Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-05
GIRLS CLASSES GIVE
SERIES LUNCHEONS
IN COOKING COURSE

A series Of dinners at the domes-v
tic arts room at Cony High school.
planned, cooked and served by the
girls of the different seventh grade
cooking classes in the city. IL proving
beyond a doubt the fine training that
these girls, who average between 10
and 10 years Of age. are receiving.
There are six seventh grade classes
In the city, two at the Smith school,
two at the Lincoln school. and one
each at the Williams and Harrington
schools. With two exceptions these
grades are holding their dinners
some afternoon this week and have
two invited guests. Supt. and Mrs.
Burrill have been guests. and the
students are Limited to the lady
members Of the school board. or the
chairman of the school board and
their class teacher.
Dinner for six In planned by the
students themselves and they cook
it without help from Miss Blanche
Webster. the teacher. who super
yises the class room but answers no
questions while the girls are prepar-
ing or serving the dinner. Two Of
the members Of each class asst as
host and hostess. one girl acts as
guest and the others serve. Miss
Webster and the two invited guests
make up the party.
A sample menu will serve to show
the kind OF dinner that IL served:
i Tomato bisque with croutons, broiled
steak, mashed potatoes. peas, lemon
sherbert and sponge cake.
At the end Of a years course in
cooking under Miss Webster's direc-
ton the girls are supposed to be ca
pable of planning. cooking and serv-
ing simple meals. breakfasts. dinners
and suppers. and Of interpreting any
recipe provided that uniform meas
urements are used. She has en-
deavored to foster in her charges a
love OF home and a desire to help in
the household tasks. especially in
cooking.
In many houses 1t does not seem
advisable to the head of the house to
allow the girls to do any cooking.
But the majority of girls do cook at
home to some extent as has been
shown by a record which has been
kept during the last term by Miss
Webster. When any girl has cooked
at home during the week prior to the
classs she was requested to bring
report Of her work signed by her
mother. At the close of the period
OF recording these reports 1t was
found that oyer 80 percent OF the
least once and in many cases much
oftener.
1t has been found that while the
girls do not as a rule do all Of the
cooking in the home, when the oc-
casion demands they are capable Of
meeting the situation as several
mothers have reported to Miss Web
ster that when they have been Ill the
girls have taken over much IL not all
of this work.
The first term was devoted to can
ming Of typical vegetables and fruits
by the cold pack method, and to
breakfast dishes. Tomatoes anr
corn were used and 1t has been
found that IL they can can these
successfully they can take care of
other vegetables and fruits equally
we'll II they are given the proper
time table. Jellies were also made in
the fall. some of which were sold,
while others were kept for the use
Of the classes during the winter.
During the holidays they were
taught certain things that would en-
able them to assist in the prepara-
ton of the holiday dinner IL they so
desired and several were overjoyed
to be able to help their mothers in
this respect. AS the Thanksgiving
holidays approached they were
taught the making Of cranberry
sauce. and OF tarts which they filled
with the Jelly that they had made
earlier in the season. At Christmas
they were given the only candy les
son of the year. Later they came to
the work Of frosting cakes, then they
reviewed what they had learned
about the various stages Of sugar
cookery nd found that 1t aided them
materially in making frosting.
At the end of the first term when
they had taken up breakfasts, a
breakfast WIS prepred and served in
class. certain members serving in the
capacities OF cooks, mattresses. host,
hostess and guest. At the end Of the
second term after having studied
luncheon and supper dishes, they
gave a luncheon to which they in
vited their grade teacher as guest of
honor. Finally as the end of the
last term draws near, the girls have
arranged this series of dinners to
demonstrate that they can do as well
with dinners as they have with
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