HOME ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16850, 28 September 1922, Page 11

HOME ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION.

The ” Evening Star ” Dunedin, of September 15. contains tbe following paragraph :—“ The first of a scries of six lectures for women was held in the home science* department yesterday afternoon, when the lecture room was crowded. In her opening remarks Prof©6So2* Rawson said that women with the common purpose of improving the home should meet together for mutual help. They would like their department to ho a centre where any knowledge they possessed could be passed on to other?, and where women could obtain advice. . - She had much pleasure in introducing Dr Marion Whyte who would speak to them about • Goitre.' Dr Whyte’s address was listened to with the most intense interest. A cooking demonstration conducted uy Professor .Strong followed, and it w'as a real exposition ortho art of deraonstraring and in the exercise qf' common sense. The auditors were instructed, interested. amused and treated to a taste of the food that was cooked. The cooking taught is infinitely simpler and more economical than cooking methods taught formerly or those learned from books. At the close of the demonstration a typed copy of all the work done was given to each person present.” From the bright little magazine published by the English Association of Teachers of Domestic Science, we quote the following paragraphs, and would especially draw the attention of members to the ‘first- -paragraph quoted : “ A definition, vide Concise. Oxford Dictionary—‘ Editor—one who prepares the work of others for publication.’ Will members be so good as to hear this ir mind and to send in accounts of happenings likely to be of general interest. Simple sketches. laughter-provoking stories, etc., will he warmly welcomed, for if we are to live and grow we must keop our younger members cheerful and youth demands something more than mere records and statistics.” SONG OF THE PSEUDO-SCIENTIST. Be neat, sweet maid, and let who can be clever; Mop up thy partner’s spillings all day long— Avoiding risks and cleaning apparatus. One can’t go wrong. “ The importance to humanity of the way in. which food ie prepared may perhaps be pressed home by borrowing from a statement recently put- forward to explain the Greek legend of Prometheus. T his famous Titan is represented to have stolen fire from Heaven and given it to primitive man and, for this apparently beneficent act, to have been condemned to everlasting torture by Zeus. I'he modern explanation i? that Zeus, the all-seeing protector of the race, inflicted a just punishment because hi* perceived that man. as yet, know not how to handle fire, and that he would, by using it wrongly in preparing food, destroy its vitamincs. and so bring upon the race deficiency diseases. "Whether you accept this interpretation of the old story or not, the fact remains that deficiency diseases—yes and even tuberculosis—

are unknown among aboriginal tribes who eat of the fruits of the earth, and, often, even of the flesh of animals uncooked. Much work vet remains to be done before the whole story of the accessory food factor? is revealed ; but enough is already known to prove that food may lie, and is,’ harmed by too much cooking.” The next lecture of our series will be given to-morrow (Friday) evening. A professional upholsterer is kindly giving a demonstration in that important subject, and all members who are able : should avail themselves of euch an op- ; portunity to secure first-hand knowledge. A friend, to whom I read the following lines from Fay Inclifawn’s “ Verse Book of a. Homely Woman,” remarked with much emphasis, “I have some sympathy with ‘ Jane.’ ” Not long ago, T prayed for dying grace, For then I thought to see Thee face to face. And now I ask (Lord, ’tis a weakling’s cry) That Thou wilt give me grace to live, not die. Such foolish prayers! I know. Yet pray I must Lord, help me—help me not to see the dust ! And not to nag, nor fret because the blind Hangs crooked, and the curtain sags behind. Rut oil! The kitchen cupboards! What a sight! ’Twill take at least a month to get them right. And that last cocoa had a smoky taste*, And all the milk has boiled away to waste! Ami -no, 1 resolutely will not think About the saucepans, nor about the sink. These light afflictions ate but temporal tilings— To rise above them, wilt Thou lend me wings? Then I shall smile when Jane, with towzled hair. (And lumpy gruel) ! clatters up the stair. The following correspondents are thanked for their contributions:— Keep on Smiling.—l have read recently. two anecdotes each of which seems to convey an important lesson to .those who are engaged in the teaching profession. The first is from dear brave Harriet Alartineau’s autobiography, and shows the deplorable. results of “cramming” undigested facts into youthful brains. A candidate was sitting for an oral examination in knowledge of the Scriptures and made such a hopeless mess of every question he was asked that at last the examiner said in despair. “Can you quote even one text of Scripture correctly?” To this the young man immediately replied, “ And Moses said, when he was in the whale’s belly, ‘ Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.’ ” Tlie other anecdote illustrates tbe important fact- that if we do not explain the meaning of some things to oiij: children, they will certainly invent meanings of their own. H is taken from a bright little Anglican magazine published in an English county and sent me by a friend. A mother once enlivened a wet Sunday afternoon by getting her little ones to mention any animals they remembered to have read about in their Bibles or hymn books- When it cumC to the

youngest child’s turn she promptly said ! ‘ th© baby bear.” and, when asked ; what there was about a baby bear in j the Bible, promptly answered “Can a mother’s tender care Cease towards the ‘ child she bare.’ ” J Trying to Help.—French brown ’ coffee cake is very popular with gen- j t-lemen as it is not too sweet. Take J 6oz flour, if teaspoonful baking powder, i a pinch of salt, 2 eggs. £lb castor or I soft sugar, lib butter (creamed), 1 j tablespoonful coffee essence or strong j coffee with 2 dessertspoonfuls of milk, i Icing for top (to bo put on when almost cold) : One big dessertspoonful each of butter and coffee essence, three well heaped tablespoonfuls of rolled icing sugar. Spread roughly on cake and sprinkle freely with chopped nuts. Old Fogie Again.—When I was a girl, the guest, as well as the hostess, was supposed to have soma duties, and I was very pleased to see the following poem in an English magazine, as it looks as though some people, at any rate, are coming back to the good old ideas:— THE PERFECT GUEST. She answered, by return of post, The invitation of her host; She caught the train she said . she would, And changed at junctions as she should ; She brought a small and lightish box. And keys belonging to tho locks. Food, ruro and rich, she did not beg, But ate tlie boiled or scrambled egg: When offered lukewarm tea she drank it, And did not crave an extra blanket.. Nor extra pillow for her head. She seemed to like the spare-rooiu bed. She brought her own self-filling pen, And always went to bed at ten. She left no little things behind, But stories new and gossip kind-