The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-02-17
GOVERNMEN AGENCIES
IN HOME-MAkING

Numerous government agencies are
at work in behalf of homemaking, ac-
cording to a recent report on home
education, prepared by Miss Ellen c.
| Lombard of the Bureau of Education,
| Department of the Interior. Besides
the Bureau of Education-which main
tains divisions of home education 1.-THE
! Bureau of Mines, the Reclamation
Service, and the Office of Indian At
fairs, all of the Interior Department,
are doing direct work in education for
the home. The treasury department,
through its public health service, and
the departments of agriculture, labor,
and commerce, are also promoting
Ihome-makfng through one or more bu-
reaus or offices.
The Reclamation Service of the In
terror Department is reaching the
women on the projects; it is working
for improved conditions in the homes,
and it has taken active steps in in
augurating clubs for study purposes.
More thai 200 clubs have been formed
among the project women, every one
of the 16 states where the government
has reclamation projects being repre-
sented. The Reclamation Record, the
organ of the reclamation service, has
become an important factor in reach
ing the women on the projects; one en-
tire section of this periodical is given
over to project women and their in
terests.
The Indian Office, also under the
department of the interior, is carrying
on four distinct activities in the pro-
motion of better home conditions
Through the Indian children in school;
through the farmer on the farm;
through the medical service; and
through the world of the field matron. |
The field matron comes into close |
contact with the Indian mothers She /
instructs them how to care for them |.
selves and little children; how to give |
the children proper food. She teach |
es them how to care for their houses |
and gives them valuable lessons in /.
the importance of ventilation, sunlight |
and cleanliness She exerts a definite |
moral influence in advising the moth |.
ers.
Home-making as a problem in the |
territories and dependencies of the |
United States has had the attention /
of the government for some time. and |
much good work has been done, al |
though there are still sections. especi- /.
where a careful study of living con
dtions and a plan of work for home |
education are needed. In Alaska, F.
where the education of natives is un-
der the direction of the department of /
the interior, every teacher is a social |.
worker and strives in every way pos
sible to promote the physical, moral, /
and industrial welfare of the natives, F.
adults as well as children. In the ma
tive villages the teachers and nurses
of the Alaska School Service endeayor
to establish proper sanitary conditions
by inspecting the houses, by insisting
upon the proper disposal of garbage,
and by giving instruction in sanitary
methods of living. Natives are encour- |
aged to replace their huts by neat,
well-ventilated houses. In some sec
tions the natives have been taught to
raise vegetables, as a healthful addi-
tion TO the usual diet Of fish and meat.
The need of home education in Por-
to Rico is evidenced by a survey Of
home conditions recently made by
special investigator for the bureau Of
education. While much valuable work
has already been done by the authori-