CHAPTER IV
FORM III: SENIOR GRADE
LESSON I
Scope of Household Management
In introducing the practical side of Household Management to a class, it is an advantage to let them have a general idea of what the subject includes. They will then work with more intelligence and usually with more interest. Then, too, the prevalent idea that the subject means only cooking will be corrected from the first.
Throughout the introduction, the teacher should not forget that she is dealing with immature minds and that the ideas must be very simply expressed. She might ask what the pupils expect to learn in this class, have them name other subjects they study in school, and in each case lead up to the one thing of which a particular subject treats; for example, arithmetic treats of numbers; geography, of the world; history, of past events. She should lead the class to see that the one thing of which Household Management treats is the home; and that the two great requirements for a home are the house, and the people who live in it, or the occupants.
To get the details relating to each of these two divisions, let the pupils imagine they are boarding in some locality where they decide to make a home for themselves. The first thing to be done is to choose a building lot. Then they must decide upon the kind of house they want and the plan of the house. After the house is built, it must be furnished. When the house is ready, it must be cleaned and kept clean. As soon as the family move in, new considerations arise—they must have food, which must be bought, prepared, and served; each member of the family must be clothed and educated; they must receive proper care when sick. Only a few minutes should be spent on this introductory talk.
While the class is naturally led to think of and name these details, they should be written on the black-board in the order of development, somewhat as follows:
1. Household Management teaches us about the home.
2. A home includes two main ideas:
(1) A house, (2) a family.
3. In connection with a house we must consider:
(1) The lot, (2) the plan, (3) the furnishing, (4) the cleaning.
4. In connection with a family we must consider:
(1) Food (buying, cooking, serving), (2) clothing (buying, sewing, mending), (3) education, (4) home nursing.
Tell the pupils that a housekeeper should be informed on all of these points, but little girls can expect to study only a few of them, such as questions of food, clothing, and cleaning.
Survey of Equipment, Uniform, etc.
Equipment.—Most of the time of the first lesson should be used in making the pupils acquainted with their surroundings and individual necessities, so that they will be ready for work the next day.
Give each member of the class a definite working place, and let her examine the contents of the cupboard and drawers which belong to her place. Explain that the particular places which the pupils are given will be kept throughout the year, and that, while they have the privilege of using and enjoying them, they are responsible for their cleanliness and order.
Point out the remainder of the equipment—hot and cold water-taps, towel racks, class cupboard with its contents, refrigerator, large and individual stoves.
Teach each pupil how to light her stove and regulate its heat.
Uniforms, etc.—Tell the pupils that you have shown them what has been provided for them, but you want them also to provide some things for themselves. It will be necessary for them to bring a large, plain, white apron, having a bib large enough to protect the dress; a pair of sleevelets; a holder; a small towel for personal use; and a white muslin cap to confine the hair while working. They will also need a note-book and pencil for class, and a note-book to be used at home for re-copying the class work in ink. The latter book is to be very neatly written and kept for reference after it has been examined by the teacher.
LESSON II
Use of Equipment
The little girls who make up the classes are not so far removed from their "playhouse" days that a survey of the dishes, stoves, and tables will not give them an eager desire to begin using them. This desire should be gratified, but as the use always necessitates the cleaning as well, it may be advisable at first to make use of the equipment only for the purpose of showing proper methods of cleaning.
A short lesson on cleaning may be given in a few minutes, and the rest of the period spent in putting it into practice. The teacher may proceed somewhat as follows in the development of a lesson on cleaning:
Development of a Lesson on Cleaning
MEANING OF CLEANING
Take two dishes—plates or saucers—exactly alike. Have one clean and the other soiled with butter or some well-known substance. Ask the class the difference between them. One is clean and one dirty. What substance is on one that hinders your saying it is clean? Butter. What else could be on it? Jam. What else? Dust. What else? Gravy. Now instead of telling the name of the particular substance in each case, let us try to find one name that will apply to all of the substances which, as you say, make the dish dirty. Let us give these substances a name which will show that they do not belong to the plate. We may call each of them a foreign substance. And if I take the substance off the plate what am I doing to the plate? Cleaning it. Then what is cleaning? Cleaning is removing a foreign substance.
METHODS OF CLEANING
1. Scraping or rubbing away the foreign substance:
What would you use to remove the butter from the plate? A piece of paper or a knife. What are you doing with the knife or paper? Scraping or rubbing off the foreign substance. Then how was it removed? It was removed by scraping or rubbing.
