PHASES OF PRACTICAL PHILANTHROPY. 537 



that a truer development of home life lies at the foundation of all 

 social and moral progress. 



Three large institutions — Pratt, of Brooklyn; Drexel, of Phila- 

 delphia; and the College of Teachers, in E^ew York city — present 

 opportunities for the thorough training of teachers in this com- 

 paratively new branch of popular education. 



Clubs for the study of household economics are multiplying year 

 by year; the Association of Collegiate Alumnae has given earnest 

 thought to the domestic problem, and as a result, and in spite of 

 much prejudice, courses of cookery have been made a part of the 

 public-school curriculum in a few of our large cities. The Board 

 of Regents of ISTew York State has recently adopted a syllabus for 

 a course in home science to be used in the high schools. "While the 

 movement, as yet, may be said to be in the experimental stage, it 

 is safe to assert that sentiment in favor of the new idea is increas- 

 ing. The difficulties in the way of a rapid growth are formidable 

 and make the outlook somewhat discouraging. 



To properly equip a school for scientific domestic training is 

 in the beginning a considerable expense; the number of skilled 

 teachers ready for the field is small, and their services too valuable 

 to be given without adequate compensation. The cooking schools 

 so far established have not proved self-sustaining, and until more 

 sensible ideas as to the dignity of household labor shall prevail, limi- 

 tations will continue. 



In all reforms we must " dig at the roots " if we would insure 

 a steady and healthful growth. The kitchen-garden idea, origi- 

 nated by Miss Emily Huntington in 1887 for " the purpose of giv- 

 ing the little daughters of the poor attractive instruction in house- 

 work," has proved one of the best means of practical philanthropy 

 ever discovered. The New York Kitchen-Garden Association was 

 formed in 1880, and from that, as its crowning work, we have the 

 New York Training School for Teachers. The kitchen-garden les- 

 sons are very simple; they include how to make beds and take care 

 of sleeping rooms, set and wait on table, wash and iron clothes, care 

 of a baby and the nursery, how to build fires, clean lamps, sweep 

 and dust, instruction in house-cleaning, marketing, and the care of 

 the person — all taught by miniature utensils to the accompaniment 

 of songs and exercises, which give enthusiasm and variety to the 

 work. The training of the kitchen-garden teacher is not difficult, 

 and young women in any community, by a few lessons as to the meth- 

 ods and a study of kitchen-garden literature, may soon become 

 efficient. 



Children of the ages of from five to eleven are eligible for the 

 training, and both girls and boys enjoy the classes. After the va- 



