Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-08-19
Water Supply and Education.


president Joe Cook, of the Mississippi
Normal College, believes that the hrst
step in the education of women in the
country should be the elimination oil
needle IS farm drudgery. No matter how
good the rural school may be, he de-
clares. it can not help permanently IN
making life in the country attractivel
unless there goes with it the movement
to tighten the labor of women on the
farm.
The water supply in particular rouses
President Cooks indignation. He Is
convinced that as much as nine-tenths
of the drudgery of women on the farm
fs due to antiouated methods of handl-
ing tile water supply. Here is the way
he states the case:
THE getting of the water from the
source Of supply to the point Of appli-
cation requires more manual labor
than any other item of housekeeping.
The water for the kitchen has to be
lifted from the well, carried to the
IItnen, DOuitd liito a htteiS' P'"-
out of the kettle into the dishran, and
from the dishpan out of doors. rms
makes six times the water is handled,
and bucket of water containing two
gallons, with the containing vessel, VIII
weigh 20 pounds. The cooking OF three
meals day on meager allowance OF
water will neeessitate 10 buckets, which
will make for cooking alone Lou
pounds of lifting per day. When TO TINS
is added the water necessary for bath
ing. scrubbing, and the weekly wash,
il will easily bring the lift per day up
to a ton: and the lifting of ton day
win take the elasticity out of Wo-
mans step. the bloom out of her cheek,
and the enjoyment from her soul.
To eliminate this item of drugery is
easy, according 20 President Cook. AL
that is necessary is for the farmer tc
realize that the farm is also the neil
10 modern invention An isolated farn
can be supplied with a system OF wat
erworks for an outlay of about S2oo
Pump. s25: gasoline engine, $40; tank
$40; bathtub, $40; commode, $40; kitch
ensinR. 81; basin. 81; 500 feet OF pipe
$40: valves and installation, $40. Thes'
IS are for first-class porcelain
lined fixtures; cheaper fixtures can d.
had Such system, if intelligently ant
compactly planned, will not only sup.
MY practically all the farm needs be
SIDES.
had an opportunity of visiting Maine
and observing the provisions for watel
supply and the manner of dealing will
the difficulty where conditions such as
he pictures exist. In a word, the aver
age Maine farmer does not allow ms
wife to bring the water, if he has M
provisions for piping it to the sink--h'
on the hired men attend to that, as wei
IS to replepishing the wood supply
carving aswav table ana other waste
fer the hogs. etc.
ffs DR.. Cook seems to have harked bacl
te u benighted age. If he intends t.
convey the idea that majority of III
country people he describes lives as h
indicates He does not give the farme
credit fer either sense, justice, eourtes
or any degree OF inherent sahahi
we don't know Of what portion o
America he writes, but it in no wa
applies to Maine. Maine farmers an
their wives are cooperating for mu
tuaI benefit. They are business firr
bound by love. family ties and common
interests. il one lifts more than he o
she ought IL is because the other can
not prevent it and not because of de
liberate purpose on the part OF one I
wear the other out.
I Maine countrymen. as a rule. woul