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Show --- 1 1.1,. . . . j. ..........xi..... Teaching The Art .of Buying A young housekeeper friend said tho other day, "I am perfectly helpless help-less when I go to buy meat. I do not know ono cut from another. I never know what kind of roast I ought to get or what kind ofchops. And thero docs not seem any way to learn." A woman who knows nothing about tho anatomy of an animal or tho nutritive nu-tritive quality ot various parts of Its kesh, Is rather helpless when cou fronted by chuck nn dshouldcr and rib and loin and forequarters and hindquarters and rump and round and such terms, Isn't she? It Is rather appalling to faco, for the first time In ono's experience, s)ch a list nnd to bo asked which you want. That is tho reason acoufso in buy Ing meats and groceries has been added to the curriculum In some of our public schools. And It would be a good thing, wouldn't it, it some ot our housekeepers could attend It; for many ot the present generation of housekeepers llko our young friend havo no knowledge whatever ot the economic buying of tho family food. Tho present high cost of living it is said, Is lesponsiblo for tho prcs cut addition to the school course. Il uas folt that If tho purchaso ot food Is such a strain upon the family purse, tho buying should be done Judiciously. Then, too, It was recognized recog-nized that with somo classes or people, peo-ple, tho children do much ot the buying. buy-ing. Thoy aro sent by their moth era to the corner grocery for whatever what-ever is needed for tho meal iu course ot preparation; and since they must buy, It was decided they snould ,bo taught to buy wisely. Hetlred butchers and grocers havo been engaged as teachers, and they will glvo their practical knowledge for tho benefit of the little ones. The chlldron will be shown which are the best cuts ot merits for various purposes pur-poses and why, and how to Judgo of the quality and freshness ot meat. They will be shown how to select, vegetables bo as to get honest quality for what they pay. Thoy will bo Instructed also on the aubejet of groceries sugar, tea, coffee, flour, all tho things that enter Into tho dally food ot tho family. , You may be sure it will be a courso the children will thoroughly enjoy for thoy go to "real" stores and do "real" buying. It will be much more fun than pouring over books or doing sums for It will bo something to "do" an outlet for tholr restless activity. And it will be one of the most uso-ful uso-ful things taught them. Duylng enters en-ters Into tho llto of every ono of us and tho only way many of Ug learn to buy economically If by sad expert once a very costly method. Theso youngsters when tho tlmo comes for them to handle tholr own or some member ot tho family's money will know how to get an honest equivalent equival-ent tor what thoy, expend. It Is to bo hoped that In time tho course will bo extended to tho buying buy-ing of dress materials and furnishings furnish-ings for the homo. Instruction on these points Is needed quite as much as in the buying ot food supplies. And wo nood to know not only dress materials ma-terials and Iioubo furnishings that wll wear, but many ot us nood to bo taught artistic vnlucs In theso thing. Wo neod Instruction In color harmon les, In tho matter of lino and form, for It Is as dcslrablo to achlovo beau-tlful beau-tlful effects as to got durnblo materials. mater-ials. And with such Instru-tlon In our schools, tho homes .f our land wjll. . ... .. L. 'o oven more beautiful nnd better managed than thoy aro at present. And dicss will beconio the artistic expression of our Individuality that It should bo. And since some of us arc too old to attend theso classes In the schools why not, If' wo feel wo need this knowloi'tjo form clnsscs of our own, and employ theso men who have chargo of theso classes to take us In hand? Among our neighbors or fneni-bors fneni-bors of our club, entyigh young house kecpors might bo found who would be only too glad to form such a class .'.ml any thins that will help us to nchlove better results than we may be now getting In the management of the home, Is worth trying out. Barbara Doyd. |