The Harrison times., 1917-09-15
FARMERS WIVES
WORK TOO HARD
Arkansas Farmers Should Give Their
Wives Modern Household Machinery
and Make Her Work a Pleasure.
BY Salle Chamberlain, Home Demon
stration Agent, Extension Diyis-
ion, University of Arkansas.


ion, University of Arkansas.
Farmers have improved farm ma
chinery and use the latest methods In
making their crops, but they forget
that il is possible to make the WORK
OF the housewife much easier by pay
ing a little attention to the arrange
ment of the kitchen and by furnish
ing labor-saving devices which can be
made without great deal of trouble
or expense. Too many men fail to
recognize that il is economy to de-
crease the burdens of the housewife
by giving her modern equipment and
labor-saving devices. They do not
seem to know how easily her work
could be made a pleasure and not a
drudgery, and they do not do their
share to enable her to have some
leisure time to enjoy the things which
make more abundant life-books, mu-
sic, etc. would not place less EN-
phasis on the practical things of life,
but somebody surely needs to stress
the importance Of doing housework
with the least amount of time and
energy.
The lack of convenience in the
home is the cause of great deal OF
the woman's work Are the kitchens,
pantries, dining rooms and porches as
conveniently arranged as they might
be? Are the floors all on the same
level? One hardly realizes how tir-
ing ii is to step up and down from
the kitchen to the porch or from the
kitchen to the dining room. Are there
as many shelves, cupbOards, hooks,
nails, and tables as a housekeeper
needs? Frequently the lack of these
convenienees is due merely to the
fact that no one has ever stopped to
think of the need of them. They do
not necessarily require money to get
them. but it does take a little time
and thought, combined with energy.
A dry goods box containing shelves
and placed Just above the working ia
bic will save the housewife many
steps. 1t is hard to estimate the mum
Der of tables necessary in q kitchen
However, one should be covered with
galvanized iron or zinc to stand neaI
the stove on which the pots and ket
ties can be placed when removing
them from the stove. Asbestos mats
at three cents each are good to sci
the kettles on, but pieces OF boarC
may be used 10 an advantage. Above
the working table hooks should be ar
ranged on which to hang the smaller
equipment, such az egg beaters
spoons, potato mashers, etc,
All tables and sinks must be tai
enough to permit the woman to wors
comfortably at them without bending
over. The ordinary sink should bC
raised from eight to ten inches
A toy rub board" costing ten cents
is useful to slip into the sink or pal
to rub out the cloths and towels arteI
using them.
A roller-tray table is a very grea
time-saver and convenience. On'
home-maker has said that it takes
fifteen trips from the kitchen to th'
dining room to serve meal, whil'
with a roller-tray ii may be done b,
making two trips There are severa
INEXPENSIVE varieties of these table,
on the market, but good one cal
easily be made at home. To do sc
take small kitchen table, put
shelf under the table, tack strips
around the edges to prevent the dishe
from sliding of, and put rollers on it
A handy towel rack should be founC
in every kitchen,
The burdens of each housekeepe
will be less if she will "have place
for everything and everything in ii
place," and time for doing every
thing. and do it in its time"
Too often the kitchen is not wei
equipped with the smaller and ineS
pensive convenences. The Womal
who continues to beat eggs with
fork instead Of spending FIVE cents 70
an egg .beater is wasting much tim
and energy.
A potato ricer saves time whel
mashing vegetables and fruits o
pressing curd for cottage cheese
These may be purchased for twenty
five cents.
Wooden spoons, rolling pins, pota
to mashers, paddles for butter, and
long handled paddle for stirring jams
Imarmalades etc, can be made a
home from cedar.
Small, round wire seves with han
dies are useful for straining liquids
sitting small quantities Of -four ant
removing rice, pens, etc, from the ket
ties,
Each kitchen should have two meas
iuring cups, either tin or glass, mark
ed in thirds and fourths,
Sharp knives of various sizes ant
kinds are necessary to the comfort o
the housewife. The small parint
KNIVES which coat from 10 to 25 cent
may be used with more ease and skill
lin pairing potatoes, apples, etc, thar