New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-02
Your Daughters VOCATION
A Word for Homemaking

Of what the average American home should
be. 1t has been fitted up with all that Is
tasteful and correct in furniture, pictures,
floor and wall coverings and shows as no
course in school in home economies could
show what sort of home the average COL
lege graduate should aim 20 make his own.
But with all the effort being made from
without and with all the courses in domes.
tic science and home economics given In
public and private schools, too little Is still
being done by parents themselves In train
ing their daughters for this vocation which
is so sure to be Of use TO them sooner or
later.
During the last winter a group Of middle
aged women happened TO be discussing this
very matter. They had all grown daugh-
tiers of their own, and 1t occurred to one Of
the mothers that while they had been
spending a great deal Of time conducting
mothers meetings for the poor and trying
to improve the condition Of the factory
women, they were doing very little to make
their own daughters better capable OF some
day being successful homemakers.
Suppose we have a set Of mothers
meetings for our own daughtersT pro-
learned a good deal since we were married.
and we would have been mighty glad when
we started out housekeeping II some one
had given us just the sort OF advice that
We are now able to give"
The plan met with approval, and a series
OF mothers meetings was started on the
spot At each meeting one Of the mothers
gave an informal talk on some phase OF
the homemaker's vocation which she was
especially able to talk about, and her talk
was attended with the greatest attention
by a dozen daughters and their mothers.
Discussion followed the address. and the
set # talks proved to be more instructive
than a course in household economics In
college could possibly have been.
One of the subjects taken up at these
mothers mes was Canning and Pre-
serving" This subject was. needless 10
say, treated by the matron whose preserves
and jellies were famous, and her talk was
made especially practical, since II was held
in her own kitchen, where she could de-
monstrate the various points she made.
The talk on Table Service" was con-
Quoted by the mother who was famous for
her we'll conducted dinner parties and
luncheons Other subjects taken up with
real helpfulness were "Mending." The
Hostess and Her Guests" and The Laun-
dry and the Linen Closet" Needless to say,
IT getting ready for these talks each
mother brushed up her own knowledge and
got almost as much benefit for her EFFORTS
as she gave TO the daughters.
But in these days when all sensible par
ents feel that II IS as necessary to give
their daughters an education that will At
them to be self-supporting as II is to leave
them plump bank accounts. there is fire.
quently found a parent who is apt to feel
that too much time spent on domestic mat
tiers is a waste Of time; that II is not fitting
for his daughter TO lie self-supporting. But
II your daughter shows a taste for the sell
ence of hememaking why not At her to DO
a teacher Of homemaking?
The public normal schools and the large
vocational schools all give courses In do
mestic science that lead to teaching posi-
tions. The young woman who holds . d.
ploma in this branch o. teaching has no
trouble in finding employment; In fact the
supply OF domestic science teachers Is so
considerably below the demand that an
able domestic science teacher receives a
somewhat higher salary than Is given 70
the teacher of the usual school branches.
For the young woman who does not hold
diploma in domestic science. but whose
knowledge OF homemaking is the result OF
her own experience and reading there are
also opportunities to teach domestic science.
and several young women are at the present
time making a good thing OF II teach
ing. by private lessons and In classes
well-to-do children how to be moro able
housewives and homemakers. One young
woman who conducted a "homemakers
club" for a group OF New York children
this winter now has the prospects Of having
three or four such classes next winter.
This idea Of giving lessons in homemak-
ing is one that could be we'll taken up By
any clever young woman with knowledge
OF things domestic and turned to profitable
account.
Copyright. 1912. by Mary Marshall)