Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-04-28

lsted out of existence is question
which the last congress smiled anu
froWned over and finally passed "
ITS successor. The committee thal IN
yestipated the need for federal as
sistunce TO train housewives was read
ily convinced of the worthlness Oh the
cause. But the bill providing gov
ernmrnt fund for home economies
courses got pushed aside IN the nia'
rush of imperatively important leSlS-
iation. writes Frederic }. HaSkln III
the Chicago News.
The bill is not lost. however. II Is
sure 10 come up In the next congress-
possibly at the extra session. IL Il
not ui expensive measure as eApei"i'
lures go In congress, but IL is bil'
Of far-reachlng Importance ana one
that offers an opportunity to every
state and II Is being urged by dozen
big national woman's organizations
and any number Of state orGhiilZa-
tions.
The foundation for the home eco
uomics bill is the old story-for sei'
eral Of them:
Twenty-siX million of the 3o,ooo,ooo
WOMEN and girls in the United States
keep house, and as homemakers THESE
.6UuUUOO women constitute the larS'
est class of workers in the country.
1t is further estimated that more IMAM
nine-tenthS uf women keep house al
some time in their lives.
More than 90 per cent Of the buying
for the home is done by women.
Nutritive food in the proper proper
lions, sanitary home conditions, econ
omy in the home, are the basis ol
Americas, or any countryS health,
wealth and happiness
But there is Il negative fact of equal
Importance: The housewife who is 50
largely responsible for the American
digestion and bank account Is for the
most part All unskilled laborer, where
as With training she might properly
class her work among the professions.
Homes Badly Run.
Tie home has been called the most
costly institution in America, ana II
might equally we'll be called the most
inefficient Ii is largely because Of
unfortunate home conditions that we
have with us juvenile delinquency,
malnutrition, Indigestion, the gr"urhy
business man and other "problemS."
Up TO now 1t has been taken for
granted that the homemaker got AIDE
Quate training as girl In her par
ents' home, or, failing that, she picked
up housekeeping naturally, by expert
ence. II girl elected to delve in
TO tie technical business of calorieS
and budgets at school, we'll and good.
She was merely rounding out her ed
ucstion with extra accomplishments.
This idea of how housekeepers
should be made Is losing credence,
partly because housekeeping has be-
come recognized field for science.
and partly because the home school
OF household training Is practically
extinct.
Rarely Is a girl given the thorough
training in household affairs by her
mother that the daughter of the house
generation or two back received.
Mother is generally too busy getting
through with hOuSework so as to make
time for Clubs and politics, and daugh-
tec's we'll meaning offers to help make
the pies are likely to be met with dis
tract.d Il can do 1t while I'm showing
you how"
Girls themselves, We are told, are
more interested in home economics
ha ~, hara hann fnr SaNprnl
wears. Girls by the thousands have de-
serted the kitchen range for the fac
tory bench, and if they have to keep
the home fires burning too, they pick
up something sketchy on the way home
and exc out the meal with canned
goods and raw fruits.
Women Want to Learn.
The greater concern over housekeep-
Ing now being displayed is attributed
to the wave of economy and the reduc-
ton of wages. 1t is not, however, u
return to the old housekeeper's view
point Of before the war Women are
beginning to accept what home eco
Monies experts have so long and pa
tently explained-that hOusework need
not be drudgery, that the principles
of balanced meals can be grasped by
any woman who will take time to
study them, and, in general, that home
economics Is not subject limited to
college text books, but that it Is simply
homework by methods tested by ex-
perts.
The bill which extends the DppOr-
tunity for women and girls to become
competent houSekeepers provides $500
800 at the start, to he divided among
the states according to population. To
receive its share of the money, what
ever it may be, each state has to put
up a similar sum to be used for the
same purpose. With the money teach
ers are to be engaged to take charge
Of classes and girls are To be trained
as home economics teachers. Tie
bill STIMULATES that these student teach
ers must be given II fOur-year course.
This Is intended to insure a high stand
ard in teachers provided for the voca-
tional classes.
The classes which the states would
fStdDllSi uIutI tnc HUME cSoho'hNS
bill would be for girls and women who
expect to take up housekeeping or
are already engaged in 1t. This in
cludes girls who are in school; women
who work In the day and still keep
house or plan to do SO; domestic paid
workers who want more training, and
housekeepers who feel that they can
still learn something about their work.
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