Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-02

North. East. South. west-home'u
best" Mrs. Kate Brew Vaughn. the
lecturer who comes to Richmond to-
morrow at the invitation of The
Times-Dispatch TO give free lectures
on cooking at the Masonic Temple. ex-
emplhes the truth of this sweet old
couplet. She has covered In her life.
which has Is yet not been a long one.
the North and the South and the East
and the West. and she comes back TO
the South with a feeling that il Is
the best because it is home. Mrs
Vaughn was born in Nashville. Tenn,
a she informed The Times Dispatch
reporter in an interview yesterday at
her hotel.
7 spent my first school days there.
and later moved to the country, and
while there l learned beside the les
sons taught at the country school,
much OF happiness through the homely
tasks on the farm and from the beau
ties OF nature. In the country we have
more time for reading. and depended
more on the resources of the home
for amusement. The music in the
home was entirely different from that
we set nowadays in the theaters, and
the games and amusements may seem
decidedly out of style. but in look
Ing back over my life. wonder what
! would have done for literary and
musical standards II had missed
those years in the country before l
was twenty-onc
Have you ever lived in a little
country town where the latchstring
hangs outside every door. where your
joys and sorrows are shared by all
the inha bitants? II that sweet e1-
perience has never been yours you
have surely lost something. AT eigh-
teen had finished school. having
been away at boarding school for two
years and back at home with moth
ing 70 do but attend a few entertain
ments meet the trains and get the
mail. This could not long entertain
the daughter OF as energetic parents
as had. SO it is no wonder that l
reached out for something to occupy
my mind and hands.
TELLS OF HER BEGINNINGS
IN WORLD OF BUSINESS
That was in the day that work
was considered bad thing for
woman. and l feel justified in saying
I was one of the first twenty women
who went into the business world from
our town. l took a course in stenog-
raphy, and at its conclusion was
frightened as we'll as much pleased
when l secured position as stenog-
rapher in d big insurance Office
Through the kindness and encourage
ment of such men as those with whom
] came in contact at this early stage
OF my business life, l was appointed
at the death Of my employer to sue
coed him as inspector of risks for
the insurance company.
This position l resigned to take up
housekeeping and mothering. as ignor-
ant Of both as any girl of sixteen
My only accomplishments in house.
keeping were polishing silver, gar
nishing fancy dishes and making cake
and candy. the latter 1 had learned to
keep in the good graces Of my
brothers. The first sewing 1 ever did.
except for fancy work, was on my
first baby's short clothes. and these
came apart in the first washing. I
knew how TO earn money, but OF
spending il for comforts and necessi-
ties. ! knew nothing.
II began learning by experience, and
found 1T an expensive school. 1 lost
the roses from my cheeks and faith
In my own ability. / wasted gallon
Of -four learning to utilize a quart
Of it. In trying to make good butter,
I wasted time that should have been
spent in finding the why's of butter
making. A little theoretical knowl-
edge would have saved lot of heart
aches and good material, but 1 hate
the old-fashioned idea that there was
so much drudgery that every woman
who keeps house must meet.
KNOWLEDGE OF COOKING
HER ONLY ASSET
THE necessity to earn money again
after fifteen years out of business
brought me to the realization that
I no longer had supple fingers. MY
pencil refused intuitively to make pot
hooks when some one dictated and /
know I could never be- a business
woman again in the old line. A good
practical knowledge of cookery ac-
CURED through many failures and
much waste was my only asset, but
along with 1t possessed an ardent
desire to help young women In a
sweeter. kindlier school than mine
had been.
II have been fortunate enough in
having friends at home and else
whore who applauded my successes.