Prepare in advance a discussion on these subjects: How much care shall we put on our houses? Shall women give up all their time to keeping them clean and orderly? What can they do to save steps? How much can the children help? Shall boys be taught housework? What can be eliminated from the daily routine?
If desired, there might be a practical talk on the necessity of keeping paint in good condition, to protect the wood underneath; of the care of glass, silver, marble, brass, hard wood; of how to prevent moths and mice, and of how often carpets must come up. It is better, however, to take up the larger aspects of the question, using such suggestions for talks or papers as these: Has housekeeping lost some of its difficulties to-day? What about modern appliances to avoid sweeping, and the like? Has house-cleaning lost its terrors? Can the average woman consider housekeeping as a profession? and if so, how and where can she best be trained? Compare the modern housekeeper with the one of half a century ago. Show how the trained housekeeper is a practical domestic economist. Discuss, Business-like Housekeeping; How shall we best train our daughters in it? If there is time, take up the servant question. Are our ideas changing on this subject? Present the new plans for specialists, with set hours, and the like.
X—GARDENS
This is one of the subjects which can be indefinitely expanded; indeed, a whole year's study might easily be put on it.
Begin with a study of historic gardens from the earliest times, and read Bacon's well-known essay. Then turn to the gardens of to-day, and begin with the description of what can be done in an apartment when one can have only window-boxes; take up the tiny plots behind city houses, and show what can be done there, with vines over the fences, climbing roses over a little arbor, narrow beds by the edge of the grass; show pictures of what has been done, if possible.
The lawn and small yard of a suburban house can next be studied, and here a little ingenuity can be shown to accomplish a great deal. Speak of the use of bulbs; of little cold-frames; of raising grapes under glass in a small way, and of annuals, shrubs, vines, and roses.
The large gardens of our modern country houses deserve especial mention. Have as many pictures as possible of these. Notice the formal gardens, the Italian gardens, the sunken gardens, the rose gardens, the massed shrubs, the walls of brick and stone, covered with vines. The adjuncts of the gardens are often most beautiful also, the pergolas, the marble and terra-cotta vases and seats, the sun-dials, the fountains, the lily-ponds, and the vistas cut through the trees.
Old-fashioned and herb gardens, kitchen and market gardens, growing violets and roses to sell, and the raising of unusual seeds and plants are all topics of interest both theoretical and practical.