New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-30
THE EFFICIENCY congress
Problems of Home Economics
Discussed at Lake Placid.

Every one shouts efficiency" in these
days and II thing is labelled with that
word, rightly or wrongly, II goes. when
the home economics movement was labelled
an efrcient one, however II was LABELLED
rightly. for since It's organization, thirteen
wears ago. much progress mas peen maze
toward the solution OF the long neglected.
nroblems Of domestic administration 30
the president of the Lake Placid Club as
sured the members Of the Home Economics
Associstion at the opening Of the third an
40, roes,,ne of the administrative section
t. Irr. ar Lake Placid, and the nature OF
,h. rsnorts and papers read during ths
..,,,s sase,op Of the convention justified
- o,.hue,ss site estimate Never before
has the laundry doomed SO large IN the
studies of authorities oil home economies
ss AT the present time, and one OF the
most interesting sessions OF the CONFER
snce was devoted TO this subject. report
giving data from two hundred ouestionaires
sant IN colleges hospitals. clubs. etc. and
asking information regarding all features
If the plant equipment employees. head
workers. etc. was read by Miss l.. B Bal
derstop. of Teachers College. vast
aroupt of Information was gained In this
wav. one feature Of special interest being
the demand for trained women as superin-
,sndents of the laundry In institutions. Ths
qua liAcat lions of such o superintendent In
cluded about all that any man or woman
could possibly possess Following this
came q report Of The Regulation and In
spection of Commercial Laundries." hy
Mrs. Helen woodford Pratt. Of the Con /
sumers League Of New York. and a re-
sumo of the recent laundry strike by Will
lam c. Rogers, Deputy State Commissioner
Of Labor. Speaking OF the irregulartty of
hours In the laundry business, Mr. Rogers
said that housewives were greatly 70 blams
for this evil, for they send their laundry
bundles in late and expect them to be done
in day or two. thus causing a rush on
| work.
Another interesting session was the even
ing devoted to administration in Prtvats
Home" This was In charge of Miss Flora
Rose of Cornell University. who stated
that woman's work IN the household to-day
must be regarded as an economic factor
that the home must be considered from, al
commercial point Of view.
To improve the organization OF the
home" she said, I'VE must begin with the
floor plan Of the house. The plan OF the
kitchen is exceedingly important. as sol
much Of the prosperity OF the house de-
pends upon the way food is prepared and
served. The old idea was that the kitchen
| should be a large, commodious one "nie
the present one is that working space
should be condensed. Though small, it
should be airy. with plenty OF wall space
for a tremendous amount can be done with
the wall In the placing OF utensils ETC.
The question OF the number OF doors into
the kitchen should be considered, for open
ing and shutting the usual large numoef
OF doors is a great waste OF force. Inen'
too. the location OF the kitchen with 20
gard 10 the dining room should De cons!i-
cred and Il is question whether but
lers pantry, as such, is advisable. Also the
utmost efficiency should be demanded or
a Kitchen range A stove might be placed
in a hreplace, thus preventing the radiauon
OF heat through the kitchen and MAKING
the conditions of work more pleasan'
There IS also a loss in travelling lons
distance from the kitchen TO the hont
doors: hence. TO place the kitchen In the
front OF the house is a labor saver
IS regards the placing OF eouiphe"'
Rose said that nothing was more In nse'
Of attention than the sink, which should De
set low. Another question for consideration
IS whether furniture should be built IN or
not. Cabinets II built In, though mofe
extensive at first, will save labor, for there
IS nothing 10 move and no spaces oshino
and around to keep clean. AS TO hoors. ore
kind that is easy TO workers feet and easily
cleaned is that made OF linoleum laid In
cement.
Mrs Martha Bensey Bruere took up Inc
Relation OF Household Administration 70
Public Utilities" saying that domestic sel-
ence would not realize Its possioilities ou
Il showed us how TO set things that wouId
benefit the public.
A session devoted 10 the discussion OF
practical training fields for training III
household and institutional management
was I'm charge OF Miss Emma Gunther. OF
Teachers College, and the school luncheon
problem was presented by Mrs Louise Ste
yens Bryant OF the University OF Pennsyl-
yania. while DR.. Ira 5. Vile added some
facts regarding the effects OF malnutriuon
I'm children.