Learning Housekeeping,

Otago Witness, Issue 1813, 20 August 1886, Page 32

Learning Housekeeping,

An English lady who has resided for some time on the continent writes : — The complaints I hear daily about servants and housekeeping induce me to make a proposal— that of establishing the system which is practised in Germany, of sending every young girl after she has finished her school education, and before she is " out," to learn housekeeping. This every girl in Germany does, be she the daughter of a nobleman, officer, or small official. She goes direct from school into a family .corresponding to her station in life. Those who are rich go where they pay highly, and are in a " good family," so that they are enabled to live well, and have good cooking and great variety. No one is taken into one of these establishments for less than- a year, so thatf with every month a new branch is learned — one month the preserving of fruit in season, the next laying in of apples and vegetables for winter use, preserving of eggs and butter, etc. These girls are taught everything, from washing up dishes, sweeping and polishing the floors, otear-etarohing w d ironing, dusting a»4

cleaning ornaments, cooking, laying the table, waiting, polishing the silver and glass up, to decorating the table with flowers and fruits. Great is the ambition of the pupil to hear that her taste and management are the best. Combined with these duties are those of keeping the household linen in repair and learning plain sewing. Thus the young girl gets experience in household affairs. Though the pupils have to learn everything, servants are kept in these establishments, who in their turn are taught by the advanced pupils, who have learned from the mother of the family. This accounts for the excellent housekeeping in Germany, where comfort is combined with economy, and the pleasure of having everything precise and clean. The labours of the day are over by midday (dinner being at midday,) when everybody is at libertyto study, needlework, or amusement till time for preparing supper.