Suppose some one has sharpened a pencil and let the pieces fall on the floor, what would you take to remove the foreign substance from the floor? A broom. What would you say you are doing with the broom? Sweeping. How does the movement of the broom over the floor compare with the movement of the knife over the plate? It is similar. What would you take to remove the dust from the window-sill? A duster. What would you say you are doing? Dusting. How does the movement of the duster compare with the movement of the knife and the broom? It is similar. In all of these cases of dish, floor, and sill, how did we remove the foreign substance? We scraped or rubbed it off. Name one way of removing a foreign substance. Scraping or rubbing it away.
2. Dissolving the foreign substance and then scraping it away:
Show a much soiled towel and ask what is usually done to clean it. It is washed. Ask the pupils to tell just what they mean by that. The towel is put in water and soap used on it. What effect will the soap and water have on the foreign substance? They will soften or dissolve it. Then what must be done next? The towel must be rubbed on a board or with the hands. What effect has this operation on the foreign substance? It scrapes or rubs the foreign substance away. Then we have another way of cleaning: By first dissolving the foreign substance, and then scraping or rubbing it away.
A number of well-known cleaning operations may then be given, and the pupils asked in each case to decide the method used—such as, whisking a coat, scrubbing a table, cleaning the teeth, or washing dishes.
COMMON HOUSEHOLD CLEANSING AGENTS
Next, get lists of the common cleansing agents found in an ordinary home, and arrange them in order of coarseness.
BLACK-BOARD OUTLINE
The black-board scheme, as the lesson develops, will appear as follows:
1. Meaning of Cleaning:
Cleaning is removing any foreign substance.
2. Methods of Cleaning:
(1) Scraping or rubbing away the foreign substance.
(2) Dissolving the foreign substance and then scraping or rubbing it away.
3. Household cleansing agents used in the first method:
| (1) Duster | (6) Whiting |
| (2) Brush | (7) Bathbrick |
| (3) Broom | (8) Coarse salt |
| (4) Washboard | (9) Sand |
| (5) Knife | (10) Ashes. |
4. Household cleansing agents used in the second method:
| (1) Water | (7) Washing soda |
| (2) Hot water | (8) Coal-oil |
| (3) Soap | (9) Gasolene |
| (4) Lux | (10) Acids |
| (5) Ammonia | (11) Lye. |
| (6) Borax |
5. Combination cleansing agents:
| (1) Bon Ami, | (2) Dutch Cleanser, | (3) Sapolio. |
When the class have these ideas, they are ready to put them into practice, and the remainder of the lesson should be spent in practical work.
If the pupils have soiled no dishes, it may be wise to drill them first in table washing or towel washing, so as to get them ready for the next lesson when tables and towels will be used.
LESSONS III, IV, ETC.
Gradually, in connection with the making of simple dishes, the pupils should be taught special methods of dish washing, sink cleaning, and dusting. Each day as they are appointed to different duties in cleaning, these methods should be strictly followed until they become well known.
While they are still new to the class, it will be a great help to have outlines of the kinds of cleaning which are necessary in every lesson posted conveniently in different parts of the room for reference.
These outlines may be as follows:
DISH WASHING
Preparation for washing:
1. Put away the food.
2. Scrape and pile the dishes.
3. Put the dishes that need it to soak.
4. Place soap, pans, brushes, and towels.
5. Put water in the pans.
(1) Fill the dish pan about half full of warm water, then soap it.
(2) Fill the rinsing pan nearly full of hot water.
Order of washing:
| 1. Glass | 5. Granite ware |
| 2. Silver | 6. Tins |
| 3. China | 7. Pots |
| 4. Crockery | 8. Steel knives and forks. |
Finishing after washing:
1. Soap a dish cloth and wash the sides and bottom of the dish pan, before emptying it.
2. Empty the dish pan, rinse at the sink, and half fill with clear, warm water, to rinse the towels.
3. Wash the towels in the rinsing pan, rinse them in the dish pan, shake them straight, fold, and hang.
4. Soap the dish cloth, wash the inside of the rinsing pan, empty, rinse, and wipe with the dish cloth.
5. Wash and wipe the soap dish.
6. Empty the dish pan and wipe with the dish cloth.
7. Pile the pans, place the brushes and soap, and set away.
8. Fold the dish cloth and hang it to dry.
TABLE CLEANING (CLASS WORK)
1. If necessary, scrape or brush off the table stoves.
2. Get a scrub cloth, a wash-basin of warm water, and a scrub-brush.
3. Wash the part of the table used by your group, doing the part not occupied by the dish washing first; then get the dish washers to move along, so that you can finish it, proceeding as follows:
(1) Wet the table all over.
(2) Rub the soap cake over it.
(3) Scrub with the wet brush with the grain of the wood.
(4) Rinse the soap off with the clear water.
(5) Wipe with the cloth wrung dry.
4. Get clear water. Rinse the brush and put it away. Rinse the scrub cloth and wring it dry.
5. Take the basin and cloth to the sink. Empty, rinse the basin, and dry it with the cloth. Rinse the cloth under the tap and wring it dry.
