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THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.

is eager to relate her own personal grievance, and never willing to listen to another’s tale of woe.”

Our aim has been to consider the condition of the girl at service, her limitations, her hours of labor, and constantly to ask ourselves if we, in her place, without a special training, could do as well.' Failing in our efforts to improvethe intelligence offices, we next turned our attention to what could be done toward establishing schools where instruction could be given for housework, and to see what could be done to induce girls to take a three months’ course of training before she went out to service.

We found that there were no such schools. To establish one would demand trained teachers, salaries, buildings, etc. And then, where could we find the girl to take this preparatory course when every kitchen is open to her to learn at the employer’s expense?

We have brought the topic before the association, committees have been appointed; but the fact is slowly but surely being impressed upon our minds that the fault lies with the housekeeper. Recognizing this, we decided to have a course of lectures on domestic service. These lectures were given by Prof. Lucy M. Salmon, of Vassar Col­lege, who brought before us, in a most historical and scholarly way, the condition of domestic service as it now is and has been since earliest time. This was a most valu­able course of lectures for those who had made a sociological study of the question, but few women and fewer housekeepers realize the importance of adjusting themselves to the condition of the era they now live in.

Not succeeding in arousing enthusiasm for our school of household science, we next turned our attention to what could be done in the way of establishing a house­keepers’ emergency bureau, which is, as its name indicates, to supply temporary help, the employe returning to her home each day. A committee of ladies have charge of this work, look up the references of those who apply for the work, and a book of regis­tration for employer and employe is kept at the office.

On these books are found women wishing and willing to do all kinds of work; sewers, menders, housekeepers, teachers, stenographers, caterers, nurses, scrubwomen and daily governesses, etc.

The monthly reports for the housekeeper’s Emergency Bureau constitute one of the most interesting features of our regular meetings, and we have many testimonials testifying to the ability of those who constitute a corps of workers for the Bureau, and we have also had many complaints because we cannot find trained girls. But who will give the time to the work? We need more helpers in our work.

Owing to a continual storm, the attendance was not large at any one meeting; but it was a most enthusiastic audience, and it was voted that another convention should be held the same time and place the next year, it being the sense of the meeting that the Conventions of Housekeepers should be a yearly occurrence.

Early in 1893 the chairman of the food supply committee began her market reports. When these reports were read at our regular meetings, they proved so accept­able that it was voted that the association print them in pamphlet form for distribu­tion. These reports make a general survey of the condition of the markets, both East and west, and contain many valuable hints in regard to purchasing food, as well the most practicable suggestions all the latest improvements in prepared foods are mentioned; and it is usually the case that these preparations have been tested by the one who prepares the report, so that they go out with the recommendation of the association.

The question of what is the advantage of becoming a member of the National Columbian Household Economic Association, is constantly asked.

The first is, because it brings those women who are most interested in the real study of economic problems in closer relation with each other.

We aim to put everything upon a scientific and hygienic basis, to understand what is the true economy of time, material and strength, to find out the best ways of per­forming our daily routine of housework, and to thoroughly understand what is good housekeeping. It is not to be learned in any one course of lessons in cookery.