Evening star., 1936-07-11

projects, the Household Work
ers' Training Program, is at
Il long last under way here.
Brushed aside as trivial, while road
building, park remodeling, sewer dig
ging monopolized the attention of local
W. P. A. officials, the training of young
women on relief rolls for domestic
service was finally somewhat grudg-
ingly instituted. After a year of wait
ing for the classes to be started, en-
thusiastic women leaders predict that
the service for supplying competent
domestics for Washington homes will
be flourishing when all other forms of
boondoggling will have vanished with
yesterdays raked leaves. They have
insisted upon calling it a program in
stead Of q project, because the latter
term conveys the idea Of a job that
can be finished and done away with
when the emergency has passed. In
time, they believe the Household
Workers Training Program will be-
come too valuable a service to be re-
Enquished and some other agency will
take 1t over from the Government.
TT will no longer be a grab-bag
proposition in employing domestic
workers." declared Miss Anna Marie
Drisco1, the national supervisor of the
program, who has installed over 100
units in all parts of the country and
in most of the principal cities, ''for in
hiring the women who have taken our
training courses prospective employers
can be confident that they know the
basic principles Of general housework,
child care and the cooking and serv-
ing Of food. Moreover, they can feel
safe from the danger of infectious
disease, because all of our pupils must
pass physical examinations"
In hiring child's nurse who has a
certificate Of proficiency, mother can
feel fairly certain that if special diet
has been ordered for her child it will
be followed absolutely.
A graduate Of the course will be ex-
pected to know that salads are not
good for small children; that if meat
Is given, vegetables must be served to
balance the meal, and to understand
how those vegetables should be pre-
pared. Instruction is given in dressing,
bathing and disciplinlng children, and
there is warning against telling stories
to children that might frighten them
or in other ways have bad influence.
Particular stress is laid on the i'm
portance Of the attitude of nurse in
the early impressionable years.
TWO units have been recently estab-
lished in Washington under the
supervision of Mrs. Ella Putnam. The
class for white girls is housed In the
Y. w. c. A. Building on K street,
where a model kitchen and other
rooms are loaned fof what is called
laboratory work. There are eight
young women in this class, ranging
In age from 16 to 90. They we're picked
from families on relief, because o.
their adaptability and eagerness to be
In the field of domes-
tic service. Under an inspiring young
teacher, Miss Elizabeth billiard. a
graduate of the Virginia Polytechnic
Institute, they are being taught the
principles and technique Of cleaning,
bed making, cooking, serving, launder-
ing, child-feeding, marketing and the
proper handling of ali equipment.
A girl with special aptitude might
complete the six weeks course in four
weeks, a slower girl might take longer.
In any case. a strict accounting will be
made of each girls progress, which will
be checked by means Of charts. Miss
billiard has planned two forms which
must be filled out each day. One Is a
personal improvement score and the
other is q record of achievement in at
tanning proficiency in household arts.
Important to prospective employers,
many of whom have suffered incon-
venience through illness of household
workers and have been, subjected to |
the danger of infectious diseases
brought into the home by servants, |
much emphasis is being placed in the |
school on the maintenance of health. |
In addition to the complete physical
made of each applicant |
for enrolment, q daily record Is kept |
of personal cleanliness. She is required |
to take two warm baths weekly, q |
sponge bath daily, asked to clean her |
teeth twice day and wash her hair |
regularly. She Is advised to eat proper |
foods and avoid indigestion and colds, |
sleep with the windows open at night |
and get enough rest. Her manner of
dress Is noted each day by the teacher |
regarding suitability and neatness. |
Fresh underwear is suggested. with |
sensible shoes and neat hose. Proper |
care of the clothes is taught. Courte- |
Gus manners are instilled, manner of |
speech corrected and prospective |
mistress is spared the annoyance of .
garrulous, gossipy maid by training |
aimed at imparting friendly, but not