6. Fold and hang the cloth to dry. Bring back a dry cloth and thoroughly dry the aluminium strip.
7. Put away the dry cloth and basin.
SINK CLEANING
1. Let the other housekeepers get the water they need.
2. Get a sink pan, a scrub cloth, and a brush. Put warm water in the pan.
3. Scrub the drain board if there be one, as follows:
(1) Wet the board all over.
(2) Rub the soap cake over it.
(3) Scrub with a wet brush with the grain of wood.
(4) Rinse the soap off with clear water.
(5) Wipe with the cloth wrung dry.
4. Wash the nickel part of the sink (tap and stand) with soap. Wipe with the cloth wrung dry.
5. Wash the outside of the basin of the sink.
6. When the other housekeepers have emptied their water, wash the inside of the sink basin and wipe with the cloth wrung dry.
7. Wash the scrub cloth and pan, rinse the brush, and put all away.
8. Polish the nickel with a dry duster.
DUSTING
1. Get a cheesecloth duster.
2. Dust the chairs and put them in place.
3. Dust the table legs and drawer handles.
4. Dust the cupboard and refrigerator.
5. Dust the wood-work, window-sills, ledges, etc.
6. Wash the duster and hang it up to dry.
MEASURES AND RECIPES
Another preliminary part of the work will be teaching the pupils to measure and follow a recipe.
MEASURES
The measures used in kitchen work are teaspoon, tablespoon, pint, quart, and gallon, of which a table should be developed as follows:
| 3 | teaspoonfuls (tsp.) | 1 tablespoonful (tbsp.) |
| 16 | tbsp. | 1 cup |
| 2 | cups | 1 pint (pt.) |
| 2 | pt. | 1 quart (qt.) |
| 4 | qt. | 1 gallon (gal.) |
In connection with this table the following points should be brought out:
1. That all measurements are made level.
2. That in measuring liquids, the measure should be set on a level surface.
3. That to halve the contents of a spoon, the division should be made lengthwise.
4. That to quarter the contents of a spoon, the half should be divided crosswise.
5. That in measuring flour, it should not be shaken down to level it.
6. That in using one measure for both dry and liquid ingredients, the dry should be measured first.
7. That in measuring a cupful of dry ingredients, the cup should be filled by using a spoon or scoop.
(a) Dividing the contents of a spoon
(b) Dividing a spoonful in halves
(c) Filling a cup
(d) Levelling a cupful
TABLE OF EQUIVALENT MEASURES AND WEIGHTS
A table of equivalent measures and weights of some staple foods will also be useful and may be given to the class:
| 2 cups butter (packed solidly) | 1 | pound |
| 2 c. granulated sugar | 1 | " |
| 2 c. rice | (about) 1 | " |
| 2 c. finely chopped meat | 1 | " |
| 2 2/3 c. brown sugar | 1 | " |
| 2 2/3 c. powdered sugar | 1 | " |
| 2 2/3 c. oatmeal | 1 | " |
| 2 2/3 c. cornmeal | 1 | " |
| 4 c. white flour | 1 | " |
PLAN OF LESSON ON MEASURING
TIME LIMIT
One and one-half hours to be divided approximately as follows—one-half hour for teaching the theory, one-half hour for the practical application of the theory, and one-half hour for housekeeping (washing of dishes, tables, sinks, etc., and putting the kitchen in order).
PREPARATION
1. Place a set of measures at hand.
2. Place a large bowl of flour on the teacher's table.
3. Place flour and sugar in the boxes of the supply drawers.
4. Place cans of cocoa and jugs of milk on the centre table.
DEVELOPMENT
1. Introduction.—What do we take for a guide when cooking? How can we be sure that we use the exact quantities the recipes require? Name some measures that you have learned in arithmetic. In this lesson we are going to learn the measures we require in cooking, also the proper ways of using them.
2. Names of measures.—Show and name the measures, beginning at the smallest: teaspoon, tablespoon, cup, pint, quart, gallon. As the measures are named, place them on the table in order of size.
3. Methods of using measures.—Ask two or three pupils, in turn, to measure a teaspoonful of flour from the bowl on the teacher's table. They will not agree in their measurements, and the necessity for levelling will be shown. What can we use for levelling measures? How can we level liquids?
If we need less than a spoonful, how can we measure it? Which part of the spoon is deeper? How shall we divide the spoonful to make both halves equal? How must we divide a spoonful into quarters? Into eighths? Examine and explain the divisions of the cup. To use one measure for both liquid and dry ingredients, which should be measured first? (As these points are obtained, they should be written on the black-board.)
