THE UNITED STATES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 156, 3 June 1937, Page 2

THE UNITED STATES

MORE MILK CONSUMED. '■ 'j INTERESTING IMPRESSIONS. ‘‘There were so many interesting things that I scarcely know where to begin !” That was the smiling exclamation with which Miss C. H. MacGibbon, of the staff of the School of Home Science University of Otago, formerly a member of the staff of the Palmerston North Technical School, yesterday greeted a “Standard” reporter, who interviewed her, on her trip to the United States. Miss MacGibbon returned to New' Zealand early this year after having spent a year studying home economics, giving par* ticular attention to institution management. at the University of Chicago, ' also visiting England, Scotland and Denmark, and sho is at present in Palmerston North. “The American people drink quantities of milk, far more than we do ill New Zealand,” began Miss Mac Gibbon. “It is nothing to see young and old men at high-c Lass restaurants order a bottle of milk — milk is mostly sold in bottles and in Chicago it is obtainable only in that way. The adults drink at least half a pint of milk a day, and the children more, despite the fact that it is sixpence or sevenpence a pint. The people also.cat lots of salads, in summer and winter, and they have salad at least once a day. I think that explains wily the girls in America have such beautiful complexions, and you hardly ever see ialse teeth. As soon as I came back to Australia and New Zealand I began to notice false teeth again. The diet in the United States is much better, and they don’t indulge in morning and alternoon teas like we do bere. If they feel like a ‘snack’ between meals, they have a milk shake or ice cream, which is much better for them.” EDUCATION. A much greater proportion of pupils than in New- Zealand, leaving high schools in the United States, Had university careers, continued Miss MacGibbon. One reason accounting for this was that the pupils learned to teach themselves and became, eo interested, that they wanted to go oil with their education. Then the attitude to students earning money while attending classes at university was different in the United States. 11l 1928 it had been estimated that one-tliird of all the university students in the whole country—a tremendous number —were earning part of their expenses, and one-sixth all their expenses. An interesting idea which Miss MacGibbon thought might be eventually adopted in New' Zealand was the rule enforced that every student undergo a comi>lete medical examination on entering university, and a record of the student’s health was kept from that time. A student could at any time go to the university hospital for free advioe and treatment. If obliged to enter hospital as an inmate the first three days were free of charge. Of course, the cost entailed was really included in the fees paid beforehand, but it meant that students mad© greater use of such an opportunity and gave more attention to their health. Miss Mac Gibbon mentioned visiting the • Lucy Flower Technical High School in Chicago. Here, she said, there were over 3000 girl pupils—at many high schools there w'cre between 3000 and 8000 students—and there were two shifts. Classes for. the seniors were from 7.45 a.m. to 12, and for the juniors from 12 to 4.45 p.m. alley were taught very much on the same lines as here. She had been intrigued with the gymnasium, where the girls wore quaint green rompers, white sockettes and shoes. Then there was a playroom, rest room, dining and kitchen room set aside for children from two to four years. These children were specially selected and must come from good homes their parents paying five dollars (£1) a month. _ Tlie senior girls thus gained instruction by teaching the little ones and caring for them, and mothers had to agree to keep up the same regular hours and food in the holidays as the children had at school. COURSES IN SALESMANSHIP. Nearly all the women’s pages of newspapers were in charge of home economics graduates, Miss McGibbon proceeded, these women compiling recipes and articles. In Seattle, she further stated, a course in salesmanship could be taken by high school girls, one teacher going from one school to another in the city. The girls gained practical experience by working m the local stores on Saturdays ana during holidays, and when they left higli school were given preference if there were positions vacant. The stores also' made it possible for employees to attend university classes. Attached to high schools, added ..Miss Mac Gibbon, were caieturias where between 800 to 1000 students might be catered tor. The International House in Chicago, the hostel at which sho resided, had been built tor foreign and American students by John D. Rockefeller, junr. at a cost of three million dollars, said Miss Mac Gibbon. There was room lor 500 students, and 28 nationalities had been represented. at the time of her visit. There were lounges and social rooms, in the hostel; every opportunity being given students for meeting one another, and otten a student would give an address on his or her particular country. A theatre was attached, and foreign films were shown, including ones nom Hungary, »Erance, Germany, and Russia, the public being admitted on payment of a small charge. An amusing incident was related by Miss Mac Gibbon in conclusion. She crossed the international date lino on her bithday, she said, and as a day was repeated it meant that she had two birthdays in one! Speaking to a school in Chicago, she had mentioned that when crossing the line she could go to sleep on a Monday night and make up on Wednesday, whereupon a boy’s piping treble was heard: “Gee, miss, you must have been tired!”