WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 274, 10 April 1911, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by "Eileen"). | DOMESTIC SCIENCE. j Miss Boys-Smith, the recently appointed Professor of Domestic Science, lately addressed a large meeting in Duncdin on the subject. The following notes of her address are taken from the Dunedin Star:—

Professor Boys-Smith said that she I took it that it was her part to prove' that home science was a fitting subject 1 to be included in a university curriculum. ? This she believed she could show, not j only because of its supreme usefulness f to the community, but also because she . believed it was capable of becoming a great educational force. Surely the first function of a university education was " to develop the intellectual and moral ' powers of the students, and not merely to fit them for intellectual work and the ' irofessions, but to enable them to raaofc , heir fullest stature as human beings. 'or hundreds of years the art of cooking, ."asliing and housewifery had been known and had attained to some perfection. : But times had changed. Nowadays they ' were regarded as somewhat menial in | • various quarters, and they were in danger of entirely losing what she called the non-utilitarian aspects of these arts. This change of attitude had been brought about in many ways and from a variety of causes.. In America the main causes had been the newness of the community, the hurry and rush of modern life, and the so-called "emancipation" of women, which had meant that in some quarters the 'American woman neglected her own duties, which were of paramount importance to the nation as well as to the home, and instead of trying to compete with men in certain directions and in many of their professions. In England < the reasons for the change of attitude towards women's work and pursuits have been partly the same, but largely different social traditions and prejudices were curiously powerful and persistent. Feudalism led to limitations in women's sphere of work and to the neglect of the cultivation of their highest faculties to such an extent that it was only in the middle of the Victorian era that they began to feel their way towards and assert their right to a higher education of any sort. Thus, in defence of home science as a subject worthy of university study she had to meet the objections of | three important bodies of critics. There were those who were "reluctant to welcome such a subject to a place by the side of the old recognised studies lest such admission should be injurious to the academical character of the university. The second body of critics consisted of those women who were afraid of it interfering with the cause of women's higher education. Thirdly, from the point of view of home life, there were those who argued that they saw no necessity for the introduction of scientific methods into the home and household crafts. The professor met and answered these and other objections in detail, adducing facts ;is proof, nnd in conclusion she said that science was now most necessary and of pa-iinoiint importance. The lives of v men and children are the most valuable asset of a nation, and this new movement had for one of its objects the perfecting of those lives bv giving the knowledge that is power and doing away with the learning bv experience, which often led to rebuffs and disappointments.

AN EVIL RING. A ring studded with diamonds and pearls hangs around' the neck of the statue of the Virgin of Almudena of Madrid, which is located in one of the most frequented parks of that city. It is safer there than in the strong-room of the Bank of Spain. Thousands of people pass it every day and admire its beauty; but the greatest thief in Spain would rather die than touch it, as it is believed to deal out death to whom it belongs. This ring was presented by Alfonso XII. to his Consort, Queen Mercedes, who died within a month -afterwards. Ere the funeral had taken place the King bestowed the ring on his sister Maria, and she was dead in a few days. The fatal circlet then coming again into his possession, he presented it to his late Queen's grandmother, Queen Christina, who died three months afterwards. The lung then placed it in his own racket of precious relics, and he lived less than a year. The Queen Regent was not disposed to run any risk, and refused to accept .such a deadly possession, and had it hung on the statue. A GIRL'S OFFER. Miss Clara Shoemaker, of Chatna,' New Mexico, apparently is the heroic sister of a bold and courageous brother. The brother wants to enter the coast-to-coast aeroplane contest. The sister offers to marry "the first man" who comes forward with 5000 dollars to back her brother in his aviation Miss Shoemaker has written to the Record lierald (Chicago), setting forth the details of her offer. Her letter speaks for itself. It is as follows:—"I am a girl, well educated, 22 years old, and willing to marry the first man who will enter into a partnership with my brother to build and operate a flying machine for exhibition purposes. Party must have 5000 dollars to start with, must be sober and industrious, have a good reputation, fully proved by satisfactory references, and must be able to provide an income of at least 2500 dollars per year, without the earnings from the machine. Photographs exchanged. No general delivery answered. I want my brother to enter the coast-to-coast contest for the 5000 dollars offered. 1 think he can win if be has the machine built. I hope you will publish this, and help me win the money." RULES FOR THE KITCHEN. All busy housewives should know the following golden rules: Hang them in your kitchen; you will find them invaluable: — 1. Cleanliness and punctuality are the royal roads to good cooking. 2. Leave nothing dirty; clean and clean as you go. 3. Take care of your pans, and the pots will take care of themselves. 4. Stew boiled is stew spoiled. 5. A good cook wastes nothing.

