DOMESTIC SCIENCE TEACHING IN RURAL 

 DISTRICTS. 



(mRS.) SARAH TYSON RORER, COLEBROOK, PENNSYLVANIA. 



In 1877 and 1878 the women's clubs of Boston and Phila- 

 delphia decided that the United States needed what England 

 had already established, — schools of cookery. These schools 

 were crude but practical. The New Century School in Phila- 

 delphia followed the Boston school; both were under the care 

 and guidance of their respective clubs and supported by private 

 contributions. Miss Juliet Corson of New York had done a 

 tremendous amount of pioneer work, following the methods of 

 Professor Blot and Miss Dodd. In many of our large cities her 

 thoughts and aims were directed entirely toward the better- 

 ment of the homes of the poor. She was my preceptor, and a 

 most remarkable and misunderstood woman, but her earnest- 

 ness and honesty made a great impression on all of her pupils, 

 especially myself. She proved to me that cookery was not 

 drudgery — it was the occupation of educated w^omen because 

 it was the building material for human beings. 



After much hard work on the part of the clubs and the 

 pioneer teachers we were able to secure rooms in a few of the 

 public high school buildings for school demonstrations. These 

 were supported by the clubs. The lessons, to save expense, 

 were necessarily short. The work was really not practical. 

 For instance, a child in the morning class would draw half of a 

 chicken, and the remaining half would be left for a pupil in the 

 afternoon class, thus saving the expense of two chickens. The 

 little "housekeepers" were taught, in groups of four, to sweep 

 and dust the schoolroom, which was in no way applicable to 

 the home kitchen they knew; nor was there in this teaching the 

 slightest attempt .to improve either the architecture or the 



