The Washington times., 1914-07-16

tline, with an employment agency
In establishing a model reference
system. A reference scheme, worked
out within the club, is one of the
most helpful methods by which the
club tries to secure closer co-opera-
ton between employer and employee.
In explaining the operation of this
system, Mrs. Alice Whitaker said:
The average written reference
given to domestic workers has an
exceedingly small face value. There
fore. a reference circle was formed
whose members agree to give fun
and accurate information regard
ing domestic employee upon schedules
furnished by secretaries of the circle
All information Is confidential, for
the blanks are never shown to an
employe and no information is given
out to other housekeepers Wy the
secretary while the employe yet
holds her position.
The Reference Circle has two
distinct registers. The reference reg
istry OF monthly employee, intended
primarily to secure adequate refer
ences. aims at a complete record Of
workers employed by members,
whether satisfactory or not The
registry of day workers includes
men and women employed and rec
commended by alliance members. The
use Of this register is a member
ship privilege and 1t depends large
ticn furnished by the housekeepers.
1t is consulted through the secre-
tary of the circle"
Household Education.
The club has given its members
advantage of lecture courses in
household economics. conducted by
Miss Emma S. Jacobs, director of
domestic science In the public
schools. Miss Jacobs class included
the study of marketing, menu build
ing. foods, textiles, and fabrics.
In 1911 reading class was started,
and pamphlets on household eff
cheney circulated. About this time
of hygienic instruction to pupus
already in existing domestic training
schools. Young women in such
schools were taught personal nv
giene, nutrition values and the avo,o-
ance of narcotics and drugs. This
work broadened into a wider educa-
ton campaign among the settle-
ments. churches. and other channels
by which both housekeepers and en-
pioyers could be reached.
Though the club was formed in
1896 II was not until the next wear
that'it was formally organized with
100 members. It was admitted to
of Women's Clubs in 1911.
Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley now is presi-
dent OF the club and its vice ,res,-
dents are Mrs. II. B. F. mcfarland.
Mrs. whitman Cross, Mrs. John Van
Schaick. Mrs. Richard Wainwright,
Mrs. Archibald Hopkins. and Mrs.
Mortimer Gill. Mrs. E. w. Boughton
is secretary: Mrs. Sarah Keen Lamb.
assistant secretary. Mrs: Appleton
Clark, jr., treasurer. and Mrs. Theo-
dore L. Cole. auditor.
The clubs bread and flour commit
tee worked in conjunction with DR..
Harvew Wiley. in 1905. in his fight
Quoted experiments with both sorts
of flour. 1t was partly through the
clubs efforts that the bill pro
hibiting the use of bleached flour In
- bakeries was passed.
Undertakes Inquiries.
The alliance has undertaken a num-
Der of Investigations and acted upon
the results. 1t looked into the con-
ditions of domestic service in thu
city and has made an effort 10
improve the working conditions OF
many employees.
Industrial insurance was thorough
ly studied and list of reliable
companies compiled so that members
might advise their servants upon
this point.
Cooperative buying has been taken
I'D, and recently the alliance has
done effective work in conjunction
with Postmaster Otto Praeger In ex-
>cnding the benefits OF parcel post
buying direct from the farm.
When the fight against the phos-
phorus match was on. the alliance
Joined forces with the adherents
of the Esch bill and helped wage
the campaign which resulted IN paAs.