gat, I thoroughly agree with last week's article by D.
E. Estcourt. Before my marriage I trained as a nurse in a London Voluntary Hospital and was then an Army Sister, and I have always been healthy and used to hard work. However, since the birth of our second child I have been ill as a direct result of overworking too soon after my confinement. The doctor now tells me it would be inadvisable for me to have any more children unless I am able to shed some of my domestic and family responsibilities. As I have lain in bed, for the first time I have had tufficient leisure to really give this problem serious thought, and these are some of my conclusions.
Labour-saving houses and appliances are constantly given as the answer to the domestic problem. I fear that by the time these are available to the average housewife in sufficient numbers at a price she can afford the child-bearing years of people like myself will be over. However, I feel that the difficulties of running homes and families these days might be considerably eased by adopting suggestions such as those -Proposed by D. E. Estcourt. Personally, I am in favour of some form of club a centre for a neighbourhood or village. This should include:
a. Restaurant for midday meal, possibly snack-bar open at other times.
2. Nursery school. Baby clinic once a week. - 3. Crèche, where mothers can leave babies and toddlers while doing laundry or shopping.
4. Laundry, with electric washing machines, &c., where housewives can do their own laundry with the latest labour-saving appliances. If possible, an expert should be in charge of the laundry to advise and assist, and to keep the equipment clean and in order.
I also suggest a branch of the County Library should be opened at least once a week for the benefit of club members. Possibly the Women's Institute, Youth Clubs or other similar organisations might contribute towards the centre for the use of a room in the building on certain afternoons or evenings. during the week. - I think D. E. Estcourt's idea of a vacuum cleaner service an excellent suggestion, and could easily be run in connexion with. this type of club. I am also in favour of some form .of pool of available domestic help, with priority for illness, maternity and old age. At present, British Restaurants, Day Nurseries and Baby Clinics are provided by various Ministries and Local Authorities in many places, and in Scotland I believe community laundries are quite common ; also there are many clubs and Services canteens run by voluntary effort.
Therefore, I suggest that a suitable building and equipthent should be provided by the Local Authority, assisted by grants from the Ministries concerned. Club members should contribute a small quarterly subscription which should go to the Local Authority. Charges for meals and laundry facilities, &c., should be sufficient to cover expenses and allow a small margin for repairs and replacements. If centres such as these could be made one of the priority post-war plans, a great many younger wives would be encouraged to have more children, which under present in- convenient and overcrowded conditions would be quite impossible.
I consder these clubs could be a valuable contribution to the social life of the community. They would enable women to make a wider use of their education and capabilities for the benefit of all. Personally, I want to be an intelligent and attractive companion for my husband as well as a good housewife. I want to keep my mind active and young 80 that I can take an interest in the mental development of my children as well as in their material growth and surroundings.—Yours truly,
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