76 THE UNIVERSITY AND WOMEN'S WORK 



schools I have been more and more impressed with the 

 magnitude and importance of the more theoretical side of 

 household administration, and especially with the undeveloped 

 and unorganized state of the science that relates to it. It 

 has, I confess, been a revelation to me to find how much 

 there is in this direction that lies outside the interest or 

 cognizance of the orthodox professor or teacher of science, 

 how many unsolved problems there are relating to the 

 most common things and operations of the household, and 

 what a field lies open for -interesting and exacting research. 

 I am speaking only of the sciences with which I am most 

 familiar, but if it is true that there is a special province of 

 physics and chemistry associated with' these matters, it is, 

 I believe, not less true that there are special provinces in other 

 branches of knowledge. 



A curriculum which shall include a more thorough study of 

 these special subjects must necessarily differ in aim and 

 character from those which have usually been given in the 

 schools of domestic economy. Inasmuch as it is more theo- 

 retical it will be necessary to exact a higher standard of pre- 

 liminary education, to extend the time of the course and to 

 distribute the theoretical work among the best special teachers 

 that can be secured. The work will indeed not be satisfactory 

 unless it is centred in institutions where it will have the aid of 

 many contributory studies, and where it will lead to the 

 prosecution of vivifying research. So far as the practical side 

 of the household arts is concerned, some sacrifice must be 

 made. The project is surely such as may well come within 

 the province of a university. It certainly demands the highest 

 intellectual resources that we can obtain ; it is in no degree 

 inferior in substance or in aim to any other university work. 



The pupils we turn out will, I am confident, find abundant 

 opportunity for the use of their knowledge. There is use for 

 it ample use for it as I have said, in the privacy of home 



