DOMESTIC SERVICE AS A PROFESSION FOR GENTLEWOMEN: [To the Editor
of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—I have read with. interest the letter signed- "Dorothy Lathbury " in your issue of October 11th. I agree with her that the domestic worker of the future will more and more be. drawn: from the class of educated- gentlewomen. Already many girls of good training have- taken up this work. The training, however, is essential in order that the work may be done well and on modern labour-saving lines.
There are many well-established Training Schools of Domestic Science in existence in both Englandand Scotland, and it appears to me that here is an important piece of work that these Schools might take up. A certificate from a known School or College would carry weight and be a recom- mendation of efficiency. The training also would, be more likely to succeed where there is already the experience in training and the available- premises. It would., hardly appear to, be necessary to start a new School for this purpose.
I am a Member- of the Council 'of the Edinburgh. School of Cookery, and it may interest your readers to know that in. this School there are already facilities for giving, training on very much- the same lines as mentioned- by your correspondent -in the Lady Housekeeper's Diploma Course. Students who work for this Diploma spend a month of their six mouths course taking in turn the position of cook, housemaid and parlourmaid in one of the hostels. This gives them- a prac,- tical insight into the running of a house. The experience gained in this course is equally, valuable for mistress, house- keeper or domestic servant, as they become thereby tho- roughly conversant with all the details of efficient domestic service.. A number of the younger students- who have been through this, School and who have taken _this training have taken posts; as lady servants, two or- three. friends going together and undertaking the duties between, them..
The Council of the-School is a progressive one, and if- they were assured that- there would be a steady,:demand for lady
servants, they would, I feel sure, adapt their course to suit.—
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