The Weil-Ordered Household 



FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A PRACTICAL WOMAN 

 CONDUCTED BY MARTHA VAN RENSSELAER 



Editor Cornell University Beading Course for Women. 



THE APPOETIOXMENT OF FAMILY IX COME 



IT may be thought that a greater diffi- 

 culty than to apportion the family 

 income is to provide it, but along 

 with the effort for the latter comes the 

 study to make the very best use of that 

 which may be secured in order to have 

 it go as far as possible for the support 

 of the family. 



In the problems of life one of the 

 chiefest along the lines of a struggle for 

 existence comes the effort to maintain a 

 home. A man seeks higher wages, often 

 that he may increase the comforts of 

 home ; a woman saves along personal lines 

 in order to add attractions to her home; 

 the young man keeps before him in get- 

 ting his financial start in the world the 

 possibilities of a home which is his own. 

 His ambitions often exceed his income, 

 and in the home acquiring and home 

 maintaining this is often the rock upon 

 which he is stranded. 



Foreigners who come to this country to 

 find a home often succeed admirably be- 

 cause in so many cases they live simply, 

 the whole family works in the field, and 

 the money is in hand before luxuries are 

 provided. It is not so difficult to pay for 

 a home if to live in it does not cost all 

 of one's income. 



Many more comforts can be provided if 

 the heads of families plan systematically 

 their expenditures, their benevolences 

 and their savings. 



Many of 'these lessons should be learned 

 in childhood. Often the children are not 

 considered in the plans for financial suc- 

 cess except as they occasion expense or 

 as they may become old enough to earn 

 something to add to the income. It should 



be a part of a child's education not only 

 to earn, but to spend and save with 

 judgment. 



Children should have allowances either 

 by earning or by gift. If an opportunity 

 be given for earning, care must be exer- 

 cised to avoid on the part of a child his 

 thinking that he can not serve others with- 

 out remuneration. There are no doubt 

 ways which may be employed for occupy- 

 ing children to their own financial ad- 

 vantage without depriving them of the 

 privilege of doing for others to an extent 

 to form a habit of courtesy and a desire 

 to be of use to their elders. If a child 

 thinks he will be paid for every errand he 

 does or for keeping his room in order, or 

 for cleaning the front walk, he may grow 

 very selfish in his interests. He must 

 have kept ever before him the fact that to 

 be manly he must be willing to do services 

 for those about him. This will make him, 

 as a man, a much more agreeable and 

 useful member of society. However, it 

 sometimes occurs that boys may be called 

 upon constantly without remuneration or 

 a chance to protect their own interests to 

 an extent which is truly manly. Xo boy 

 ought to be made to do service constantly 

 simply because -he is a boy, but he should 

 be trained to have a chivalrous, public- 

 spirited desire to do his part toward 

 making good enterprises successful and 

 other people around him comfortable. 

 There is a difference of opinion as to 

 whether children should be paid for any 

 service in the home. It seems a wise pro- 

 vision, made by some parents, that they 

 be paid for unusual service, and that 

 there be other regular duties imposed upon 



