First course in home making

Preface

Home Making is the universal vocation—there are over 26,000,000 homes in the United States calling for an equal number of trained homemakers. Fifteen out of every sixteen girls marry and take charge of their own homes.

More adequate training in Home Making should greatly decrease the number of unhappy homes, the number of divorces, the number of undernourished chil¬ dren, the number of infant deaths, the number dependent in old age.

Since the majority of girls leave school at an early age, there is a demand for a more general course of instruction within the reach of these girls before they leave school. This book was written for this large group of girls who for various reasons find it impossible to complete a more intensive course.

It has been the aim of the author in this volume:

1. To suggest the ever-widening scope of the work in the field of Home Economics.

2. To present the subject so that every girl who studies Home Making will see the importance of making prac¬ tical application of her knowledge in her own home.

3. To create and stimulate an interest in the art of Home Making as a means of adding to the happiness and comfort of the family.

4. To raise the standards of health and efficiency.

5. To focus attention on the increasing list of oppor¬

tunities open to young women who can qualify as Home Economics experts. MAyr)E Richman Calvert .

.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author wishes to express her grateful appreciation to the following authorities who helped with suggestions or constructive criticism in the preparation of “First Coprse in Home Making”:

Dr. Katharine Blunt, Miss Lydia J. Roberts, and Miss Ruth Lehman, Chicago University; Miss Genevieve Fisher, Margaret Morrison Carnegie College; Miss Alma Binzel, University of Minnesota; Miss Lillian Peek, As¬ sistant Director Home Economics, State of Texas; Miss Nora Talbot, Dean of Home Economics, Oklahoma A. & M. College; Mrs. Vera Idol Moore and Miss Mary M. Baird, University of Oklahoma, and Miss Evelyn R. Noe, R. N., formerly with U. S. Veterans Bureau, Minne¬ apolis, Minnesota.

For the use of cuts, illustrations and drawings, in¬ debtedness is acknowledged to Miss Mary Lamb Lewis, artist, Oklahoma City; Woman’s Art Institute, Scranton, Pennsylvania; Bureau of Home Economics, U. S. Dept, of Agriculture; National Child Health Association; National Organization for Public Health Nursing; Girl Scouts, Washington, D. C.; National Photo Co., Wash¬ ington, D. C.; Liberty National Bank, Oklahoma City; Swift & Co., Chicago, Illinois; National Cash Register Co., Dayton, Ohio; Singer Sewing Machine Co., Julius Lansburgh Interior Decorating Co., Washington, D. C.; American Washing Machine Company, Chicago, Illi¬ nois; James B. Henderson, Washington, D. C.; The. Combination Products Co., Chicago, Illinois.

CONTENTS AND INDEX Chapter I

Why Study Home Economicsf

PAGE

Why Should You Prepare for Wage Earning?.

Prepare for Emergencies..

Figuring Mother’s Worth in Dollars and Cents.

Who Spends the Money.

Is Special Training Necessary?.

Why is Home Making an Important Vocation?.

Home Making a Skilled Vocation.

The Mother of Home Economics.

Where Can We Study Home Economics?. *

Opportunities in Home Economics .

What Vocations are Now Open to Home Economics

Experts?.

Teaching Home Economics.

Demonstrators Are Needed.

In the Business World.

What Else?.

5 5

Chapter II Proper Food a Requirement of Normal Health and

Growth.

Are You a Good Cook?.

How Should We Plan Our Meals?.

Why Is Food Needed?.

What Are the Uses of Food?.

What Foods Give Energy?.

What Foods Build Muscle?.

What Foods Build Bone and Teeth?.

What Foods Regulate?..

