Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-04
DOMESTIC
- SCIENCE
Conducted by
Mrs. Alice Gilchen Kirk.
Modern Efficiency Methods Should He
Applied In Home.

hppIItu IN HhOmts
The large majority of housekeepers
in this country have assumed that
housekeeping efficiency" means
sweeping, busting, scrubbing, wash
ing dishes, cooking and everlastingly
keeping at it, in fact, Stirring up
things" most of the time and Incl
dentally stirring up" the family all
the time.
If any help is to be gained by the
readers then we must have a clear,
definite idea of things included in
the word home" and "housekeep-
ing" 1t cannot mean less than
everything from the food we eat to
the clothes we wear and from child
hood to old age.
Making Home Comfortable.
To make a home comfortable and
also pleasing to the eye means all
the knowledge possible in decoration
and beautifying, selection of furni-
ture, plain but perfect lines, artistic
hanging, wall and floor coverings,
few good pictures; also utensils and
tools which will make for greater
ease, pleasure. dignity and efficiency.
In using the word "artistic' 1t does
not mean expense, but cultivation of
taste in harmony of color and the
proper arrangement of the same.
Housekeeping is the biggest de-
partmental business in the world
and as such needs the very best
brains at or command. There was
time when, in spirit at least, even
though not said. it was believed and
practised that anyone can sweep and
dust, cook, scrub and take full charge
of the kitchen, but not so now.
Home and housekeeping are II SCI
ence. Cooking and selection Of pure
foods are an exact science, and no
brainless individual can carry on or
direct this most important work to-
day in relation to your home and
surroundings.
Labor-saving devices IF every de-
scription, kind and make are broad
cast in the land and more on the
way, but these are absolutely use
less in the hands of housekeepers
who do not and will not use them
with some degree of intelligence. |
know many women who will buy
utensils, take them home, try item
once, possibly twice, and lay them
away in a drawer because they dc
not like them. Why not find that
Jul bClCLC anu save IIlcll
money?
I remember very well the head OF
a large private school who came al
one time to our cooking school, ask
ing for help on the selection of prac-
teal cooking utensils for the school
kitchen. Among other things we
recommended for her special need
was a steam cooker. 1t was sent
home and the cook was asked to
have it in readiness by the next
morning when the housekeeper would
come and show her how to use it.
The next morning the steam cook
er had not been touched and when
the cook was asked why it was moi
clean and ready for use, said: "Sent
it back and save your money!
The housekeeper said: mo, prom
ised Mrs. Cook I would give il
a fair trial and we are going t.
do So" At the end of two weeks she
came to us and said: Our cook saiC
to tell you she would part with any
other utensil in her kitchen rather
than the steam cooker
Makes for Efficiency.
That is what | mean by choosine
| utensils and helps in the home in
| diligently and the use of the same
This makes for housekeeping eff
| ficiency. If the women of our cour.
try are not careful their husbands
and sons are going to know more o
the efficiency engineering of tn,
! home than they will ever know: j
! they do not try to stop grasping a
the stars and come down to earth ant
then very close to their homes, 70
the Something they are wanting
they are going to lose the bigges
| thing in life, and that is their pro
| fession and a Systematic, accurate
working knowledge of it.
It's a big job they have on thei
hands, and the majority of Womei
| have not been big enough for il
without training, any more than tn
man has felt he was sufficient 70
his business without the best assist
ance the country affords. Yes, an,
better than that, he sends his en-
ployees by the score to hear thes
| speakers till they know what the,
must do to make themselves NOR
valuable to their employer.
Get Busy and Live.
Housekeepers, get busy and alive
Cut out a lot of these senseles
bridge parties, which steal your tim
and your intellect and your goo
looks and youth. Be sensible an,
hospitable, but refuse to waste an
other season in idle so-called enter
tainments, but read, study, go to lee
lures on everything which will max
for home efficiency engineering O
the best kind possible. Have a rea
object in life. something to work fol
and you will be surprised at the i'm
provement in your home and you
Eealth and happiness.