u 



condition, while we wlio are feeding not merely animals Init human beini^-s. often 

 give the subject little consideration. We nuiy feed the working man and old 

 people and children practically the same diet Avithout intelligently taking thought 

 of their respective needs. We may feed our families whatever they like without 

 knowing whether it is best for them, and we may — altlioiigh these cases are rare — 

 serve what is least trouble to ourselves without considering whether we are "■starv- 

 ing" them. Every intelligent homemaker, nowadays is more or less interested in 

 food values, but there is, I believe, no subject more difficult to study alone, from 

 bulletins. Getting the information from a demonstrated lecture iiives it color and 

 makes it stick. 



Es])ecially are these lessons valuable and interesting to young Avomen and 

 girls. I lirmly believe that every girl should lune an opportunity to study a certairi 

 amount of domestic science, but I know just as well that at present it is impossible 

 for the great majority of our girls to go to college. But the Demonstration Lecture 

 Course brings the college to them, and they seldom fail to appreciate it. Last 

 fall I had several girls driving a distance of from seven to ten miles to attend 

 the classes, and they never missed a meeting either. I had one night class of 

 tliirtv girls who were l)usy in stores and othces during the day, and their enthusiasm 

 was a never failing inspiration. Of the High School classes there were very few 

 iudced who did not come to me regularly to rcjxirt their experiences in ''trying 

 the things'" at home, and their mothers unanimously testified that nothing before 

 had ever created in them such an interest in housework. This is where the courses 

 are going to do tlieir l)est work. This is the first step in introducing Domestic 

 Science into the High Schools of the smaller towns. 



But the younger people are not the only members who take the work seriously. 

 One Institute meml)er finding her social duties too pressing to attend tlu' class for 

 an afternoon each week, said to her neiglil)or, 'T really haven't time to go, Init 

 I'll get the recipes from you." 



"The recipes!" hei' friend replied indignantly, '"it isn't recipes. You can 

 get reci})es in your cook book'. It's how to do things and why you do them." 



One very bright little woman who suppoi'tcd hei' family liy taking in washing 

 and catering for parties and weddings, said to me, "You know |)co|)le wonder how 

 1 can afford to spend a dollar on the lessons, but it has paid me several times 

 over already, and you learn so nianv little ways of making things look nice and 

 tasty." 



And what I am surt' will appeal to many of the wives in our Institute is that 

 the men of the households almost univei'sally agree that the "Cooking Class" is 

 the best thing the Institute has undertaken yet. Only once did I hear this 

 criticism from the head of a house. "You'll never know what I've suffered since 

 you came to town," but he did not look as though he were telling the truth. 



AN APPRECIATION OF THE COOKING COUPSE. 



Probably I can ibest give an appreciation of the Demonstration Lecture Course 

 by stating some of the benefits that we in Thamesville are deriving from our 

 course. 



Firs! : it seems to me that the greatest good of the course is the "creation 

 of a conscience," the realization that comes to us as we learn the uses of different 

 foods in the system and what combinations arc necessary that we who cook ]ia\e 

 a sacred obligation pro])erly to develop the bodies of those whom \\v feed. 



