Evening star., 1912-07-03

L 1SouS years UelOEo tHe BcHSI di iCOCi"
| tion was formed or even thought of a
prominent woman, speaking before
body OF earnest clubwomen interested
in self-improvement. said: Let it never
for a moment be forgotten that club
woman's first duty is to her home. No
| outside work can ever make up for the
neglect of home duties" Despite many
| assertions to the contrary, the spirit of
this statement has always been the key
note of women's club efforts; SO it fol-
lows that, while civics. EDUCATION and
other matters have been seemingly most
popular. there has never been time
when domestic science in it's broadest
sense was not a dominant feature in the
club work of the women Of every state.
The changes in industrial conditions
have wrought changes in the home life
of every family, and therefore domestic
science, household economics or what
ever other term is applied to home e-mak-
ing had first to take into consideration
the application of modern conditions 10
the demands OF the family. many of these
demands being in fluid state of evolu-
ton. With the coming of higher educa-
tional advantages for women there came
temporarily a distaste for many things
domestic Mothers took a pride in the
intellectual attainment of their daugh-
ters and neglected to train them for car
ing for their future families. Then. too,
when women Were forced into wage
earning positions they had not always
making. The result of this neglect has
become apparent in the present genera
ton. and the clubwomen are quick TO
profit by the lesson. Now the pendulum
is swinging toward the middle again,
and while the girls are being literally
f.1I IIc2 a te6 n chosen
fact is not lost sight of that every wom-
man at some period of her lie IS likely
to have a home to care for, so prepa-
ration for this is being made part OF
her education. Besides this the domestic
science work of the clubs aims to help
the women who did not receive instruc-
ton in home-making before marriage to
use all possible means for increasing the
comfort of their families.
The General Federation OF Women
Clubs extends helping hand to every
club working along any line of domestic
science. There are many lectures upon
this subject suited to the different needs
of the individual clubs. Some of them
upon everyday subjects which help un-
trained housewives to provide better food
and clothing and more comfort for their
families and to spend less money in do
ing SO. For the women who have mas
tered this elementary part OF the work
there are courses in the chemistry of
food, in advanced ideas in home furnish
ings and kindred other topics. The les
sons advocated by clubwomen are al
ways suited to the needs of the people to
whom they are presented. For instance,
cooking lessons for the wives of men on
a small salary will not contain recipes for
making q cake calling for dozen eggs,
but they may give simple directions for
making one that is both good and whole
some requiring two or three eggs.
Il i
When It Is considered that 90 per cent
Of all that people earn is spent for food.
clothing or
Housekeeping Science shelter the
Calling for Instruction. Of securing
the maximum value from this expendi-
ture cannot be disputed. The time has come
when housekeeping is recognized as a
science calling for special instruction in
stead Of an unskilled employment that
can be picked, up haphazard without any
training. 1t Is impossible, in many homes,
for the mother to give this instruction
even when she is competent to do it and
1t becomes the aim of the club to work
for the welfare of the home in this way.
Under the auspices Of the clubwomen of
Colorado, lecturers have been sent out to
many small towns in order that the gos-
pei of right living might be sent to the
women who most need 1t.
Sometimes these lectures have been
given in halls and skating rinks unat-
traotive In appearance and lacking in
many conveniences, but the attendance
evidenced the appreciation of the au-
diences Women came pouring in, some
times carrying baby or two with them.
Often they have ridden miles through
snowStorms or walked long, muddy roads
to reach the lectures which are generally
given in courses continuing week or ten
days. During that time systematic in
struction In hygiene, the care of small
children and the preparation Of simple
food is given. At the close OF course
in one small town a middle-aged woman
came forward ana said: IF could have
had a week like this when I was a young
housekeeper / would have saved quarts
OF tears and Long hours Of wretchedness.
I did not know how to keep house. and
my first two babies died because 1 did not
know how to take care Of them.'
The clubwomen are keeping in mind
the fact that more than ten billion dollars
annually are spent in the United States
for food, shelter and clothing. The same
amount of money to be expended in other
ways or to be invested in a commercial
manner would be safeguarded by the
trained experience of those having 1t in
charge. Yet until comparatively recent
period little attention was paid in the
training Of the persons who are to handle
this great sum for the benefit OF the