The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-27
THE HOOVER KITCHEN
By MRS. J. B. REID

Mir. Spier Whitaker has become a kitchen enthusiast, and talks interest ingy of the opening of the Hoover kitchen. He says
 "The first suggestion for this kitchen came from Miss Harris, former home
 demonstration agent for the state of Florida, but now national city. worker for the southern cities in the state rela- , tions service for the department of ag- riculture. The service. in a general way, as I understand it, attempts to carry to the hcmes of the city families the demonstration work in all branches of home economies, which heretofore has been extended only to the families of the farmer
 Miss Harris came to Birmingham with Miss Mary Feminear, state home demon- straton agent of the department of az r.culture of the state of Alabama, with headquarters at Auburn. The woman's s national council of defense, of which Mrs. J. H Mccoy, wife of Bishop Mccoy of the Methodist church, president of the Birmingham division, indorsed the plan
 
 the indoresment of the Civic association of this city. They then came to me, as county food administrator, and the plan appeared to mo good that l assured them we could establish the kitchen, though it would take sometime in order to equip and run it properly for one year. After some discussion we decided to secure the indorsement, with rep resentative from each association on a committee to raise the finances and ad- minister them.
 Pursuant to this plan, the Civic as- scciation has appointed Mir. s. J. Knecht the Chamber of Commerce has appointed Mr. c. H. Ohme, the Rotary club has appointed Mir w. F. Tyler and the I<i- wanis club has appointed MT. T. P Hay, Jr. In addition the Wholesale Grocers association has under consideration the naming of member to act on this com mittee. l. as county food administrator, will also serve on this committee. Tn ad. dtion to these men, the following organi- cations O. women have named represen- tatives Womans national council of de- fense Mrs C. H. Ohme; representative will be named from the Housewives league; Federation of Women's Clubs. Mrs H. E. Pearce, and Equal Suffrage association Mrs A. J. Bowron. These women, together with the men mentioned above will constitute the board of direc- tors for this Hoover kitchen here in Bir- mingham, the men having principally the work of raising the money necessary and looking after the expenditures. and the women the active work of the kitchen
 Miss Martha Armstrong;. one of the home demonstration workers of the de- partment of agriculture, will be in charge oi this kitchen and of the demonstrations and lessons Miss Mary Keown and Mrs Harry Trafford, assistant state demon stration agent for Alabama. have had charge of the organization of this Kitchen and Mrs Trafford will probably remain here until it is organized and in full operation. Up to date, we have rented a large store across the street from the courthouse, and will have it fully equipped the first part of next week. We have had it repainted and re- papered, and had built demonstration tables capable of accommodating 10 stu dents, and two gas ranges and one coal range and six hot plates; have installed an enamel sink and will have a model kitchen and model office at the front of the building. Practically all of this and in addition water for the year and gas for the year has been donated In addition to this. We have been offered all of the cornmeal and all of the corn products necessary for the demonstra- tions.
 There has been enrolled already a class of 10 volunteer workers. who will be given an intensive course of five days training in the preparation of breads to be used in substitution for wheat. When the course is completed the city will be divided into 10 districts and each of these workers will give at least one day a week for five weeks demonstrating for the public covering the lessons learned at the Kitchen. Tn addition to these city workers we have secured and order from the board of education authorizing all of the teachers of home economies Of the county schools to take this course