TEACHING OF COOKERY.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1931, Page 13

TEACHING OF COOKERY.

EFFECT OF SCHOOL TRAINING.

All women will find the ability to cook a valuable asset at some time or another, and in this respect the present generation has many, advantages over previous ones. Not the least is the two- ’ years’ course of cookery offered girls in ; the primary school at the manual training cookery centres. These are equipped as well as educational finance will allow, and while one lesson a week will not produce an excellent cook the instruction aims to form good habits that will be developed in later life. The demonstrations provide the girls with a standard to aim at, and when the opportunity comes to experiment with the family cooking it is surpris- ' ing how capable even first year studj ents become. The class lesson lasts ' for 1J hours during which girls are taught to prepare and cook simple I dishes. Later in the course they learn I to estimate the quantities required for a given number of persons and to plan, prepare, cook and serve complete meals; Simple instruction is also given in the composition and dietetic value of the most important classes of foodstuffs. Not only are the girls taught to cook i properly but they are also required to ! maintain the kitchen and utensils in a ! state of scrupulous cleanliness. In this : way the various branches of housecraft receive due attention, even the keeping |of household accounts not being neIglected, and the pupils have to assist tin checking the bills and paying the tradesmens’ accounts. At the conclusion of the cooking lesson the dishes are served and displayed. The work of ■ each is compared and judged in friendly rivalry by other members of the class. Such is the kind of domestic science training that is given to 160 girls at the Manaia High School, where pupils also attend from the Manaia Convent, Okaiawa, Kapuni, Kaponga, Otakcho and Auroa. The outside district children are conveyed to the centre by bus and the facilities include an electric stove, range and oil stove so that experience can be gained in the use of these various types of cooking faciliThe pupils perform their work wearing neat caps and: aprons and are furnished with a note-nook, a recipe book and a dish in which to carry home the dishes prepared.