The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-02-23
DOMESTIC SCIENCE SIXTY YEARS AGO
Advice to Housekeepers from Old Book Sounds Very
Much Like the Things You Hear at the Fed
eraion of Clubs.-Nothing Is New.
~ ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

~ ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.
There is nothing new under the
sun"
But it is as true today.
LAS several centuries have elapsed
since he made this discovery" muir
INJURED the doctor, 1T would have to
DE-"
Keep out of this" said the other
person. This is a discourse on domes
tic science. Men don't know anything
about domestic science
"Oh, ! don't know" said the doctor
didn't see a lot of 'em at the exhibi
ton last week-there was the gas-man
the"
"A gas-man who wouldn't attend a
domestic science exhibition wouldn't
be an enterprising gas-man," replied
the other person. "Gas-men are the
original robber barons"
However this is not conversational
bout but disquisition upon the truth
CT the opening gun OF this engagement,
and inspired by the coming over of a
volume issued in 1850, by Harper 4
Brothers, under the title Of
Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt
Book" with further descriptive infor.
nation to the effect-"Designed as a
supplement to the treatise on Domes-
tic Economy"
Included in this volume is the title
page and the preface to the "Treatise."
which is further called For the use of
Young Ladies at Home and at School"
To quote from the preface
THE author of this work was led
to attempt it. by discovering. in her eX-
,epsive travels. the deplorable suffer
ings of multitudes of young wives and
mothers, from the combined influence
of poor health. poor domestics, and a
defective domestic education.
THE number of young women whose
health is crushed. ere the first few
years of married life are past, would
seem incredible to one who has not
investigated this subject. and it would
be vain to attempt to depict the sor-
row. encouragement, and distress eX-
perienced in most families where the
Wife and mother is Il perpetual invalid.
THE writer became early convinced
that this evil results mainly from the
fact that young girls, especially in the
more wealthy classes, are not trained
for their profession. The
would tend to remedy the evil. would
be to place domestic economy on an
with the other sciences in fe-
male schools.
This should be done because it can
be properly and Systematically taught
mot practically. but as science). as
lluch SO as political economy or moral
science, or any other branch of study;
because 1t embraces knowledge, which
will be needed by young women at all
times and in all places: because this
science can never be properly taught
Until 1t is made branch of study; and
because this method will secure a dig
nifty and Importance in the estimation
of young girls, which can never be ac-
corded while they see their teachers
and parents practically attaching more
value to every other department of sci
ence than this"
at may be objected" wrote a popu-
lar school teacher of that day in cham
ploning the cause of scientific domes-
tic training. that such things cannot
be taught by books
why not?
"Why may not the structure of the
human body. and the laws of health
deduced therefrom, be as well taught
as the laws Of natural philosophy?
why are not the application of
these laws to the management of in
fants and young children as important
to woman as the application of the
rules of arithmetic to the extraction
Of the cube root?
why may not the properties of the
atmosphere be explained. in reference
to the proper ventilation of rooms.
" exercise in the open air. as properly
rs to the burning of steel or sodium?
why may not the healthiness of diff
tore mt kinds of food and drink, the pro-
per modes of cooking. and the rules in
reference to the times and modes of
taking them. be discussed as properly
Is rules Of grammar, or facts in his
.ory?"
All of which goes to show that the
educator Of 1912 has nothing on him of
1850. to put it colloquially.
That Miss Beecher was successful in
her object is shown by the statement
n this preface that the Treatise" had
,cen examined by the Massachusetts
Board OF Education and deemed wor-
by by them to be admitted as a part
If the Massachusetts School Library"
\nd that it had also been adopted as
1 text book in some of our largest
.nt most popular female schools, both
1t the East and West"
The only difference between the pro-
q be in the practical demonstration,
which. doubtless. Miss Beecher regard
I'd as too radical and revolutionary to
Introduce at that time.
The Domestic Receipt Book hOwev-
sr, the volume in the writer's hands
md which is the property Of Mrs. w.
?. Morgan. of this city-is of a direct
y practical character and includes in
on every phase of household
,rt and in the running of menage.
he headings to some Of the chapters
icing
On selecting foods and drinks with
reference to health" "Marketing-'
::eats." Roasted and baked meats"
Fried and broiled meats" Soups"
Fish" "On the preparation of hashes.