Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-09
Home Engineering
BY FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN

Gus differences between good and bad
articles.
Next came the question of light. The
school decided to let two students live
in the apartment on condition that
they take care of it and help with the
work of the other girls, and an appro-
priation of twenty dollars was set
aside to cover the cost of eight
months light Besides this, twenty
dollars was contributed out of the fund
for research work in investigating The
recreation and amusement advantages
of the neighborhood They wished to
ascertain the amount of amusement
the Yorke family could obtain on an
hundred dollars appropriated by The
college. $21G was spent for the rent of
the apartment for eight months; $40
for light; $210 for furnishings; $50 for
research, and $34 for incidental ex-
penses incurred for charwomen and
ianitors' tips,
In disposing of the problems of the
Yorke family, the students fitted them
selves to. meet those Of their own
homes and by actual experiment and
practice learned to keep house. In
this connection DR.. Claxon of the bu-
reau of education in Washington has
recently issued a report in which Re
says that the practice house. is as
necessary to the equipment of a
course in home economics as sewing
machines and cooking utensils, and
therefore should be an accessory to
every public school.
The department of agriculture,
through It's bureau Of home economics,
is doing great deal to teach the wom-
en- of the farm the business principles
of scientific housekeeping In connec-
ton with it's agricultural extension
work. Statistics show that there are
eight million women working in farm
kitchens throughout the country. BY
a cooperative arrangement with the
state agricultural colleges, the depart
ment employs county agents who carry
the science of home-making to large
percentage of these women, just as the
county agricultural experts carry the
principles of scientific farming to the
men. TIE government gives a certain
appropriation to the project annually,
on condition that the state provides a
like amount. ...l... 81.
The county agent, who must be
woman of scientific training, usually
works by the means of clubs, which
meet in the school house, town hall or
some such place. Here, by the use OF
the movable school," including the
latest housekeeping equipment. she
lectures and gives practical demon
strations in cooking, dressmaking,
house furnishing, poultry raising, can
ming and preserving.
Sometimes it is very difficult to get
the older women interested and the
work must be done through the young
girls. The county agent, for example,
casually visits certain farm house,
ostensibly to see how one OF ner
Young pupils is getting on with her
dressmaking, but really with the in
tention OF getting acquainted with the
GIRLS mother, who is in greater need
Of education in home economics. Dur
ing the call, the mother proudly dis.
n,avs dress she has made without tho
help of the new system of patterns
Of course, it looks it. The county
agent however, praises her work and
tho farmers wife unbends sufficiently
TO allow the agent to make some sug'
oastions. AS can be seen, the position
of county agent is one requiring OK.
quisite tact.
eve never criticize the women for
the conditions in the home--we praise
them for what they have done and
then try to help them all we can ex.
planned DR.. A. C. True, director OF the
bureau.