The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-07

pefts nave so long and patiently
plained-that homework need ~.
be drudgery. that the principIes ~
balanced meals can be grasped ~
any woman who will take Tina !.
study then. and in general ths,
home economics is not a snhsac.
limited to college text books hrt
that It is simply housework hs
methods tested by experts "
The bill which extends tho "a,
portunity for women and sirl. ~
become competent houseReano.o
provides 100000 at the starr 10
be divided among the states a ~
cording to population. To receive
Its share of the money, whatever II
may be, each state has to nut nm a
similar sum to be used for tho
same purpose. With the money
teachers are to be engaged to take
charge Of classes, and girls are to
be trained as home economics
teachers. The bill stipulates that
these student teachers must no
given q four-year course. This is
intended to insure a high standard
in teachers provided for the yoca.
tional classes.
The classes which the states
would establish under the home
economics bill would be for rirls
and women who expect to take nm
housekeeping or are already en-.
gagged in it. This includes girls
who are in school; women who
work in the day and still keen
house or plan to do so; domestic
paid workers who want more train
ing; and housekeepers who feel
that they can still learn something
about their work.
The bill definitely states that at
least one-third of the sum allotted
to any state must be applied to
part-time schools or evening classes
for girls and women over IA years
of age.
Each state or school would plan
its own course, according to teach
ers available, and the demand for
subjects. In such courses there is
practically always a class in the
art OF cooking. Another important
subject for the courses would be
dietetics, which deals with the food
requirements of the body and how
to satisfy them, making allow
ances for the differences in indi-
viduals.
| Teach Women Buying.
Every complete course in homo
economics nowadays includes a
study OF buying-clothes, food
house furnishings. 1t is estimated
that women buy practically all Of
the dry goods and women's and
children's clothing required fol-
family consumption, nearly nine.
tenths Of the food, one-half of the
household hardware and furnish.
ings and perhaps one-tenth Of the
mems clothing.
One woman who appeared before
the house education committee re.
hearsed these figures and added
mo business man would be willing
to turn over to an absolutely I'm.
trained buyer the funds which he
expects to invest in wool, wood
iron or steel for his factory, and vel
that is what very large percent.
age Of our men do with that por.
ton of their incomes which covers
household expenditures, and these
expenditures frequently Absorb
practically the whole income"
Most of the home buying is guild
ed by an instinct for values which
is supposed to be an infallibl,
feminine trait. Unfortunately
sometimes mother gets cheated ant
very otter sister does, merely from
not knowing how to tell wool from
cotton, or not understanding tn,
psychology of bargain counters, ol
because she failed to note that TN
storekeeper was weighing Lii
thumb with the sugar while he in
quired solicitiously about the fam
lily health. Intelligent buying il
one Of the least understood
branches Of housekeeping.
! Closely allied with the technique
Of spending money is the art o
keeping family budget. and ap
portioning the income to the bes
advantage. And then the course
; arranged under the provisions o
the bill would doubtless includ
sewing, home nursing, and santa
ton.
The time NAV come when
) housekeeper will be expected L
know her business as we'll as my
one else.