HOME-MAKING.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 16043, 27 October 1917, Page 2

HOME-MAKING.

STUDENTS AT TECHNICAL COLLEGE HOSTEL.

The Technical College Hostel was thrown open yesterday afternoon for inspection by the ladies of the households of members of contributing bodies. The visitors were received by Miss Patterson, principal of the hostel, and were conducted through tho building by the students, the girls being attired in simple frocks and housewifely aprons. One and all of the visitors expressed themselves as delighted with the arrangements for the teaching of all the modern arts of housewifery.

It is at once clear to the beholder that a love for homo life and an interest in domesticity could not help but be fostered iu surroundings sucii as are provided" at the hostel. Tho hostel is run on the lines of a modem home. Built with, a wholesome rogard to spaciousness and sunny _ interiors, it is an ideal place whcreii* to study the arts of home-craft and homemaking, That the students find keen enjoyment in their various tasks is evidenced by the zest with which they enter into the work, and as a matter of courso they regard the hostel work as tho best part of the whole of their domestic course at the College.

The morning's work, with 'the exception of a few light duties performed by the resident boarders, copimences at nine o'clock, when the daily class, comprising on an average some 16 girls, arrives. Tho morning is spent' in the learning of housewifery or laundry work, and, of course, every dny there is a cookery lesson. All the meals eaten at tho hostel are prepared and cooked by the classes. l£ach girl has her cookery book, her menu, housowifery, and household account books. Special attention is given to tho instruction in tho last-named, it being a cardinal rule that pupils must learn to balance the household books, while special attention is paid to tho determination of costs and to economical administration.

Each afternoon of the week, with the exception of Thursday (on which day a lesson in raffia work is given), is devoted to household needlework. This branch of domestic training is not by any means as uninteresting as it sounds, "for it includes, besides such ordinarv work as the strengthening of towels, hemming of sheets, etc., the making of many pretty things tor the home. There were displayed yesterday, for instance, some beautiful casement curtains, hand-embroidered, which would be a decorative acquisition to any home. Occupying a table were a number of housewifery exhibits, which were explained to the visitors by one of the pupils. Another table was devoted to needlework. In tho laundry a number of girls were busily ironing, while a cookerv lesson in progress in the kitchen liighly interested the visitors.

Undoubtedly the most attractive part of the hostel is the self-con-tained house which is attached to it. Students who have completed their course of instruction in the main building are in turn placed in charge of the~"flat," as it is called. Two of them inhabit it at a time for the period of a fortnight, and undertake independently the whole management of the house. They cook their own meals, and are allowed the privilege of inviting a friend in to have tea with them. The house has two bedrooms, a sitting-room, a kitchen and scullery, and a tiny bathroom. Yesterday a delicious tea was laid in the sittingroom, while -on the dining-table was laid a cold collation such as an experienced chef would be proud of. At the Conclusion of tlie inspection of the hostel afternoon tea was dispensed in the dining-room, the visitors giving high praise to the cakes and scones, all of which had been made by the students.