Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-11
To Dignity
Homework,

hCVcI OI8dhiACu WSt0
10 Dignity farmers and house.
u. keepers. The farmers
have for several
years been banded into mutual-help and
advancement associations all over the
country. But there is only a thin line
to mark the wavering path of those who
have attempted organization in that
other field-the housekeepers, and the
cities and towns in which such organiza-
tons exist are far distant.
Washington, however, Is one among
those struggling few. Not only does
such an organization exist, but at the
present time it is in its fifth year. and
may safely be said to have weathered
the storm. The Housekeepers' Alliance
of Washington is an organization of
women, and men, too, if they are inter-
ested, banded together with the aim of
lettering domestic conditions, from both
the standpoint of the housewife and the
servant -
II there is q single word which would.
by common consent of the whole organi-
zation, exemplify its work. it is pioneer
ing for the alliance attempts not to
deal with the great problems that are
engaging the entire country, but rather
with those which deal intimately with
every home in which there Is any EFFORT
whatever made toward efficiency. ana
which have up to the present time. been
given little attention. Instead of spend
ing months trying to dissect the problem
Of the high cost of living" the alliance
Is trying to- raise the plane of work on
the part of the servant, ana make tne
housekeeper more keenly realize that she
has a moral responsibility where tnat
same servant is concerned. Not that the
high cost of living Is not vital prob
lem, but the members of this little or
ganization are searching for solution
Of 1t through their kitchen and not
through the factory and slaughter mouse
doors.
Perhaps none of the battles which this
organization is called upon to wage Is
any more discouraging than tnat OIL
making a great many women reailze tnat
Housekeeping is dignified profession
and not a task from which woman OF
any refinement should shrink AS
matter of fact, many of the women VINO
make up the active working corps of TINS
organization are women, who. socially
speaking, rank high.
The Housekeepers' Alliance was organ
lied in November, 1907. It's first aim was
to better the conditions
Organized and plane of the servant.
IN 1912 To this end training
IN A0Vd. school for colored girls
was established Here the girls were
taught domestic science and given
practical foundation that would enable
them to secure and retain desirable places
as servants. The need soon arose, too,
of the girls being able to support them
selves while they were learning their
work, SO the alliance discussed the mat
ter and tried to solve the problem
through the establishment of q laundry.
The laundry was to be seff-supportins
after 1t was once started, and, aside from
teaching the girls this branch OF useiu
household knowledge, was to be the
means Of their earning money sufficient
to allow them to continue in the training
school, The laundry was a success. Sew
eral of the fashionable schools patron
lied it as well as individuals. and both OF
the ends for which 1t was planned were
carried out, educational as we'll as imam
cial. About a year and a half after the
establishment of the training school, how
ever the building in which the laundry
was situated was sold. The laundry. thus
forced to seek other quarters, was hard
pressed for funds. and was finally given
up. And the laundry abandoned, the
training school followed. not. however,
before a class had been graduated.
the alliance in Washington were college
women for the most part. But by the
time the eighteen months had passed
others had become interested in the
movement, and so the alliance did not
die, but kept on, taking up other problems
equally as important and doing other
pioneering in the same direction. ~
- -, Ei.f
At. the present time the officers. of the
Housekeepers' Alliance are Miss Ellen
e.f "a Marshall Rngg, PRESIDENT,
Present Mrs. Henry B.: F.. Macfar-
land Mrs. Thomas Sidwell.
Vuce1e. Mrs. Wendell p. Stafford,
Mrs John Van Schaick. jr.. Miss Ellen
A. :Vinton and Mrs. Richard Wainwright,
vice presidents: Mrs. Alice E. Whitaker.
secretary treasurer; Mrs. Paul Dunbar.
assistant secretary-treasurer; Mrs. Will
liam j. Tindall. auditor, and Mrs. Willard
D. Bieelow, delegate to the District OF
Columbia General Federation of Women's
Clubs. The members at large of the ex-
ecutive board are Mrs. Louis W. Austin.