The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
YOU CAN ALWAYS GET THEORY FROM
PRACTICE BUT NOT PRACTICE FROM
THEORY" SAYS MRS. w A. JOHNSON
BY DOLLY DALRYsIPLE

II you are at all interested in cooking
tand what woman is not?), just drop In at
the cooking school which is being con-
Quoted by the Ladies Aid society of the
First PRESBYTERIAN church and see the
demonstrations that are being made daily
by Mrs. W. A. johnson in this practical
art.
You will not only have some remarkably
interesting revelations made to you on
the subject of practical cooking but You
will meet one OF the most charming
women who has visited Birmingham in
many days
An aristocrat from the crown of her
high-bred head to the tips of her dainty
feet, Mrs. johnson impresses you as some
old world picture that has stepped from
its frame and lent her radiance and
sweetness to the every day workaday
world, to which she adds an elegance
and a dignity which is the theme of ad-
miration among all who are fortunate
enough to come in contact with her
From the fair state of Kentucky Mrs.
johnson comes, bringing with her an at
mosphere and an environment that is at
once her right and her Inheritance. aud
blending with this a head fun of prac-
tical sense, she is admirably fitted to
adorn any position she assumes, and in
the role of instructor in the cooking
school, which began with a large attend
anee yesterday, and which will continue
through the next 10 days, she will no doubt
attract large following not only by her
personality but by her ability.
(fhaftinp with bar nh ba Of
cooking-for it is no less an art than
music. and painting and the rest-Mrs
johnson said yesterday, among other
things:
Il suppose you might say that the tai
ent for cooking is an inheritance with me.
My grandmothers on both sides, as well
as my mother, all bore the reputation of
being fine housekeepers, and as a child
| can remember how | loved to dabble
in the kitchen and make desserts and sal
ads, and whenever anything went awry
with the general run of things in mothers
house l always knew somehow just how
to right it, and so l suppose it was
just natural for me to be domestic and to
like household affairs"
How is your work conducted in the
cooking school of which you are the
head?' | asked.
1T is practical demonstration, said
Mrs. johnson emphatically. "You get a
great deal of science and chemistry and
that sort of thing in most cooking schools.
but | make my work distinctive, in that IL
is absolutely practical You know it is
easy enough to get theory out of prac-
tice, but it is very difficult to get prac-
tice out of theory"
Il like your idea l suggested, "and it
seems to me that Birmingham ought not
to have poor cook in il after your course
of lessons"
Il never lack in numbers, was the re-
ply, 'at any of the schools | conduct In
fact l always have a tremendous patron
age. 1t is made so easy, too, for my
pupils, because of course the drudgery
of the kitchen is entirely dispensed with
I've never been a believer in that sort
of thing; In fact, I've never done it my
self. That is what we have our SER
wants for, but 1 Will say this, that If I
had it to do, I'd know how, as every
housewife should"
What is comprised In the course you
will give here at the cooking school?p
L asked.
I'm the 10 lessons Mrs. johnson said
the entire gamut of cooking is run you
might say, from the simplest dishes to
the most elaborate-soups, breads, pas
trys, entrees serving, and decorative
work, including garnishing and all that
sort of thing
Now let me tell you one thing" Mrs
Johnson continued. Il do not say that a
person can become an expert cook in 10