6. Boil fish quickly; boil meat slowly. 7. Strong fire for roasting; clear fire for broiling. 8. Good cakes are not cooked in poor ovens. D. Too much seasoning spoils the soup. 10. Spare the currants, and spoil the cake. WHEN BEING PHOTOGRAPHED.

There are a few tilings everyone should remember when going to a photographer. The first of these, not to arrange your hair differently from your usual fashiou. The difference this makes is really re- | markable. So many women with utterly [straight hair, which they dress becomingly and attractively, think it necessary that they should have their hair waved before having their pictures taken. This helps to make the picture a bad likeness. Simply dress the hair as usual, making sure thai, it is tidy, for any straggling and untidy locks will spoil the effect of the picture. Another thing.most women do not know about is the sort of dress which will photograph best. It should bo a simple one, with little trimming, but with good, well-cut lines. Anv fussy trimming should be avoided —rnlllcs, bows of ribbons, and so on giving to the finished picture a look more of I a dres.-od-up dummy than a living human I being. Handsome lace usually takes sucI cessfully, however, and a lace scarf can, j in the hands of an artist at posing, yield distinctly charming results. As for colors, white and black are the best, and a white dress posed against a white background is perhaps the most artistic .and yet difficult composition to, bring to success. Bright red comes out 1 muddy black, and so does bright yellow. 1 Pale blue comfes out white. If you do decide to have a sitting picture, some simple accessory sometimes 1 takes the posed look away—a book, a 1 flower, even a handkerchief may do. And 1 remember that the photographer is an '' artist accustomed to posing people, so ' if you have any suggestions for a pose, ! mention them to him, and ask him what '| he thinks of .them before insisting on ! i them.

USEFUL HINTS. Common salt is one of the best agents for cleaning marble washstands and sink fixtures. i Iron chiffon with tissue paper over it, and with only a moderately hot iron. A nice garnish for braised beef consists of sprigs of boiled cauliflower and baked tomatoes. A strip of emery cloth makes an excellent grip for unscrewing fountainpens, stoppers, and so on. When washing red-bordered covers or quilts, dissolve a little borax in the water in order to preserve the color. To prevent sausiges from bursting, let them srt hot through very gradually, and frv tin m over a slow fire till they are browned all over. If soup is to be good it nr.nt nerer be allowed to get cold in the saucepan, but must be strained off directly it i 3 sufficiently cooked. To clean your mackintosh, wash it well with soap and water? Never let it get really dirty, as it will be extremely difficult to restore it to a good color again. When cleaning a frying-pan do not scrape it with a knife, for afterwards the pan will be more liable to "catch." Boil out the pan with hot soda-water and, if necessary, scour with fine sand. | fireasy silk or ribbons may be cleaned bv rubbing them with magnesia or French chalk, and afterwards holding ll'i-m before the fire. This will absorb the grease; afterwards the chalk can be brushed off. To make paste to keep add ten drops of oil of cloves to each half pint of flour and water paste, and put in a widemouthed bottle ready for use. Green blinds should be taken down when dirty and laid flat on a table. Put a dessertspoonful of household ammonia into a quart of warm water, and sponge the blinds with this mixture. I Leave till dry and then re-hang. Camphorated oil is easily made at home. Put half a pound of olive oil into a jar with one ounce of camphor broken small. Place the jar in a saucepan of j boiling water and stir occasionally till dissolved: Bottle, for use. | To make paste blacking, work toI gether thoroughly one pound each of ! ivory black and treacle with two ounces of olive oil, until the oil is thoroughly | mixed. Then add two ounces of oil of vitriol and enough water to work the whole into a stiff paste.