Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-04-01

Correspondents on topics Of interest 10 the ladie
q u solicited. Address: Editor HoNMAKlRe
CoLuU. Oxford Democrat. South Paris. II
! The flousekeeper's Problems.

/ 10y mleo Oof0kheo b68cn.l
Wherever one goes In the world, one
finds groups Of people living together.
These groups of people are called fami.
lies. Families have existed from pre-
historic times until the present and will
continue to exist, although the form Of
family life may change somewhat from
that Of the past. The family Is an insti-
tuition which is essential to national life.
History shows rs that every nation re-
deOts absolutely truly the lives of the
families In the nation; that q nation
where family life has lost It's normal
purity and religious ideals ID sure to
perish.
Families are made up OF different
groups of people. The normal family
consists of husband, wife and several
children. The less familiar family is
made up of group of people who live
together. This type of family may be
large or small, made up of men. or Of
women, or q combination Of the two,
who are not hold together by the ties Of
blood relationship. We find this family
living in college dormitories, in board
ing houses or In the small house or
apartment where two or three or four
people are keeping house for the sake of
having more Of the comforts of homo.
In every type of family different
phases of the same problems are found.
These problems may group themselves
under Eve headings: I) food, (2) shell
ter, (S) clothing, az problems of opera
ton, and (5) higher life.
| (I Food. Under this head come ques.
tions of purchasing, preparing and serv-
ing food. This will include the plan.
ming and arrangement of the kitchen and
dining room, the selection of food In
relation to its nutritive value and the
family purse, the actual cooking and
serving of the food, the preservation and
storage of food.
(2) Shelter. Shelter will include the
selection and furnishing Of rooms, apart
ment or house. The housekeeper must
have some knowledge Of conditions best
suited to the health of her family, an
understanding of sanitation and of heat
ing and lighting BY stems.
| (S) To purchase clothes wisely, some
knowledge of textiles 10 necessary as
we'll as how to buy styles suitable to the
individual needs and purse. The house
wife must know how to repair, store,
clean and launder clothes.
(4 The problems OF operation include
tho question OF outside help In the home,
renewing equipment, the buying OF fuel
and ice, snd the question of fire insur-
ance.
(5) Higher life includes all the prob
lems left out under the other headings.
1t has to do with education, vacations,
the purchasing of books and magazines,
DOCTORS care, life insurance and savings,
and all of the questions which come up
as to the best development of each mem-
Der of the family-physicalIy, mentally
and morally.
| When one looks over this list, one
realizes that housekeeping is no mean
occupation. The housekeeper who
makes good must use her brains. She
must be interested In her work and
enthusiastic about 1t. She must learn
to distinguish between essentials and
non-essentials. She must be alert and
Iopen minded 80 that she can forsake old
ways and adopt new ones II they are bet
ter than the old. To summarize, the
housewife must have the right attitude
of mind toward her work. Any work
may become q drudgery IL the person
who lie doing 1t will let it.
| Homemaking Is the noblest profession
Q woman can have. 1t has more to do
with making the world good and hap
!py place in which to live than we realize.
Let rs each ask ourselves seriously II
We, az individuals, are doing all that We
can to make the home In which We live
an ideal one.