1924 - Annual Convention Report

              T E N T H A N N U A L C O N V E N T I O N 40
A n d don't be the M r s . H a g g l e s i n " T h e B i r d ' s C h r i s t i n a s C a r o l , " who s t r u g g l ed
10 i m p l a n t the rules of p o l i t e b e h a v o i r i n the m i n d s of her n i n e h a r u m - s c a r um y o u n g ­s
t e r s d u r i n g the space of a few fleeting hours. Unless we have managed wisely
a n d surely f r om the very b e g i n n i n g we shall be beset w i t h the same misgivings
M r s . Ruggles h a d . the almost c e r t a i n knowledge t h a t t h e y w i l l cause us m o r t i f i c a t i on
a n d chagrin.
T h e mother who demands the same degree of courtesy and c o n s i d e r a t i o n f r om
her c h i l d r e n as she extends to them, who expects t h em to respect her r i g h t s as t r u ly
as she r e s e c t s theirs, who gives to each c h i l d , no matter how young, his share
o f home r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s w i l l s u r e l y k n o w the j o y of repose w h i c h w i l l increase her
days i n the land of the l i v i n g , no matter how filled they m a y be w i t h household
cares.
T h e n there is t h e w o m a n who, j o i n e d to her i d o l s , w i l l not l e a r n f r om suggestion,
a d v i c e or o b s e r v a t i o n . She is somewhat l i k e the l i t t l e colored b o y , who, clothes
removed, was s p l a s h i n g a r o u n d to his h e a r t ' s content i n a p u b l i c r e s e r v o i r . " H e y!
come out of that y o u y o u n g r a s c a l ! " s h o u t e d the keeper. " D o n ' t y o u k n o w t h a t the
people in t o w n have to d r m k that w a t e r ? " The youngster d i v e d under, came up
a n d i n n o c e n t l y r e p l i e d : " O h ! d a t ' s a l l r i g h t , m i s t e r : 1 h a i n ' t usin' no soap."
These women, because their mothers have done so and so, or t h e y have some
s r i ways of t h e i r own a d o p t i o n , w i l l go o n to the end of time though the heavens
f a l l : not l> ecauso b y i n t e l l i g e n t thought they have decided t h a t it is t h e best or
easiest way. but because it is their way. They w i l l b l a c k the stove and scour the
u n s ; they w i l l rout every poor i n d u s t r i o u s spider f r om his cozy corner i n t h e cellar,
t h e y w i l l i r o n the sheets o n b o t h sides and" p o l i s h every d i s h t o w e l ; they w i l l wash
windows i n zero weather and make a whole household miserable b y a general up­heaval
on sweeping d a y a u d then puff themselves up i n p r i d e and v a i n g l o r y over
what is unnecessary and unwise.
M o s t e m p h a t i c a l l y is t h i s true where there are l i t t l e c h i l d r e n t o care for or
y o u n g people to w h o m true and pleasant c o m p a n i o n s h i p is more v i t a l t h a n com­p
l a i n i n g neatness.
I h a v e no q u a r r e l w i t h these women if t h e y choose to t h u s spend t h e i r t i m e a nd
> t r e n g i h - - i t is the i n a l i e n a b l e right of e v e r y free- born woman— but my heart does
b u r n hot w i t h i n me when I hear t h em excuse themselves f r om the d o i n g of things
<> f greater i m p o r t a n c e on the plea of l a c k of time.
It has eome t o be p r o v e r b i a l t h a t w o r l d ' s w o r k is c a r r i e d o n b y t h e b u s y m e n a nd
women. Is it not largely because they have given i n t e l l i g e n t s t u d y to the s a v i ng
of that time and s t r e n g t h that is so easily f r i t t e r e d away by the more thoughtless
a n d more i n d o l e n t?
E v e r y l i t t l e g i r l , I Mippose, has been t o l d by those who have her t r a i n i n g , to
"' make her head save her heels," but that every l i t t l e g i r l has p r o f i t e d b y t h e ad­m
o n i t i o n is not apparent, when we see the many mature women who take so m a ny
useless steps f o r t h e want of a l i t t l e f o r e t h o u g h t . If o n e accustoms herself to t h i n k ­i
n g of the t h i n g s that d a i l y need to be c a r r i e d up or d o w n f r om chamber or c e l l a r,
after a t i m e it becomes a fixed habit and full hands save time a n d t i r e d feet.
T h e a p p l i c a t i o n of v a r i o u s discoveries a n d i n v e n t i o n s have done so much to
s i m p l i f y the art of l i v i n g that 1 wonder sometimes how w i t h the help of the modern
i m p r o v e m e n t s in the home, the housemother is s t i l l forever h u r r i e d and forever
l i r e d . T h i n k of the e v o l u t i o n i n h e a t i n g : First, the b a c k - l o g a n d the foot- stove;
t h e n t h e w o o d heaters that needed one's u n d i v i d e d 1 a t t e n t i o n , t h e c o a l s t o v e , a m a r k ed
i m p r o v e m e n t , now a l i t t l e s t o k i n g in the regions s e l d om v i s i t e d b y m y l a d y , a n d a
summer w a r m t h pervades.
T h e water s u p p l y and d r a i i u i g e s y s t em of the modern home ought to add
veurs a n d b e a u t y to the life of w o m a n k i n d . " T h e o l d o a k e n b u c k e t " sounds well
i n song a n d s t o r y but a c h i n g arms and backs could have testified to its b e i n g an
" i r o n - b o u n d bucket " as well.
O u r g r a n d m o t h e r s spent long hours d i p p i n g a n d m o l d i n g t a l l ow candles, t h e ir
d a u g h t e r s in filling and cleaning lamps; their grand- daughters push a b u t t o n or
p u l l a c h a i n and there is l i g h t.
H o w ean a w o m a n w i t h a c l e a r conscience a n d u n b i a s e d m i n d c o m p l a i n of tack
of time, when at her telephone she can talk w i t h : " the butcher, the baker, the
e a n d l e - s t i e k m a k e r , " her m i n i s t e r or her m i l l i n e r?
N o t h i n g p r o v e s more c l e a r l y that the w o r l d moves t h a n the i m p r o v e d methods
of housekeeping and more sensible dressing, and consequent s a v i n g of time and
st rength.
A few y e a r s ago, c o m p a r a t i v e l y , a housekeeper browned her own coffee, g r o u nd
her own spires, a n d h a d never heard of needed raisins.