Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1913-01-15
Domestic Science
Department
Conducted by
Mrs. Alice Gitchell Kirk.

Why Do Women Dislike Homework?
1T is not the revolution which de-
stroys machinery, but the friction" II
| could get every woman who is mis-
tress of a home, to lift up her head,
straighten her shoulders and say, II am
the head of the largest departmental
business in the world: ! must know
how the work in every department is
done. so, even though I do not have to
do it, I can always direct it intelligently,
and know whether 1t is done right or
wrong, and govern my criticisms or
praise accordingly; I should know what
constitutes a days work and the length
OF time required for doing 1t well. such
as washing, ironing, sweeping, busting,
cooking or sewing, and q thorough In
ventory OF my household goods and
personal clothing should be taken at
least once year." then / should know
there was not q housekeeper in the land
who "disliked housework." In my first
experiences giving cooking and house,
keeping lectures / was constantly greet
ed with such as these: II hate house
work" Il can't bear to wash dishes"
"Housework is so monotonous," etc. etc.
There is only one answer to this dis
like for houseworlS and that is. plain,
unvarnished ignorance Of the profession
they are engaged In. This has been
proven hundreds of times since when
the very women who said the above
later have studied housekeeping and
cooking. and now frankly come and
tell me they like it. Everyone may not
love it, but 1t can surely help make
work pleasanter and easier by know
ing how to keep the wheels of the ma
chinery running smoothly
/ am not very enthusiastic about New
Years resolutions. but it is good plan
to take look through the house after
the holidays and see IL you have been
so expert as a housekeeping manager,
that at the beginning of the new year,
every department in the home Is In
"spiclk-span" order and you know just
where to find everything and know just
what new house furnishings are
necessary.
This is the season for special sales
on all white goods and If an inventory
IS taken at the beginning of the year
Of towels, napkins, linen, kitchen uten-
sils, underwear and in fact everything
in the home and the clothing for the
family, and this when done written on
cards and filed as your card index
cooking recipes are in a box, or drawer,
many gray hairs and wrinkles would
be saved the head Of the home and less
time and energy for both yourself and
clerks In the stores would be saved.
IL this system could be used in the
home during the entire year, we would
not be forced to give up what little
peace on earth" there Is left for Christ
mas with the silly sentimentality we
hear about saving the clerks at the
holiday shopping time. They are hui
man all the year round and would ap-
preciate systematic knowing what
you-want buying eleven months In the
year, then there is method and sys-
tenn when the holiday season comes.
Talk about a saleswoman In store
being worn out. 1t does not compare
with the wife or mother without sys-
tenn. who runs her house on the hap
hazard, go you'll please, find tiff
you-can, cateh-up- in the -neSt-wor1d-
fashion. She is the one who Is total
wreck when the new year begins and
not the sales people (unless We make 1t
hard for them9s for they are working
where system, order and time mean
something in their vocabulary and ev-
ery-day life.
My New Years wish to the News