding out just what women were thinking of their opportuni- ties for homemakng, quite number have been questioned by the writer. Of course, with the people who have changed homes, moving, many from a quiet, peaceful town to a hustling scene like Birmingham, the changes have been very material. Salaries, and the vast numbers are dependent upon salaries, are greater but expenses are greater also.
 The subject of homemaking has been so thoroughly well thrashed out that it is very threadbare, yet the same subject appeals to every housekeeper the world over. The young women, who are con- templatng a home of their own some day, the old maids and bachelors all have a theory. The failure to succeed has been attributed to varied causes. Laws have been framed, magazine pages filled with ready and economic recipes, and yet the problem of living is an open ques- tion
 From the queries just finished I have one situation to suggest in conclusion make the housekeeper the home purchas- ing agent. In other words give her an allowance It may be small, but give it regularly and test her business qualities. The entire country is evolving plans for better homes, greater comforts, more eX- pert labor, purer and cheaper commodi- ties. With all of this we are confronted with the problem of the cost of living the bone of contention for domestic in- filicities the very source of much dis comfort to the entire family. If labor Is employed we shirk our own responsible fly at once; the servant is either wasteful or dishonest. If the housewife is the domestic she is worn out with orders, drudgery and probably poor cooking, and the bills are nightmare. Thus home making is a burden, with little pleasure attached. Then marriage does seem a failure. and the school teacher glories in her single blessedness, and the inde- pendence of a pay day, content with a boarding house for home.
 The fact is the conditions of home ap- peal very strongly to every thinking woman. She has loved ones under the roof whose care and comfort are in volved Whether it be a rented home or one of her own her purpose is to live on less money-to save. An exchange of ideas is very useful. We are all happiest when we are busy, and nowhere can be found women more busy than in Bir- rilingham, not only active in their own, but in every interest that affects others. The real fact is home keeping is just as much a business as is the grocery or dry goods store. When a man furnishes house he sometimes feels as though the job is complete. He has had the en-
 
 1t is the fancy work division of the part nership-when, in fact, he has done the fancy work and the details day in and day out are the real duties of the house. keeper.
 5 It seems very easy to call the butcher and order tenderloin, the grocer for his best Mocha and Java, to hang the state- ments on file and cook sees to the rest Then the meal, the steak is charred and tough, the coffee vile and the poorly baked bread-does this bring content Then the bills at the end of 30 days huge-no recompense for poor living.
 These are experiences in every day life The housekeeper must trade where she can run a bill, or else the man assumes the duties of family purchasing agent He buys and he forgets to buy, and wor-