298 TEE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



However, on the other hand, statistics as quoted above tell us that 

 the death rate of infants is abnormally high, that preventable diseases 

 are excessively prevalent, that divorces are too frequent, and that the 

 " unpreparedness of women " is responsible for sickness, disability, de- 

 generacy and resulting misery or maladjustment to society, and that if 

 only the knowledge available for preventing disease could be dissemi- 

 nated and utilized, longevity would be much increased. 



These facts show that while the mother in the home by the prepa- 

 ration of food and resulting responsibilities is doing much for race 

 betterment, there is imperative need for greater ability in some way to 

 enable woman to make use of the results of scientific research, in order 

 that there may be in the human race " an increase of vitality, of sound 

 and high mentality, and of sociality." 



A practical service of the sociologist is to reveal points at which edu- 

 cational work will tell for race advancement; so an attempt has been 

 made to show that a changed system of education for girls can do much 

 toward a harmonious development of personality, and that this prepa- 

 ration of food for which society has specialized womankind may be 

 fundamentally helpful in individual growth if the housemother can do 

 what she does intelligently and does not do so much of it that she can 

 have no sense of success in it. 



The state assumes the right to say what training in its institutions 

 people shall have who intend to practise medicine or dentistry, or law 

 or to teach children in public schools. It ought to assert some control 

 over the training of people who are to be in charge of the consumption 

 of all wealth and of child culture in the home. The ordinary college 

 education is not enough, for many unsuccessful homemakers have that. 



The training for educated homemakers should include a thorough 

 knowledge of the subject of personal hygiene with its three divisions : 

 (1) nutrition, or a knowledge of the food requirements of mankind and 

 the best way to provide for them; (2) environment, or a knowledge of 

 air, soil, dwellings, clothing; (3) activity or a knowledge of the cor- 

 rect proportion between exercise and rest. 



Each one of these divisions includes many departments of learning. 

 To these subjects should be added a thorough knowledge of sex hygiene. 

 With a knowledge of all these subjects should go an attitude of mind 

 which is able to develop powers equal to one's tasks. 



