From first to last of his school life the child should be
taught to aim at cleanliness and simplicity, and through
these at beauty, in the schoolroom and in the home. Only
in proportion as this teaching is given can we hope to banish
the '' foul alley and noxious home " and to replace the " vul-
gar structure and base fashion " with things of beauty.
This truth is pressing itself home to teachers everywhere,
and not a few are asking, " How can we who have had no
special training in matters of taste and art bring this influ-
ence into the lives of our pupils ? "
It is the design of this chapter to answer this question
in part at least. The subject is a broad one and needs
a book rather than a chapter; but some suggestions can
be made.
From the School to the Home. — It is repeatedly said that
the teaching in the schools should find closer application
3
4 HANDBOOK OF DOMESTIC SCIENCE
to tlie home. The problem is, how to make this appli-
cation.
We cannot follow each pupil into his home and show him
how to apply our teaching — how to make the best of his
means and his limitations. We are masters of nothing but
precept and example.
The most that the teacher can do is to use earnestly
and vigorously every means of illustration afforded her by
nature and by art to arouse and keep alive in the child a
love for beauty, and then to make herself and her surround-
ings the best possible exponent of her teachings.
With the schoolroom an embodiment of the teacher's
ideas of cleanliness, refinement, and beauty, she can lead
the pupils to think about the home and desire to make it
beautiful.
An Expedient. — In my own classes I have tried with
gratifying results the expedient of constructing and furnish-
ing an imaginary house that should meet all sanitary require-
ments and be convenient and beautiful ; and I have never
given any instruction that was received with more interest
and enthusiasm than this was.
The Domestic Instinct. — The domestic instinct is very
lively in young girls. Every one expects some day to have
a home of her own, and she will go with you every step of
the way in rearing it in fancy. Girls in the humblest as
well as those in the most comfortable homes will enter into
the matter with as much gravity and earnestness as though
the actual work were in progress ; and they will take end-
less pains to make observations of house plans, to visit
houses that are building, to notice the shapes and styles of
furniture, and the quality and color of fabrics that are dis-
played in the shops ; and in every other way that you sug-
gest, they will observe, compare, and form conclusions as to
what is fitting and beautiful for their ideal home.
THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL 5
Moreover, such lessons reach into the real households.
Many mothers have expressed their gratitude for them and
have declared that a complete revolution in taste was in
progress in their homes.
The plan of lessons here presented is not supposed to be
binding as to form or number. It merely suggests a con-
venient way of presenting the matter, and may be adapted
to individual requirements.
Page 6
Presented as published in 1900. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
From first to last of his school life the child should be taught to aim at cleanliness and simplicity, and through these at beauty, in the schoolroom and in the home. Only in proportion as this teaching is given can we hope to banish the '' foul alley and noxious home " and to replace the " vulgar structure and base fashion " with things of beauty.
This truth is pressing itself home to teachers everywhere, and not a few are asking, " How can we who have had no special training in matters of taste and art bring this influence into the lives of our pupils ? "
It is the design of this chapter to answer this question in part at least. The subject is a broad one and needs a book rather than a chapter; but some suggestions can be made.
From the School to the Home. — It is repeatedly said that the teaching in the schools should find closer application
to the home. The problem is, how to make this application.
We cannot follow each pupil into his home and show him how to apply our teaching — how to make the best of his means and his limitations. We are masters of nothing but precept and example.
The most that the teacher can do is to use earnestly and vigorously every means of illustration afforded her by nature and by art to arouse and keep alive in the child a love for beauty, and then to make herself and her surroundings the best possible exponent of her teachings.
With the schoolroom an embodiment of the teacher's ideas of cleanliness, refinement, and beauty, she can lead the pupils to think about the home and desire to make it beautiful.
An Expedient. — In my own classes I have tried with gratifying results the expedient of constructing and furnishing an imaginary house that should meet all sanitary requirements and be convenient and beautiful ; and I have never given any instruction that was received with more interest and enthusiasm than this was.
The Domestic Instinct. — The domestic instinct is very lively in young girls. Every one expects some day to have a home of her own, and she will go with you every step of the way in rearing it in fancy. Girls in the humblest as well as those in the most comfortable homes will enter into the matter with as much gravity and earnestness as though the actual work were in progress ; and they will take endless pains to make observations of house plans, to visit houses that are building, to notice the shapes and styles of furniture, and the quality and color of fabrics that are displayed in the shops ; and in every other way that you suggest, they will observe, compare, and form conclusions as to what is fitting and beautiful for their ideal home.
Moreover, such lessons reach into the real households. Many mothers have expressed their gratitude for them and have declared that a complete revolution in taste was in progress in their homes.
The plan of lessons here presented is not supposed to be binding as to form or number. It merely suggests a convenient way of presenting the matter, and may be adapted to individual requirements.