South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-12-16
TRAIN MOUNTAIN
WOMEN TO IMPROVE
COOKING METHODS
Kentucky College Agents Dis
courage Grease and -Four
Story Biscuits. ="

a
Women Of the mountains Of eastern
Kentucky are rapidly being trained
20 cook better food and 90 make
pretty. practical clothing, according
10 Miss Mary r.. Sweeney. former
head 81 the department OF home
economies OF the university Of Ken
taclty. Miss Sweeney resigned her
position IN Kentucky Dec 1 TO ac-
cept a similar place AZ the ATichi-
gan Agricultural college, Lansing
Mich
Miss Sweeney was the first head
~ the department of economies al
Kentucky and was in active charge
with the exception of "a few months
during the world war, when she
was I'm the y. ~ G. a canteeu serv-
ice under fire in the battle OF the
Argonne.
our efforts with the mountain
women" said Miss Sweeney. iu tell
ing OF her WORK, nave been aimed
90 teaching better cooking and the
making OF pretty clothing, rather
ihan teaching them. 20 make money.
Proves Profitable.
The mountain woman Of a few
Years ago made -four story biscuit
that were green with soda The eggs
they served came 20 the table serV-
I'd in grease Their dresses were Of
the most loosely made and ugliest
type.
Our agents and demonstrators
have gone through the hills and val
leys on foot and on horseback
teaching cooking and dressmaling
until today the change is quite re-
marlable although not yet what we
want IL TO DE.
We have not any time aimed di-
Of fs.t-
woman make money through her
nome work. But it has had the eff
feet IA some instances. The noun
taineer does not raise enough food
even yet to support his family In
some instances our teaching has
had the effect OF giving women
more money through efficient buy
ing and making their own clothing
rather than buying them ready
made "a in the past
The first work done, according 10
Hiss Sweeney. was TO teach canning
and preserving Of food that was
available Now the women are be-
ing taught cooking and TO make the
right kind OF clothing. Sanitation
and health rules also are Taught.
Women intensely Interested.
The women are intensely inter
cstCd In the work" continued Miss
Sweeney. They ride horseback or
walk long distances 20 get 20 the
meetings bringing their lunches and
staying all day TO study"
In 3EcCreary county many groups
are learning 10 sew and at each
school. the school lunch has been
introduced with a view to teaching
tho proper diet for children. In
other counties. Miss Sweeney said.
the time has not yet come for in
Producing school lunch
The work has extended into 20
eastern Kentucky counties, four
~ which--Laurel. McCreary. Whit
ley and AIuhlenberg-ar distinctly
mountain counties Miss Sweeney
said Most OF the others are what
arc known as border counties.
THE transportation IS very bad
and I have been maroOned for three
or four days by torrential mountain
streams after rains said Miss
sweeney. Then the only way / got
out was 10 swim the mule I was
riding through a dangerous stream"
Gets Surprise.
As an illustration OF the work
being done she told "a q personal
experience: II was I'm a mountain
neighbOrhood last year. remaining
All night at a little cabin. In the
morning i was surprised when the
mountain housewife served me with
delicious fIalIy biscuit and pOaChed
eggs instead Of the -four story
ereen biscuit and greasy eggs 1 had
been accustomed to find I'm the
uountaintains i asked the woman
where she had learned to cook. She
produced q little cook book. with
out any sign OF authorship on it
and which I recognized as one we
had put out couched IN the simplest
Of ENGLISH"