. vii

00 o o

CONTENTS AND INDEX viii

PAGE

Do You Know the Chemical Composition of Foods? .... 11

Protein and Minerals Needed for Growth and Repair ... 11

What Foods Contain Calcium?. 11

What Foods are Rich in Iron?. 12

Where Do We Find Phosphorus?. 12

Protein is Expensive. 12

Carbohydrates and Fats. 13

Water also Important. 14

Laxative Foods. 14

What are Vitamins? ..14

A Practical Classification of Foods.15

Vegetables and Fruits. 16

Meat, Milk, Eggs, Fish, Etc. 17

Cereal Grains. 17

Sugar and Sugar Foods. 17

Fats and Fat Foods.18

Choosing Our Food.18

What Shall We Eat? .18

How Much Shall We Eat?. 18

How Do We Measure Our Food? ..19

Fat Most Concentrated.19

Regular Food Habits. 19

A Practical Food Budget. 19

Daily Menu. . ..20

Consult the Doctor Occasionally.20

How Much Do You Weigh?.20

Weight, Height, Age Tables from Birth to School Age . . 21

Weight, Height, Age Tables from School Age to Eighteen 23

What Shall We Have for Breakfast?.25

Start the Day Right.25

Select Food Intelligently.26

Types of Breakfasts.26

Plan Type Breakfasts.27

A Good Breakfast Plan.27

Drink Your Share of Milk.28

Make Cocoa. 29

Make Coffee for Breakfast ..30

Serve Tea for Supper.30

Vary Your Drinks.30

Fruit is Important. 31

CONTENTS AND INDEX ix

PAGE

Cereals for Breakfast.31

Hot Breads. 33

Bacon and Eggs for Breakfast.34

Luncheon or Supper?.35

Use Leftovers for Luncheon.35

Chief Meal at Midday.36

Supper Still a Good Term.37

Cream Soups are Nourishing.37

Cook Starch Thoroughly.38

Making a Leftover Recipe Book.39

Suggested Cream Dishes.39

Meat Substitutes.40

Shah We Serve Cheese?.41

Eat More Salads.41

Make Simple Desserts.43

Planning Our Dinners.45

A Simple Home Dinner. . . ..45

Serve An Appetizer.46

The Meat and Vegetables.47

The Salad Course.47

The Dessert.47

Mints, Candies and Bon Bons.48

Bread Making.48

.Getting Ready to Make Bread.48

Temperature Important.49

What Is Yeast?.. 49

Meats and Their Preparation.50

Visit the Meat Market .51

Meat for Dinner..51

Left Over Meats.51

How Do You Cook Meat?.52

Fish.53

Shah We Fry Fish?.53

Use Dried and Salt Fish.53

Vegetables.54

Starchy Vegetables.54

Retain the Green Color.55

Serve at Least Two Vegetables.55

Don’t Forget Potatoes.56

The Art of Menu Making.57

X

CONTENTS AND INDEX

PAGE

Table Sebvice.60

Types of Table Service .63

Left Hand Service.63

Suggestions for Serving.63

Infobmation Needed in Meal Pbepabation.66

Level Measurements.66

Weights and Measures.67

What Is The Effect of Heat on Food?.67

Protein, Starch, Sugar, Fats and Cellulose.67

Different Methods of Applying Heat .69

Oven Temperatures. .71

Leavening Pbopobtions.71

Shobtening Pbopobtions. 72

Thickening Pbopobtions.73

Points To Be Considebed in Buying Food.73

Suggestions fob Inexpensive Dishes.76

Time Table fob Boiling.77

Time Table fob Baking.78

Join a Canning Club. 78

Why Food Spoils.. . 79

Why Canned Food Keeps.81

The Cold Pack Method.83

The Intermittent Process .85

The Open Kettle Method.85

A Simple Canning Budget.. . 87

Other Methods of Preserving Food.88

Jelly Making.88

Jam and Marmalade .91

Pickles.92

Relishes • . ..93

Pbesebvation of Food by Dbying ..93

Drying in the Sun.95

Artificial Heat.. . 95

Preparation of Fruits and Vegetables.95

How Many Methods of Preserving Food.96

Chapter III Learn To Dress Comfortably, Suitably and Attractively

Selection of Clothing .97

Appropriate Dress.97

CONTENTS AND INDEX xi

PAGE

Making Aprons, Hand Towels and Holders.98

Laboratory Work Dress.98

Select Pattern.98

Take Measurements.99

Select Material.99

Understand the Pattern.99

Make a Study of Sewing Machines.100

Clothing—-Care, Storage, Repair and Laundering . . . 104

Care of Clothing.104

Removing Stains. 107

Storage of Clothing.Ill

Mend Your Clothes.113

Laundering the Clothes.117

Making a Laundry Bag.125

Problems Relating to Health, Textiles and Made Over

Garments.128

Making Over Old Garments.128

Wear Healthful Clothing.129

Textiles.130

A Few Things to Remember.131

