48 The Bulletin 



ceive a profit. It is not right that the bright, ambitious girl should be denied 

 all these privileges. 



In conclusion, I would like to say that when — and that is fast coming — 

 our girls stay on the farm and in the home frovi choice and are taught that 

 cooking and cleaning are based on scientific truths, dull household routine 

 will be changed into intelligent, interesting exercise, and she will bear a 

 more vital relation to the health and happiness of home and community. 



Domestic Science — Its Aims and Ends. 



Maria Parris, Oxford College. 



The importance of the study of Domestic Science is still held in doubt by 

 many people. This is probably due first, to the fact that very few outside of 

 schools know what work is done in this department, and secondly, because 

 in many homes the science of feeding is an unheard of thing. 



Soon after it was seen that Farmers' Institutes were teaching farmers the 

 best and most economical diets for cows, horses, pigs, etc., a few thinking 

 women began to realize that human beings were receiving secondary consid- 

 eration in this most vital point of food. 



Let us first look at some of the arguments against Domestic Science. We 

 often hear that too much time is spent on "fancy cookery" and that the 

 courses are not practical enough. This might have been the case years ago, 

 when it was taught by women who had had no opportunity for study them- 

 selves. Now scientific training is required of all teachers, and the greatest 

 stress is laid on what we call plain cooking. However the pupils are made 

 to realize the necessity and possibilities of serving plain foods in attractive 

 and tempting ways. 



Extravagance is another fault that seems unjustly applied, for the use of 

 "left overs" is emphasized when possible. For instance, when making grape 

 juice, the skin and pulp that are left are converted into a nice jam or marma- 

 lade. 



Domestic Science does intend to show the student just how to prepare, in 

 the quickest manner, the most palatable and attractive dish with the material 

 at hand. Instead of serving a soggy boiled Irish potato she learns to cook 

 one so that it will be mealy and appetizing. 



She is also shown the different methods of cooking that make foods diges- 

 tible instead of indigestible. When she puts these methods into practice at 

 heme she will vary the monotony of eggs fried in grease for such as soft- 

 boiled, and poached eggs on toast. 



Just as farmers have already learned that particular kinds of food are 

 needed for horses and pigs, so the Domestic Science pupil is taught that 

 human beings require certain amounts of different types of food to insure 

 good health and proper nourishment of the body. Along this line a thorough 

 knowledge of the composition and right combinations of food is taught. As 

 a result, fresh fruits and vegetables and good clean milk, th^t are so neces- 

 sary in our daily diets, will be seen more often on the table, in the place of 

 heavy meats three times a day. So many women sell the nourishing foods 

 that they have, such as eggs and milk, and then buy tonics for the family. 



Along with these things lessons are learned in the care of a house and 

 the necessity of a home built for comfort and convenience, instead of one for 

 show. 



A woman that could make the best cake, and one who stayed home and 

 drudged day in and day out, for fear of a newspaper being out of place or a 

 rug not exactly straight, used to be considered the best housekeeper. 



Things have changed now, and the woman who has a clean, comfortable 

 home for her family and gives them nourishing food, and still has time for 

 her church and community, is held up as an example for others, and towards 

 making more of this kind Domestic Science strives. 



Just as soon as the public realize that good health depends almost entirely 

 on the food we eat, then Domestic Science will be compulsory instead of 

 elective in our schools. 



