The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-04

OmlLn COlloSe LOT women Is dCl
Careers for mothers" is not it's
slogan. 1t simply wants to find a
workable plan which will give the
average woman time off from her "a
hour responsibility of running fam
lily. And, after years work, the
Institute for the Coordination of
Women's Interest is beginning to
find a practical way out.
A nursery, food supply and
household help service all run on q
cooperative basis, are part Of the re-
search work of the institute. An
other phase is the collection of in
formation from women who have
successfully combined home-making
with outside interests or profession
al work.
Five hundred such women have
answered the institutes question:
naires, eager to explain "how 1 did
it,"
For all Of them agree that it can
be done-not the mad rush for a
career, but pleasant work which
provides some continuity in the use
of their talents or professional train
ing.
No Clock unching
A majority point to teaching as
the ideal occupation for a married
woman-substitute teaching or tu-
toring. The questionnaires showed
that many other women were interi-
or decorators, painters, social work
ers, free lance journalists and
writer's. All of these activities were
recommended because they have no
'clock-punching hours"
The institute which is trying to
settle modern woman's newest prob
lem has been assured Of three years
Of research work by an appropria-
ton Of the Laura Spellman Rookie
Teller Memorial.
The director Of the work is DR..
Ethel Puffer Howes, a specialist in
philosophy and psychology, with de-
grees from Smith and Radcliffe col
leges and the universities of Berlin
and F'reiburg. With two daughters,
10 and II, and a husband, she has
had practical experience in home
management which leaves time for
professional interests.
Three Main Lines
The main lines Of research which
the institute has set for itself are:
1. How to care foS children during
the hours the mother is away from
home.
2. How to secure release from
the drudgery Of housekeeping with
out forsaking the personal home
making touches.
3. How to develop professions for
women which can be adjusted to the
claims Of the home.
A cooperative nursery for the
children of Northampton women is
an experiment now in it's fourth
month. The charge for the care of
each child every morning for ten
months is $50. If the child stays for
lunch and the rest of the day, the
cost to the parents Is $135.
These costs pay rent, food and the
salary of nursery assistant. One
mother also is in constant atten-
dance, the women taking their turn
in spending a day with the children.
"A cooperative nursery, simply for
the sake of the idea, is bound to fall"
says DIR. Howes. Cooperation in
caring for children is possible only
where there are enough mothers who
desperately need this service.
1.-THE mothers Of these Northamp-
ton tots who are the objects Of re-
search and experiment, are the or
binary college-trained women who
want time for further study and
occupation. Some teach, others are
going to school, others are engaged
in research and writing"
Special Kitchen
There is an especially constructed
kitchen in the nursery home from
Tt is the plan of the institute to pre-
pare plain, wholesome food, suitable
for children, in family-size quaint
ties. In this way, the mother who
calls for her children in the after
noon may take home her evening
meal at a less cost than If she had
prepared it herself.
The institute also plans a coopera-
tive home service, with servants and
maids on a Share system"
But when the children and house
work difficulties have been sufficient
ly organized to give the mother ex-
ira, uninterrupted time, what can
she do? DR.. Howe believes that the
long business day, with its ceaseless
regularity, is impractical for moth