FoodNet

Domestic science, principles and application

1914

Page 133

Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
2. Select menu for luncheon. Assign the outline of duties to each girl. Practice serving the luncheon. Make all final arrangements. LESSON 30 SCHOOL LUNCHEONS (Continued) (To be filled in by the students) Date: Color Scheme: Decorations : No. of Covers: Menu: Materials and Approximate Cost; Other Good Luncheon Menus: (317) LESSON 31 HOME MANAGEMENT. HOUSEHOLD ACCOUNTS The home as we know it has grown out of a need of shelter for the family. The home-makers have always been women; the care of the home and the management of all household duties have always been in their hands. Knowledge comes from study and practice, or in the actual doing. Every man spends several months or years in preparation for the business or trade he intends to enter. So every girl should spend time and study in fitting herself for her life work. It has been estimated that 95 per cent of the girls eventually take their places in the home. So it seems necessary to include in the education of every girl some study and practice in home management, if her home is to be conducted in a business-like manner. Good home management includes the selection and care of all materials used in the continuance of the home — the food, its preparation and service; the care of children; the management of servants; and the keeping of accurate household accounts. One of the most important features of good home management is system. With a system each day and week has its special duties to be performed, and each member of the household knows what he or she is responsible for. The home-maker must be thoughtful, have a good sense of values, and exercise good judgement in expendi- tures. She must be interested in her home and willing to help others. (318) HOME MANAGEMENT 319 Servants. — Servants need wise supervision and are only too quick to recognize the worth of an employer. The woman who is able to retain good help exercises good judgement in the manner in which she treats her servants. Commending servants for things well done and refrain- ing from nagging or reprimanding them before others will result in better work and greater effort to please. A wage scale for help by which the wages increase at stated times or on the merit system will effect an im- provement in retaining efhcient help. Servants are as ambitious as any other class of workers and move from one place to another in the hope of bettering themselves. Household Accounts. — The standards of living differs with individuals and families according to education, tastes, occupation, and country. The home system of accounts should be simple and easy to keep. A good plan is to divide the yearly income according to months and weeks and to keep all expenses well within the limits. Set aside a percentage of the salary for each class of expenditures — shelter, clothing, food, etc. As the income increases, the percentages of expenditures for some of the items usually increase in proportion up to a certain point. When the division of the income has been decided upon a system of book keeping will greatly aid in keeping track of each expenditure. A sample page of a simple system is here given. All stores send duplicate slips with each purchase. These should be kept together and used to check up with the monthly statement. In case of error these are of great value in correcting the account. 320 DOMESTIC SCIENCE