The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-11-07
SPECIAL WAR DUTY FDR
HOME ECONOMIC
TEACHERS

Home economies teachers in the
schools are told in a recent circular
OF the Bureau OF Education that a
special obligation rests upon them to
take an active part in the national
food and clothing problems arising
from the war. They are in a stratc-
gic position, according to the Blu
reau's circular, which says;
Teachers OF home economics can
reach into the homes OF the patrons
of the public schools and aid in ex-
tending a knowledge OF food cond-
tons. They can explain the reasons
why American families are asked to
modify some OF their food habits.
They can raise food economy to the
plane OF patriotic service. They can
assist families in matters Of economy
SO that better living conditions can be
maintained. OF course, all home
economies teachers will alter labora-
tory practices so as to conform to
present food conditions, but they may
do much more; they may carefully
make plain the reasons why America
with her abundance of food material
asks her people to select carefully,
use wisely, and waste not one par
ticle."
The Bureaus circular points out
that home economies teachers have
already assisted materially in the
work Of food preservation They can
help further. it is asserted, by taking
pupils on fruit picking" picnics to
gather fruit fer canning that W ould
otherwise go TO waste This will be
possible until very late in the fall in
some sections. The products of food
preservation may be donated to the
Red Cross. sent to the soldiers in
France. used for public school lun-
ches, or sold for some community
project. Home economies teachers
can emphasize the cooking OF perish
able foods and reduce the use of the
needed staples.
Sewing courses in the schools may
also be modified to meet war needs
1T should be required that half of
all class work be done upon old ma
terial," says the Bureau The value
in teiGhing lessons in thrift can not
be ovcrcstimated
Whenever possible articles usefu'
to others rather than to the pupil
should be made. This is valuable in
establishing among the pupils interest
IN the great national and patriotic
movement OF the present time and in
suppressing sclfishness and vanity.
There is no particular reason why
the student in sewing should carry
away the product Of her efforts. The
instruction is given. as is all other
instruction in schools for training the
intelligence and the skill of the stu
dent. TO rely upon the selfish de-
sire of the student for an article of
personal use or adornment to hold
her interest is TO undervaluc the real
purpose OF the work
students in the seventh and eighth
grades and high school classes may
sew for the Red Cross on various
hospital garments. In this work
both speed and efficiency may be de-
vc1oped. each child who makes a
garment is permitted to attach the
name Of her school and room to the
garment She will be more interested.
The acceptance Of these suggest
ions entails additional work and re
sponsibility for the teacher in charge.
1t will be necessary that She estab-
lish among the mothers of the child
rem in her classes an understanding
of the purposes and of the present
economic conditions as they relate to
wooden and cotton fabrics.
Adaptations of home economies
courses to war needs will strengthen
rather than weaken the work as here
toforc given and will be of great
value in awakening the students in
terest in the world problems Of to-
day