Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-12-12
BETTER COOKING
AND Sc EWING IS
DONE BY WOMEN
Mountain Residents of East
ern Kentucky Are Deriv-
ing Much Benefit From
Courses in Economics.
(By The Associated Press)

Lexington, KY, Dec, 10.--Women
of the mountains of eastern Ken
lucky are rapidly being trained to
cook better food and to make pref
ty. practical clothing, according to
Miss Mary Il. Sweeney, former
head of the department of home
economics of the University of
Kentucky. Miss Sweeney resigned
her position in Kentucky on De-
Gem ! to accept similar place at
the Michigan Agricultural college,
Lansing, Mich.
Miss Sweeney was the first head
of the department of economics at
Kentucky and was in active charge,
with the exception of few months
during the world war, when she
was with the Y. NJ. c. A. canteen
service under fire in the battle Of
the Argonne.
"Our efforts with the mountain
women" said Miss Sweeney in
telling of her work. have aimed
at teaching better cooking and the
making of pretty useful clothing
rather than teaching them 10 make
money.
aFour story" Biscuit.
THE mountain woman Of few
years ago made four story biscuit
that were green with soda. The
eggs they served came to the ta-
BILE swimming in grease. Their
dresses were of the most loosely
made and ugliest type. ...
.fOur agents and demonstrators
have gone through the hills and
valleys on foot and on horseback
teaching cooking and dressmaking
until today the change Is quite re-
markable, although not yet what
we want 1t to be.
eve have not at any time aimed
at directly helping the mountain
woman make money through her
home work. But it has had that
effect in some instances. For the
mountaineer does not raise enough
food even yet TO support his fam
nv. But in some instances our
reaching has had the effect of Civ
ing the women more money
through efficient buying and max
ing their own clothing, rather than
buying them ready made as in the
past" ..
The first work done, accordinS
To Miss Sweeney, was to teacn
canning and preserving OF the 1000
that was available. Now the wom-
en- are being taught cooking ana
10 make the right kind OF cIolh-
ing. Sanitation and health rules
also are taught.
"The women are intensely inter-
eeted in the work" continued MISS
Sweeney. "They ride horseback
az walk long distances to get to the
meetings, bringing their luncheS
and staying all day to study.
"In McCreary county many
groups are learning TO sew ana az
each school, the school lunch mas
been introduced with view 10
teaching the proper diet for chliu-
ran In other counties, Miss Sween-
ev said, the time has not yet come
for introducing school lunch
The work has extended lnto
+u,entv eastern Kentucky countess
four Of which-Laurel, McCreary.
Whitley and Muhlenberg-are DIS
tinctly mountain centers, MISS
Sweeney sale. riost OF the others
90 what are known as border coun-
ties.
"The transportation is very pao
ana have been marooned for three
ar four days by torrential mountaln
streams after rains" said MISE
sweeney, "Then the only way gov
out was to swim the mule was
riding, through dangerous
- = Illustration Of the work be-
,no done she told as personal eN-
narience. 81 was in a mountain
neighborhood last year. remaihins
al, night at a little cabin In me
pnorning I was surprised when the
mountain housewife served M
with delicious flaky biscuit ana
noached eggs, instead of the loul
story, green biscuit and greasy esss
had been accustomed to find IN
the mountains. l asked the woman
where she had learned to COOK she
produced little cookbook WIN.
out any sign of authorship on II
and which / recognized as one we
Ind nut out couched In the SIM
nlest of English"