1924 - Annual Convention Report

              4S A L B E R T A W O M E N ' S I N S T I T U T ES
Some earnest ones, l o o k i n g f o r w a r d to e m a n c i p a t i o n f r om household cares,
argue t h a t t i m e w i l l be f o u n d for s o l v i n g a l l v e x e d q u e s t i o n s when co- operative
housekeeping becomes more general.
P o s s i b l y , b u t as l o n g as the more domestic c l i n g t o the i n d i v i d u a l k i t c h e n , t h e re
w i l l be a wide scope for the s t u d y of i n t e l l i g e n t m e t h o d s ; v i t a l questions of h o w to
a c c o m p l i s h w i t h o u t waste of s t r e n g t h and m e n t a l s t a g n a t i o n ; how t o a t t a i n w i t h o ut
self- exhaustion or e x t i n c t i o n . When a w o m a n c o m p l a i n s t h a t she cannot do her
own housework w i t h o u t d e g e n e r a t i n g i n t o a perfect slave, w h i c h i s at f a u l t , t h e w o r k,
or the woman?
D o y o u have a c h a i r or p r e f e r a b l y a h i g h s t o o l i n t h e k i t c h e n where one m ay
sit to prepare vegetables or fruit, to beat the cake a n d for v a r i o u s other things?
A great d e a l of energy i s e x p e n d e d uselessly b y n e g l e c t i n g t h i s one i t em of f u r n i t u r e.
H a v e some p i c k - u p w o r k o r a b o o k a t h a n d w h i l e w a i t i n g m e a l s ; or w a s h t h e dishes
t h a t have a c c u m u l a t e d w h i l e c o o k i n g . This w i l l not o n l y save t i m e l a t e r , but may
save the good m a n of t h e house sour looks a n d s h a r p words, a n d is m u c h wiser t h an
w a s t i n g nervous force i n r u n n i n g t o door or w i n d o w a n d w o r k i n g oneself i n t o a fume.
" J o n e s , a g l o o m y i n d i v i d u a l , d e c i d e d t o t u r n over a new leaf, so he went home
w h i s t l i n g , k i s s e d h i s wife, t h e n proceeds t o s h a v e a n d c l e a n u p for d i n n e r . When
t h e meal was over, he i n s i s t e d on w a s h i n g the dishes a n d sang l u s t i l y as he wife
l o o k e d o n w i t h amazement. The job finished, he t o o k off h i s k i t c h e n a p r o n and
f o u n d his b e t t e r h a l f i n tears.
" ' W h y , w h a t ' s the m a t t e r , m y d e a r ? ' he asked.
" ' O h , e v e r y t h i n g ' s gone w r o n g t o d a y , ' she said. ' T h e c l o t h e s l i n e b r o k e and
let the w a s h i n g d o w n i n the d i r t . The t w i n s got i n t o a fight at school a n d came
home w i t h b l a c k eyes. M a r y fell d o w n a n d tore her dress, and to cap t h e climax,
here y o u come home d r u n k . ' "
Let us not become so f r e t t e d w i t h the d a i l y r o u n d t h a t we are u n a b l e the grasp
a n d appreciate t h e good i n t e n t i o n of f a m i l y a n d friends.
A housewife w i l l waste t i m e a n d expend m u c h v a l u a b l e energy i n spite of a ll
t h e l a b o r - s a v i n g devices i f she has a poor arrangement of s i n k , stove, work- table
a n d light i n her k i t c h e n . N o t h i n g is more i m p o r t a n t than the correct p l a c i ng
of these pieces of k i t c h e n f u r n i t u r e , if one is to save steps a n d b r i n g efficiency into
the d a i l y r o u t i n e . The p o s i t i o n of the stove cannot a l w a y s be changed, b u t it can
e a s i l y be e l e v a t e d to the r i g h t height. The t a b l e c a n be a d j u s t e d even more e a s i ly
t h a n the stove, a n d if f i t t e d w i t h r o l l e r s t i m e a n d wearisome l a b o r can be out a m a z i n g ­l
y .
A dish d r a i n e r — h a v e you ever tried o n e ? — w i l l prove a great boon. Y ou
c a n buy one for a mere trifle, and save d o l l a r s i n t i m e a n d energy b y s c a l d i n g the
dishes a n d l e a v i n g t h em to d r y b y themselves.
P e r s u a d e friend husband to make y o u a fireless cooker. Some of our clever
W o m e n ' s I n s t i t u t e members make fireless cookers themselves; very good ones are
on the market too; but ready- made or home- made, see to it that one is i n y o ur
k i t c h e n — a n d y o u w i l l have p a v e d t h e way for m a y e x t r a hours.
C u l t i v a t e o r d e r l y h a b i t s, a l i t t l e dust is p r e f e r a b l e to d i s o r d e r . A few m i n u t es
spent p i c k i n g up before l e a v i n g t h e l i v i n g r o om at night, save the m o r n i n g hours
t h a t seem to have wings.
T h e busy w o m a n needs often to r e m i n d herself that she has a l l t h e t i m e there i s:
h ow to use it t o o b t a i n t h e best r e s u l t s depends l a r g e l y o n herself. True, t h e home-maker
has m a n y things she must do to secure the h e a l t h a n d comfort of r i g h t l i v i n g,
but few, even t h e b u s y f a rm women, are so s i t u a t e d that b y good management and
a l i t t l e discreet s l i g h t i n g of unnecessary things they may not find some golden
hours for rest, r e c r e a t i o n a n d self- improvement. Improve the moments and the
hours w i l l t a k e care of t h e m s l v e s . The w o m a n w h o spends h a l f a n hour of a m o r n ­i
n g gossiping o v e r telephone or b a c k fence w i l l v e r y l i k e l y r u s h about the rest o f the
forenoon t r y i n g t o c a t c h what is forever gone.
D i d y o u never observe t h a t the w o m a n who sees e v e r y p a s s e r b v a n d notes e v e rv
change i n dress, who knows on what d a y M r s . A ' s w a s h is o n t h e l i n e , a n d w h o goes
to M r s . B s often sends f o r t h the loudest w a i l over her l a c k of t i m e?
T h e mother who t r a i l s after her c h i l d r e n a l l d a y p i c k i n g u p m i s l a i d p l a y t h i n gs
a n d articles of c l o t h i n g , w h o rises t o shut doors left s w i n g i n g as t h e y r u s h i n a n d out
who responds w e a r i l y a n d p a t i e n t l y to ceaseless demands and questions flung at
her as she tries t o read or w r i t e ; and who has never r e a l l y k n o w n a m i n u t e ' s repose
d u r i n g her c h i l d r e n s w a k i n g hours, i n s t e a d of b e i n g a m a r t y r is a menace; for her
c h i l d r e n w i l l become the careless, arrogant, selfish men and women of the next
generation. c* 1