THE ART OF HOUSEKEEPING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 645, 23 October 1909, Page 11

THE ART OF HOUSEKEEPING.

Vv.v^AN' ; INTERESTING LETTER.;' .- ■:■•',''-.'■ The training-of-.girls .for-.domestic' work-is'-'a subject.of jnever-ending many are • the • suggestions;-'that ' made as to' the best methods, to adopt.'-'ln Australia, they are

trying to establish schools-of domestic instruc-tion,-and,in Dunedin they-have ; succeeded in attaching, the. classes.-to the university, after a."great deal.of heated discussion: The following extract from-;a'letter, to a Wellington lady . tops how .Glasgow is dealing with the matter, at the Logan and Johnstone School of : Domestic' Economy ir-- ~.' .... ;-.:'.

.There'are'three classes of students at the school; It-was founded to give a freo'trainirig to poor;children- and they are ■ trained- in all classes of: housework and then found positions as'h6yse : riiaids, laundry-maids,'or sowing-maids These girls: -do; r-- all. the rough work'■:of .the house,: such as. the floors,, etc. -Some of them live in 'the house, biit most of them, sleep-at their/own/'homes. They learn, plain'sewing' dress-m'alting,- millinery,' .cooking,'' etc;;-' and when they aposition'thoy are: given a suitable- outfit, a Then -there ,is a housewife's.course which takes four mouths. This, is.to /teach' girls to he a help in the home; They tako .plain cooking, dress-making, millinery,'plain sewing, and-mending, and also take a,'share: of: the housework;; The ■ lady ' housekeeper's ',course :lasts about ton months, and-they; learn' sewing in all its branches;-dress-making,.cutting out, and.fitting, arid plain sewing; < We are expected to exit; out and. make a set of, underclothes, also, a.', boy's shirt, and to'-do .■millinery;" fancy-work, darning;, and, Amending, : laundry-work, washing, starching and: ironing, silver cleaning, plain and fancy cooking.,. During "part of the term the' students corao in an hour earlier in ■ the morning and do bedroom work, wash breakfast dishes and tidy up generally. There is - : also a short course of ambulance work; .',-.,.;, ...■■. . -About Christmas time a dance is.given as part of .the training .for the lady housekeepers, and they mak'o all' of the refreshments, -help decorate the rooms, and during the dance/take their, sharo ' of. attending to the guests in the refreshment-room. ■.'-. ■',•.',- > ;- •<-. About the end of May the certificates am presented and there is .'an exhibition of. work. At'this-function afternoon tea. is provided, and here.again tho housekeepers do tho cooking and attendito tho guests.-: - - . -Most of-the pupils have lunch at the school for which they pay 2s. 6d. a week! The tables are set by the girls in turn, and they also wash.the dishes. They are. waited on at table by.-the children.;: " -. "■■:'■.■■.'■■:'■.,/. ;.;; v/ ■;' Thoro is another- school. in Glasgow wlioro pupils', are ' qualified, •'< t0.. ; teach ' -housekeeping, .but; I■•■ think, tho . training.- is .ra'ord.-:-practical' ■and far less Expensive; at tho Logan and John''Btoiio:''.'.', 1 .:". , ,;:: ; i".'' .-.■•!;•. t.-V'v-V-'"'•■' -:The- present/age is.orie''which'"destroys rp-' Tpance,—Mrs. Clayton ; Glyn..(Elinor' Glyn).'•' ,;