COOKING AT THE GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1856, 8 July 1887, Page 12

COOKING AT THE GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL.

A few gentlemen, members of the Board of Governors, and others were present on Tuesday at the Girls' High School, by invitation of the principal, to see the girls of the cookery class at their work. Under the supervision of Mrs Macpherson, some 20 of the girls prepared during the afternoon a very complete little banquet, consisting of choice and palatable dishes, which they had learned to prepare during the quarter. There were soups, filleted and fried fish and entrees, a variety of vegetables, and puddings and sweets of different kinds. Each girl had charge of a dish, and the cooking in every case was most successful. At 5 o'clock the gentlemen present sat down to test the work of the afternoon at a table which had been taste- , fully laid out by the pupils. Several of the girls, wearing quaint and becoming caps, acted as Hebes for the occasion, and earned the admiration of their guests by the neat-handed deftness with which they did their work. After a plentiful and well-cooked dinner, several gentlemen present addressed the girls, and thanked them for their hospitality of the afternoon. Dr Stuaht said he had never before had tho pleasure of being cooked for by so many "bonnie lassies," and assured them that he had seen enough of thriftless households to lead him to believe that cooking was not the least important part of their school work. He complimented Mrs Macpherson on the very gratifying finish to her labours in the Girls' High School, and hoped that the cooking class would be repeated next year under her able tuition. The Hon. R. Olives, in thanking the girls for their excellent dinner, said that a well-cooked meal was one of the most effective ways of reaching the masculine heart. The girls had prepared so choice and varied a feast that he had been almost tempted beyond the limits of prudence. Mr Bell also thanked the girls, and assured them that though he had in his lifetime been present at many dinners, he had n,ever sat down to a better one than had been placed before them that evening.