DOMESTIC SCIENCE AS A PROFESSION FOR GENTLEWOMEN.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—May I, as a school-master's wife with nearly twenty years' experience in running a large household, and with practical personal knowledge of every kind of house-work, express my very hearty agreement with M. C. W.'s letter of October 18th ? I am quite sure that it would be utter folly for the country to spend money in training women for domestic service. There are hundreds, even thousands, of hard-worked mistresses and mothers who would be only too glad to train girls willing to learn, and who would at the same time respect them thoroughly for wishing to take up that most honourable and home-making profession.
From a practical point of view, instead of their having to pay for their training (training college fees are beyond the means of most), the girls would be getting their keep and enough to dress (simply) upon. Educated girls who have the courage to adventure forth as pioneers among weary and over-worked housewives, rising above the prejudices of the ignorant and small-minded, will never regret it. Many years ago Sir John Williams, a leading London doctor in his day, told my mother that there was no better exercise for developing a good figure in a girl than the making of beds and cleaning of windows. It is a free country—if a girl gets among unpleasant people, she can go elsewhere. My own experience is that a girl would rather have her own department than " live with the family." Regular days and times off duty can be arranged at mutual convenience. We know, of course, that the old type of house is usually very far from ideal to work, but " better brains in the business " will slowly and surely bring better planned houses and better conditions. A. British girl will not give up because things are difficult ; she does' not want " cushy jobs " any more than her brother.
And what better preparation can there be for the future happiness of the real woman than learning and practising how to make a healthy home for the husband and children the years may bring her ? Homes are the background of our Empire. If British women. will fight bard to preserve them, they will do as good a servioe to the nation, and as noble, as their- sisters are doing in the House of Commons.—I ate,
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