Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-11-18

economies, UniNersitg " hhiue, IN fhfu-
ers' Week Course, IsIs.l
A writer in recent periodical suggests
the use OF score card for wives. While
it would be somewhat difficult to formu-
late it would be interesting to see to what
degree housewives are efficient.
What is efficiency Professor ostwald,
OF Liepsic university, says: "rhe ratio OF
useful energy produced to the energy ex-
pended is technically known as effici-
ency.~
Men who own factories call in an effici-
ency expert to reorganize their factory II
they have reason to believe it Is not pro-
ducing as 1t should. 1t would be well II
il wers possible for housewives to call in
an efficiency expert when the returns OF
labor are not what they should be.
Many housewives know that the home
is run inefficiently, but they do not know
Just " here the trouble is, nor would they
know how to remedy it IL they did. Miss
Helen Louise johnson has done some in
teresting work along the line OF helping
house wives to find the trouble.
Housekeeping is business, and until 1t
is recognized as such and put on BUSH
ness basis there is little hope for improve
ment. How can one bring housekeeping
to be thought OF as businessY Only by
education. Experts say that more i'll
arises from abuses OF eating than Of
drinking. Does that not show the neces-
sity OF education In household economicsf
A definite system of work should be
planned. Probably no workman in the
world works with less system than the
housewife, then she wonders why her
work is never done. Plan your meals for
a week, plan your work for week, or .
month and you will never go back to the
old indefinite way OF living.
Taxing the twelve principles OF effici-
ency, let US see how far we can apply the m
to the household.
1. Ideals
2. Common sense
8. Competent counsel
4. Standardized operations
S. Standardized conditions
8. Standardized practice
Z. Dispatching
s. Scheduling
9. Reliable records
10. Discipline
IL. Fair deal
IL. Efficiency reward
Housewives, think what your ideals are
II your home is failure perhaps 1t is for
the very reason that your ideals are not
clearly expressed in your own mind.
Naturally, to secure harmony, each men,
Der OF the family must have the same
ideals in regard to the family life.
Common sense is one OF the most i'm
portant principles. Are you sure that you
apply III Is il common sense to work on
your nervef Is 1t common sense to allow
your children TO form bad habits?
We can all take advantage OF competent
counsel, for all home periodicals devote
several pages to the management OF the
home. The university bulletins, the
farmers bulletins, and the bulletins OF
the chiidren's bureau may all be procured
for the asking.
Is your work standardized? Do you
know how long 1t takes to make bed or
fright up" roomf Are your kitchen and
the utensils as conveniently arranged as
possible, or do you walk ten feet every
time you want an egg beaten, or = spoonf
Study your methods Of work to see how
they can be improved. Work out q
schedule Of work so that each task lie done
at the right time In relation TO the other
tasks Of the day. II you know you are
likely to be interrupted at certain times
plan work for that time that will not
suffer II left for few minutes.
In no place 10 there. more need for sys-
TEN than in that Of keeping records. In
business Offices the card index system Is
used, and here the housekeeper can learn
lesson. In box containing one thousand
cards all needful information can be kept
card. index cook book is the most con-
venient and practical way in which to
keep recipes.
The three principles, discipline, fair
deal, and efficiency reward, concern the
servant employed. By those who have
applied the "new housekeeping, the re-
suits with maids have been unusually sue
cessful.
Efficiency as applied in the household
should give woman q different attitude
toward her work, more leisure to keep up
with the times, and do her work outside
Of the home as we'll as within It.