HOME ECONOMICS

Evening Star, Issue 22004, 13 April 1935, Page 24

HOME ECONOMICS

'Tlie first central meeting of the Otago Home Economics Association was held in Allen Hall on Tuesday night, when the new president. Miss Calder. formally welcomed the large number of members present. The speaker for the evening was Mrs fb M. Park, who, in her talk on social misconceptions, enlarged on one of the aims of the association, “ That simplicity and harmony in material surroundings is true beauty. 'The home should be kept free from the dominance of things.” Too often people are led away with a desire to impress their fellows with a material display not consistent with their true position—-lienee the ensuing social tyranny of dress and house —vanity which brings in its train only bitter feelings of envy, grudging, and dissatisfaction. Our need is to guard against these artificialities, and to seek to choose our friends for their true selves, and desire to be liked in our turn for what we are. not for what we have Mrs Keith Cameron, in voicing the thanks of members, expressed her pleasure in the aptness of Kirs Park’s remarks. In these restless and materialistic times there is urgent need to stress the desirabilities of simplicity in the social life. During the course ot the evening Dr Gregory spoke to members of the need for definite knowledge of the diet of New Zealanders, and sought their help in keeping weekly records of food used by families for the benefit of research work being done by the home science department. Members wore keen to help, and many took away necessary forms for keeping records’ Mrs Orr ( ampbell read a report from the Klorniiigton branch of a dismission on condiMons aflccl.ing status of domestic workers.