Making Underclothes.132

The Kimona Night Gown.132

Shrink Material if Necessary.133

Making Underslip.135

Making Bloomers. 137

Review Questions.138

Making a Bungalow or Simple School Dress.141

Problems Concerning Clothing for Children.144

Ready to Wear Garments.150

Selection of Ready Made Underwear.151

What Kind of Hosiery?.151

Shoes, Slippers and Overshoes.153

Gloves.155

Coats and Capes.155

Hats .!56

Planning the Wardrobe.157

How Much Do You Spend for Clothes?.157

Plan Your Wardrobe Carefully.158

Appropriate Colors.159

Suitably Dressed.150

CONTENTS AND INDEX xii

PAGE

Is Your Dress Appropriate?.161

Making Your School Clothes.162

Garment Construction.165

Sewing Tools—Hand and Machine.165

General Rules to be Observed in Sewing.169

Getting Material Ready for Use .171

Three Simple Seams.173

Using Bias Tape or Facing.174

Other Essential Sewing Processes. 175

Chapter IV Keeping the House Clean.179

Cleaning Walls and Ceilings.179

Floors.181

Rugs and Carpets.181

Linoleum .182

Old Furniture .182

Suggested Plan for Cleaning a Room.189

Care and Equipment of the Kitchen.190

Care of the Bath Room.200

Furnishing tRe Bedroom.203

Furnishing the Living Room.206

Interior Decoration.208

Chapter V Caring for the Sick Home Care. 210

Cheerful Room Needed.210

Avoid Drafts. 210

Keep the Room Neat and Orderly. 211

Bed Making.212

General Care of the Patient.215

Contagious Diseases.217

Food for the Sick .. 219

Planning the Food. 219

Liquid Diet.229

Soft Diet . 221

Serving the Tray ..221

Consult the Doctor. 222

CONTENTS AND INDEX xiii

PAGE

First Aid to the Injured.223

Poisons and Their Treatment.231

Chapter VI Shall We Help Care for Baby f

Is There a Baby in Your Home.234

Sleep, Fresh Air and Sunshine. 235

Regular Feeding.236

Mothers Milk Best Food for Baby.237

Keep Baby’s Milk Clean.238

Bathing the Baby. 242

A Few Things to Remember.243

Baby’s Clothes ..244

Chapter VII Earning, Spending and Saving

Learn to Be Thrifty.248

Spend Less than You Earn.248

Eliminate Waste.249

Keep a Budget.250

Start a Bank Account.251

Investing .253

Suggestions for Making Money.253

Budget Your Time.256

Chapter VIII Good Behavior and Politeness Politeness.258

Table Manners.258

Courtesy. 2 ^0

Introductions.262

Neatness and Cleanliness.264

Chapter IX Learning to Play A Happy Fireside.266

Budget Your Day ..267

Celebrate the Holidays.268

A Day in the Woods.274

XIV

CONTENTS AND INDEX

PAGE

Why Do We Play.276

Toys Should be Educational.278

Playing in the Yard. 281

Children and Pets.283

Play With Your Parents.284

Chapter X How Much Do You Know About Home Economics?

A General Review . 285-306

Chapter XI Home Economics Library Start a Home Library .307

Government Bulletins.307

Free Booklets.308

Classify Material.. . 308

References. 309-313

I

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Chapter I WHY STUDY HOME ECONOMICS?

Why Should You Prepare for Wage-Earningf How many women do you know who have children and older people to support? No healthy, normal individual should depend entirely upon her father, brother or anyone else for support.

Prepare for Emergencies. It may never be necessary for you to make your own living; it may never be neces¬ sary for you to contribute to the family income, but you should be prepared for such an emergency. Why? Does your mother contribute to the family income? Perhaps not in dollars and cents, and yet “a penny saved is a penny earned.” Does your mother save dollars and cents?

Figuring Mother’s Worth in Dollars and Cents. Who plans and prepares your meals? Who plans your cloth¬ ing? Who takes care of you and other members of the family in sickness? Who keeps house for you? Figure mother’s worth in dollars and cents. Find out how much it would cost a family of the size of yours to employ a housekeeper, cook, seamstress, laundress and a nurse. Could these five people fill your mother’s place in your home? Of course not—but it will please Mother to have you tell her that she is actually earning money.

