FoodNet

History and present status of instruction in cooking in the public schools of New York city

1899

Page 14

Presented as published in 1899. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
In the same year's report of free lectures given to working men and women, many of whom were the parents of the children attending school, six were said to be on physiology and hygiene and one on the digestion of food. Another interesting note during this year is that it appears to be a fact that the teacliers and the pupils who do the best work in manual-training departments are those who do the best work in their regular studies. It is stated that the instruction continues to be of a very satisfactory character, and that the introduction of the manual-training course of study into other schools, as opportunity may offer, would seem to be advisable. It is also urged that the kitchens should be provided with food cabinets and with simple chemical appli- ances for demonstrating the changes that take place in converting raw- material into food and food into blood. The report of 1893 states that the number of manual-training schools has not been increased, but that this has happened through want of necessary funds and not through lack of desire to introduce the manual- training coarse into other schools. The working of the full manual-training course of study in our schools has been very successful. The schools of this class have been visited by many educational experts and by residents of their respective localities. The commendations of these visitors have been, as a rule, of the strongest possible character, and they indorse most fully the New York theory that manual training is not something for the kindergarten and high school simply, but is an educational principle that should permeate the whole course of instruction. 19 It may be noted in passing that within this year the committee of fifteen of the National Educational Association reports as follows: Sewing and cooking have the same (but stronger) claims for place in schools as the use of tools of wood and iron. One-half day in each week for one-half a year each in the seventh and eighth grades will suffice for manual training, the sewing and the cooking being studied by the girls and the wood and iron work by the boys. During 1894 the manual-training course of study was followed with- out any modification, and there was but slight change in the number and organization of the schools pursuing this course of study. It was then believed that when all the promotions to the grammar department of the manual-training school would come from primaries in which sewing is thoroughly taught it would be possible to complete the course in sewing by the end of the fifth grade, thus giving more time, if desired, to the subject of cooking and making it feasible to introduce a short course in the chemistry of foods.