Much of the work in language reading, nature study and arithmetic could be related to the garden- ing and Domestic Science. A large part of the equipment in the school could be made by the older pupils, either in the llanual Training classes, or after the regular school hours. Long tables for serving the meals, a work table and benches on which oil or gas stoves may be placed, are easily constructed, as the school carpenter may COOKING 13 be called in to help. This could be a fine beginning and have the effect of interesting the school authori- ties. In some schools the course of study in each grade could be so arranged that cooking could be taught in connection with science, studying foods as a source of energy; the study of food principles, value of each, effect of the processes of cooking upon the various food principles. The classification of food; cooking — effect of heat upon different foods; digestion — how food is made soluble ; absorption — how food gets into the blood; circulation — how food reaches the muscles; respiration — how waste tissue is removed; study of plants as a source of oxygen and food; formation of starch and oxygen by plants from carbon dioxide and water. The boys and girls will want to know the scientific principle of their local industries and there are often food manufacturing plants. These should be visited by the classes, and made an important feature of the school work. The habit of investigating one's surroundings is a good one, and this habit formed in the early life of a child will lead him to make a study of each new environment, and in this way come into intelligent knowledge and relation of it. The time of year must also be considered, when foods are in season and less expensive. At Christmas time in schools where there is a school kitchen, the younger children may pop corn and make butter scotch, cream and hard candies. Cooking is an art, and artistic and dainty serving is very closely connected with dainty cooking. 14 DOMESTIC SCIENCE Pupils should consider the serving a very important part of the course. Prof. Atwater says, "Dainty ways of serving food have a usefulness beyond their aesthetic value. Every one knows that a feeble appetite is often tempted by a tastefully garnished dish when the same material carelessly served would seem quite unpalatable." Furthermore, many cheap articles and "left overs" when well seasoned and attractively served may be just as appetizing as dearer ones, and wiU usually be found quite as nutri- tious. Every food product contains certain elements upon which its food value depends. Therefore it is important that the nutritive value of foods is retained in the cooking. It is equally important that we know the chemical composition of foods, in order to intelligently com- bine materials used in cooking. POTATOES Lesson II History. Authorities differ as to where the potato was first discovered by the Indians — in North or in South America. Early in the 15th century the potato was introduced into Europe by Spaniards. In 1586 it was brought to England from Virginia, where it POTATOES 15 had probably become known through Spanish sources. Its progress in Europe was slow and its culture, even in Ireland, was not general imtil the middle of the 18th century. It is now a staple food in most of the temperate climates. The Potato Plant. The fruit of the potato plant is a worthless green berry. The useful product is tubers, or enlargements of an undergroimd stem, which are larger under cultivation than in the wild plant. Roimd or oblong eyes are the axils of rudi- mentary leaves, containing several buds, by means of which the plants are usually propagated. Sprouts should be cut off, as they use up the nourishment in the potato. Composition of Potato: Water, 75.3%; starch, 21%; proteid, 2%; mineral, 1%; cellulose, .7%.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Much of the work in language reading, nature study and arithmetic could be related to the gardening and Domestic Science. A large part of the equipment in the school could be made by the older pupils, either in the Manual Training classes, or after the regular school hours. Long tables for serving the meals, a work table and benches on which oil or gas stoves may be placed, are easily constructed, as the school carpenter may COOKING 13 be called in to help. This could be a fine beginning and have the effect of interesting the school authorities. In some schools the course of study in each grade could be so arranged that cooking could be taught in connection with science, studying foods as a source of energy; the study of food principles, value of each, effect of the processes of cooking upon the various food principles. The classification of food; cooking — effect of heat upon different foods; digestion — how food is made soluble ; absorption — how food gets into the blood; circulation — how food reaches the muscles; respiration — how waste tissue is removed; study of plants as a source of oxygen and food; formation of starch and oxygen by plants from carbon dioxide and water. The boys and girls will want to know the scientific principle of their local industries and there are often food manufacturing plants. These should be visited by the classes, and made an important feature of the school work. The habit of investigating one's surroundings is a good one, and this habit formed in the early life of a child will lead him to make a study of each new environment, and in this way come into intelligent knowledge and relation of it. The time of year must also be considered, when foods are in season and less expensive. At Christmas time in schools where there is a school kitchen, the younger children may pop corn and make butter scotch, cream and hard candies. Cooking is an art, and artistic and dainty serving is very closely connected with dainty cooking. Pupils should consider the serving a very important part of the course. Prof. Atwater says, "Dainty ways of serving food have a usefulness beyond their aesthetic value. Every one knows that a feeble appetite is often tempted by a tastefully garnished dish when the same material carelessly served would seem quite unpalatable." Furthermore, many cheap articles and "left overs" when well seasoned and attractively served may be just as appetizing as dearer ones, and wiU usually be found quite as nutritious. Every food product contains certain elements upon which its food value depends. Therefore it is important that the nutritive value of foods is retained in the cooking. It is equally important that we know the chemical composition of foods, in order to intelligently combine materials used in cooking. POTATOES Lesson II History. Authorities differ as to where the potato was first discovered by the Indians — in North or in South America. Early in the 15th century the potato was introduced into Europe by Spaniards. In 1586 it was brought to England from Virginia, where it POTATOES 15 had probably become known through Spanish sources. Its progress in Europe was slow and its culture, even in Ireland, was not general imtil the middle of the 18th century. It is now a staple food in most of the temperate climates. The Potato Plant. The fruit of the potato plant is a worthless green berry. The useful product is tubers, or enlargements of an undergroimd stem, which are larger under cultivation than in the wild plant. Roimd or oblong eyes are the axils of rudimentary leaves, containing several buds, by means of which the plants are usually propagated. Sprouts should be cut off, as they use up the nourishment in the potato. Composition of Potato: Water, 75.3%; starch, 21%; proteid, 2%; mineral, 1%; cellulose, .7%.

Domestic science (Clark, Cornell home economics)