New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-10
House7pok as Profession Is Really Being Taught in
the Audrepy Institute, Which Has already Sent
Out Hundreds Of Trained Sel5ERe5pechng
and Successful Domestic Workers

asked, sure that an obstacle that would
have to be settled in advance.
"On the contrary, our young women who
90 out as professional houseworkers in indi-
vidual homes not only wear caps and aprons,
but are proud to do So" was the reply. I'VE
have a uniform cap and apron, embroidered
in red letters "A. l. g. (Andrews Institute
for Grls). We regard this exactly the same
as hospital does the nurses uniform. AS
it can be worn only by our own graduates,
the girls regard it as a badge of honor"
These small, red letters mean to both
worker and employer that the girl who has
the right to wear them has studied cooking,
sanitation, budget making marketing, food
values, infant care ard feeding, cleaning and
household management, and is bound to rem
der service as far superior to old, ignorant,
slipshod methods as the work of an engineer
is superior to that of navy.
PRACTICAL HOUSEKEEPING
An Andrews Institute girl whatever the
use to which she ultimately puts her knowl-
edge, has this great advantage-her domestic
science is far from being all theory and labor
atory practice. Due to the fact that the in
stitute is on the cottage plan, where CO.
operation of service in the homework re-
duces expenses to 81 weekly for each pupil
domestic science work in laboratory and class
room is balanced by active housekeeping in
all its details in the cottage. Thus the cot
tages serve the double purpose Of providing
homes at cost for the pupils, and at the same
time an opportunity to make practical ap-
plication of what they learn. In addition, a
l,,ro aiptoI OF no nctI
conducted and managed entirely by the ad-
vanced homemakng students, who do all the
buying of supplies, plan menus, set prices
and do all the actual work, as well as attend
to the business details, bookkeeping, etc. AS
the lunchroom is at cost, all this must be
done within fixed sum.
The practical training that each pupil OBJ
tans through this feature of the work is most
valuable, not only for those who, desiring to
specialize in it, go direct from the institute
TO tea room and lunchroom management, but
for the professional houseworker. The re-
sponsibility involved in its management devel-
ops interest and efficiency as nothing else can.
The authorities of the Andrews Institute re-
gard responsibility as so vitality important TO
the intelligent and highly trained young wom-
an who takes up Homework as a profession
that, however thorough and scientific their
training of this type of worker, they feel that
the final test of efficiency lies not with them.
ITO enlarge the sense of responsibility tow
ard work is just necessary to cultivate
skill or intelligence" they say. "Give it to
an ignorant worker and you stimulate her.
Withhold it from one of our own graduates
and you can force her work, however complete
her training and intelligent her interest, to be-
come menial." In other words, these expert
enced instructors are convinced that domestic
service has remained at standstill largely be-
cause we ourselves have kept it at low level.
And so along with increased wages and con-
sideraton, specific demand goes from An
drews Institute to the housekeeper that active
responsibility be given its graduates.
This emphasis on the Importance Of dele
eating responsibility in homework at last en-
lightened me as to why professional women
are often so successful in handling their SER
want problems. despite the fact that they are
away from home all day.