QUEEN MARY'S HOSTEL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1390, 25 March 1912, Page 11

QUEEN MARY'S HOSTEL.

The J!oyal home-coming in London from India happily synchronised with flic collection of the .£IOO,OOO required for the equipment of Queen Mary's Hostel, writes the English correspondent of the "Australasian." The project was mooted less than a year ago. 0:1 May 20, her Majesty's birthday. The scheme is primarily a London one, but its aims and ideals have an interest for every woman. The general purpose is (o foster a sounder knowledge of tho laws which govern health and household economy. In future a well-edu-cated girl will be aide to gain fouio knowledge of the science which all'ects homo problems and some practice in llie domestic arts. Trained experience will be substituted for the instinct and tradition which have hitherto been the chief guides for wives and mothers. But every ideal presupposes an organisation. It was hero that Queen Mary's common sense manifested itself. Pho knew of the good work which King's College for Women was doing for undergraduates at the University of London, and suggested that, her name and influence should be associated with an effort to raise sufficient funds to put (lie King's College experiment upon a firm basis. .£20,000 was required to build a hostel for t.lio practical training of women in tho domestic arts, ,£20.000 for equipping laboratories, and .£OO,OOO for the endowment of professorships.

Powerful Influences. Mr. Balfour, Mts. Asquith. the Viscount pss Esher, Lndy Meyer, and Lady Pucker as=ocinlcd themselves with tho scheme. Their efforts have resulted in the raisins of the .£IOO,OOO within nine months. The Marquis of Anglesey gave .£20,00(1 to build and equip the laboratories; another ,£20.000 was given anonymously for the hostel: nnd Mrs. TVharrio gave a third .£20,000 in memory of her father, Sir Henry Harben. Siibscrintions. fhen came in more slowly for a while. But immediately it was notified that .£30,000 was still required a second anonymous donor sent a cheque to cover the amount. The gcod news greeted Queen Mnrv imon her arrival in London. It should be the ideal of every university in tho Empire to add a similar hostel to its organisation. If the old-timo tradition of tlie capable housewife remained a potent thine, there would be less need for public interference in the realm of domestic economy. But in England, nt any rate, only too many mothers have their girls taught evervtbinj except the essentials of household management. Girls ran construe Virgil after a fashion, but they cannot boil n dnmplin; or keep a sick-rcom well aired. More Complicated.

Perhaps there is some excuse _ for tho neglected duties. Modern life is more complex I han lifo in the days of Jane Austen. A writer, for example, has been comparing the modern trousseau with that of our grandmothers. Tt is agreed that in respect of quality of lace or fineness of linen the present differs little from the past. But the accessories to a modern trousseau would have surprised most Indies of the early Victorian age. "Permanent ink" has been superseded in the marking of the various items by tiny embroidered monograms. Tho provision of tho necessary sachets requires even more forethought; Each pair of stays is provided with a scented sachet, which may bo mado of embroidered Irish linen and lace. The lining is often of .Tapancso silk, padded nnd machine-stitched, tlie whole being tied up with four bands of ribbon. Soft satin, matching the is an alternative. The up-to-date trousseau is also provided with a large square of broderie anglnise or lawn, which is spread over tho folded heap of clothes at bedtime. Finally thorn are pockets for handkerchief and watch, which ore pinned abovo the bed, and littlo electric-light shades for tho dressing-table. These are also mado of broderie anglaise, lined with soft silk. The shades aro mado le=s opaque by insertions of lace. Of course, few society girls are capable of making their fal-lals for themselves. Their timo is sufficiently occupied in buying them. Queen Mary's hostel, however, aims at tlie training of teachers of tho domestic art. Tho remedy for some latter-day failings seems to be that our girls should learn household duties at school. The knowledge gained at King's College is expected to filter down to tho primary and r«condary schools. Tlin girls of the future will leave school with certificates of their qualifications ns wives and mothers.

As a matter of fact, the idea of "certificated brides" is not so far from realisation as some- might believe. Quite recently the Swiss Society rf Public Ctility proposed that young Swiss women should be medically examined, as their brothers are when entering the army, nnd that a certificate of health and fitness for motherhood should l>o issued to each girl "recruit." There are eugenic enthusiasts who favour the same reform in England. Indeed, the London County Council has just offered 500 junior domestic economy scholarships to girls who are to be specially trained in their wifely and motherly duties. Candidates are required to undergo a preliminary medical examination. The proposal has aroused n sharp controversy. The nltra-feniinist party detect an unfair sex distinction in the proposal to certificate brides without requiring a similar certificate from bridegrooms. Whether the schemo will be generally adopted is more doubtful. After all, there <iro qualities in a successful or unsuccessful brido which tho most scrupulous examiner might fail to detect.

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