Monday, August 27, 2007

Thank you so much for all your comments about my prairie dolls! The fact that I hide them on my sister when she visits has become a bit of a joke between us after all these years! I did like the sharing custody idea though, so I may let her have a turn someday. ;0)


Several weeks ago I mentioned finding a few things while antiquing. One of my finds was a book from 1938.


It's called Foods and Home Making by Carlotta C. Greer.


Grab something to drink and let's look at it together. And pay attention because there will be a quiz at the end!


TO THE TEACHER
"Not only should pupils be taught how better to do important things, but additional interests and activities should be revealed and made desirable to them. In Foods and Home Making are included many suggestions and devices to stimulate pupils to participate in home activities and to do their share in making their homes attractive and happy. "

There are 7 units and 43 chapters in this book. Most of the photos are black and white, including this picture of two rats. One of the rats didn't get enough calcium.

The funniest part is that someone has written on the rats in pencil. Evidently, the small one is named Laverne and the large one is Viola!


Ewww!! It doesn't look like Laverne and Viola made it. Aren't these strange pictures for a homemaking book?!


Let's look at the Kitchen Efficiency and Charm chapter:


"How can a kitchen be made attractive? How many hours of the day does your mother spend in the kitchen? Does she usually spend as much time in the living room as in the kitchen? Since a home maker spends so much time in the kitchen, should it not be a pleasant place?

A light kitchen is attractive. Every kitchen should have at least two windows. When possible these should be placed on two sides of the room, so there can be good ventilation.

Color makes a kitchen attractive to most persons. For kitchens having north and east windows, buff, pale yellow, or pale salmon are pleasing colors. Since warm light comes through windows facing south or west, pale green, gray, or blue is suitable.

My kitchen has already failed this class!

Inside cover


Lastly, we will read about Good Manners at the Dining Table.

-Before one starts to eat, the napkin must be unfolded. Unfold it completely if it is small; if it is large one fold may be left in it. Sometimes it is well to wipe the lips before taking a drink of water to avoid staining the glass.

-Every normal girl or boy wants to appear well. One thing to do to appear well at the dining table is to hold the fork correctly.

-It is wasteful to leave food on the plate. If we are to leave practically no food on our plates, we should make it a rule not to take more food that we can eat or should eat. Leaving no food on our plates also means that we should learn to like all or almost all foods.



Quiz time! The owner of this book took the questions very seriously. She wrote some of her answers down in the back of the book!


1. If you are sent to market to buy tea for the older members of your family, who prefer the beverage served with cream, what kind of tea leaves would you buy?

2. What is a silence cloth?

3. Suppose that you are having a meal at a friend's home. On the table near your cover is a dish of preserves; there is a spoon on the table beside the preserves. Suppose the hostess says: "Mary, will you please start passing the preserves?" What will you do with the spoon beside the preserves? Will you help yourself first? To whom will you pass the preserves?

4. How high should a work table be? Give a reason for your answer.

5. How thick are the walls of a refrigerator?

I can tell you that I didn't do very well on the quiz! I hope you found all of this as interesting as I did!