4. Table of measures.—In the tables of measures which you have learned, you state the number of times one measure is contained in the next higher. We shall form a table of the measures learned to-day. By measuring flour from their boxes, let each pupil find how many teaspoonfuls fill a tablespoon. How many tablespoonfuls fill a cup, a half cup, a quarter of a cup. They will state the remainder of the table from memory. Write the table on the black-board and teach the abbreviations.
Note.—After the lesson on measuring is developed, the class should be given individual work which will put these ideas into practice. A simple recipe may be dictated by the teacher, step by step. Cocoa makes a good recipe for this lesson, as it affords practice in measuring liquids as well as dry ingredients, both powdered and granular. If each girl makes half a cupful of cocoa, it will give practice in dividing the contents of a spoon.
PRACTICAL WORK TO APPLY MEASURING
Have each pupil make half a cupful of cocoa by carrying out each step as it is dictated by the teacher, as follows:
1. Numbers one put two cups of water in the tea kettle; numbers two light a fire and put the water to boil; numbers three get cocoa from the centre table; numbers four get milk.
2. Set out sugar boxes and open them.
3. Each take a small saucepan, a measuring cup, a teaspoon, a paring-knife, and a small cup.
4. Measure half a teaspoonful of sugar into the saucepan.
5. Measure half a teaspoonful of cocoa into the saucepan.
6. Mix the sugar and cocoa by shaking the saucepan.
7. Measure half of a third of a cupful of boiling water and stir it into the sugar and cocoa.
8. Set the mixture over a gentle fire and stir until it bubbles. Cook for three minutes.
9. Measure half of a third of a cupful of milk.
10. Stir the milk into the mixture and heat it until it is steaming hot, but do not boil it.
11. Serve the cocoa in the small cups.
12. Turn out the fires and put the saucepans to soak.
SERVING
Each pupil puts her table in order by moving all cooking utensils to the metal part of the table and wiping off any soiled spots on the wooden part; she then sits to drink the cocoa she has made.
NOTE-TAKING
Notes are copied from the black-board in pencil in the ordinary class note-books. The desk boards under the table tops are pulled out for this purpose. In this lesson the notes consist of:
1. Table of measures, with abbreviations
2. Points in measuring
3. Recipe for cocoa (if there are recipe cards, these should be distributed).
HOUSEKEEPING
This will be done in groups of fours, according to their previous lessons in cleaning. If necessary, some special cleaning, as dish washing or sink cleaning, may be taught at this point of the lesson:
1. Number one will wash dishes for her group.
2. Number two will wipe dishes for her group.
3. Number three will clean the entire table belonging to her group.
4. Number four will do work outside of her group as appointed, such as dusting, cleaning a sink or the centre table.
RECIPE FOR COCOA
| 1 tsp. sugar | 1/3 c. boiling water |
| 1 tsp. cocoa | 1/3 c. milk. |
1. Mix the sugar and cocoa in a saucepan.
2. Stir the boiling water into the mixture, then set it over a gentle heat.
3. Keep stirring until the mixture bubbles, then boil gently for about three minutes.
4. Stir in the milk and heat it until it steams, but do not boil it.
5. Serve the cocoa hot or ice-cold.
RECIPES
In connection with a recipe, the pupils should be taught to look for three parts:
1. The name
2. The list and amount of ingredients
3. The method.
In carrying out a recipe, they should, from the first, be taught to work in the following systematic order:
1. To attend to the fire if necessary
2. To collect the necessary utensils
3. To collect the necessary ingredients
For this lesson, some simple recipe which will review measuring should be clearly written on the black-board—the recipe for apple sauce or cranberry sauce would be suitable. While the pupils are learning obedience in following a recipe, it is better to keep them together in carrying out their work. The method should be written in definite, numbered steps, which may be checked off as each step is accomplished.
When the class has had instruction in cleaning, measuring, and recipes, they are ready for a series of lessons involving the use of simple recipes which will put into practice the ideas they have learned. For this practice, such recipes as the following are suggested:
Boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes; boiled parsnips; boiled celery; boiled carrots, asparagus, green peas; cranberry sauce; rhubarb sauce; preparing and combining ingredients for salads (fruit salad, potato salad, cabbage and nut salad, Waldorf salad)—the dressing being supplied; stuffed eggs; sandwiches.
The carrying out of these lessons will develop in the pupils accuracy and obedience, and make them familiar with the use and care of their utensils, as well as give opportunity for the cleaning of these and other parts of the equipment.
During these first lessons, careful supervision should be given each pupil, so that only correct habits may be formed in regard to neatness, thoroughness, quietness, and natural use of muscles.
The pupils should be encouraged to begin a book of recipes to contain neatly written copies of all they have used in school. The Art teacher might correlate the work here by assisting them to design a suitable cover for this book.