Who Spends the Moneyt About ninety per cent of the money brought into the homes by wage earners is spent by women. Do women need to know anything about the “business of managing a home”? Do women need to know what makes real values in food, clothing o and household equipment? Do women need to know how to make family budgets and how to keep household accounts?

Is Special Training Necessary f Approximately ninety per cent of all girls and women marry and take charge of their own homes. Very few of the 26,000,000 home¬ makers in the United States are financially able to em¬ ploy help. It is not always possible to employ w r elltrained household assistants even when there is plenty of money. Do you know why? Does the “manager of the home” need special training? Why?

Why Is Home Making an Important Vocationf The standard of our national life is determined by our stand¬ ards of living in the home. The welfare of children and their proper development into useful citizens depend on the character of our homes. The health and efficiency of the wage earners as well as the general contentment of the members of the family depend to a large extent upon our homes.

“Experience is a good teacher,” but rather expensive, especially when we are experimenting with the lives of children and their future happiness. Learning to cook, to sew, to keep house and to spend the greater part of the family income is sometimes expensive. ,

Home Making a Skilled Vocation. Under present conditions mother-to-daughter instruction alone cannot be depended upon to train our future homemakers. The schools must assist by teaching such subjects as child care, home nursing, cooking, meal planning, garment making, home management and buying.

The Mother of Home Economics. About twenty-five years ago Mrs. Ellen H. Richards, the mother of Home Economics, begged the schools to teach “Right Living.” All school training, when applied to our daily habits of

WHY STUDY HOME ECONOMICS?

living and doing, makes better citizens, better wives and better mothers; Home Economics subjects train espe¬ cially for Home Making, wifehood and motherhood.

Not Planning to Marryf Then study Home Eco¬ nomics to learn how to take care of your own health; how to select your food and clothing; how to save money; how to be a more efficient wage earner and useful citizen.

Where Can We Study Home Economicsf In the last twenty-five years all up-to-date schools have given Home Economics a definite place in the school program. In addition to the regular work in the public schools, col¬ leges and universities, afternoon and evening classes are being organized for girls and women who are not in school. These classes include such subjects as meal plan¬ ning and preparation, selection and construction of gar¬ ments, home nursing and first aid, child care and training, costume design, interior decoration and home manage¬ ment.

Opportunities in Home Economics . We can choose a wage-earning occupation which will also prepare us for Home Making any time, anywhere. A careful study of the vocation of Home Making will not only prepare every girl for the responsibilities of a wife and mother but in addition, open the way to her for many wage¬ earning occupations.

WHAT VOCATIONS ARE NOW OPEN TO HOME ECONOMICS EXPERTS?

Teaching Home Economics. The girl who majors in Home Economics in college is prepared to teach in ele¬ mentary schools, junior and senior high schools, special vocational and technical schools, normal schools, colleges and universities.

She may teach one or several of the following Home

Economics subjects in the afternoon and evening classes, which are now being conducted for the benefit of girls and women who cannot attend the day public schools:

Demonstrating the Use of An Electric Sewing Machine.

textiles, clothing, millinery, meal preparation, home dec¬ oration, costume design, child care, home nursing, home management, and nutrition.

Demonstrators Are Needed. The woman trained in Home Economics may be a Home Demonstration agent,

WHY STUDY HOME ECONOMICS?

a club leader, or a special demonstrator for household products and equipment, such as food, soap, washing machines, stoves, etc.

In the Business World. She may be in charge of dressmaking or ready-to-wear establishments, millinery or lingerie shops. Such positions as style experts, special shoppers, buyers of textiles and clothing, advertising home products, interior decorators, window decorators, - designers of costumes, designers of textiles and ready-towear garments, are also open to the woman who has had training in Home Economics.

What Elsef Visiting housekeepers, dieticians, man¬ agers of lunch rooms, cafeterias, tea rooms, hotels and restaurants, are occupations that pay well, and may be held by the Home Economics expert. A part of the responsibilities of the homemaker, such as assisting with special cooking, sewing, housecleaning, gardening, nurs¬ ing, child care, and many other ways to make money might be added to this list.