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Editorial ADELAIDE HOODLESS SAID, "A nation cannot rise above the level of its homes." She deplored the fact that the most important duties a woman can undertake as a woman were so often put Into the hands of_tnexper1enced, untrained girls. To remedy thi. Adelaide Hoodless made the crusade for teaching Household Science in schonls her life work. Out of her conviction that the need for upgrading homemitking skills in women “"115 essential. came the thought that resulted tn the organization of the Women's Institute. WDmeu's Institutes that sponsor JLH Homemaking Clubs. members of \Vnmen's Institutes, and Othersa who are leaders of 4-H_ Homemaking Cluhs are doing work that would have hsttl the enthustasttc approval of Adelaide Hoodless. Through the club projects, girls til an early age, are being given instruction in the rudiments of homemaking that will he of value to them all through their llVES. There are few women, who, at some time in their lives, are not involved with hmnentttlting. In the Creator‘s design for living, females were given the role of hearing the children and creating a home for them: males were to he the providers and the protectors. \V'omen man- or may not marry, may or may not have children, hut their need for it home. the desire for and the thrill of planning a home. if only for herself, is .1 strong inxtint‘t in :tlntost every woman. Along with this instinct, women were supposed to have been endowed with .tn inhorn ability to make a good iob of their homemnking. This is not So. although most girls do probably pick up some knowledge of homemnking from their mothers, The quality of the homemaking skills acouired from the mothers depends, to a large extent, on the eifitit-ncv ol the mother's housekeeping methods and the mother‘s awareness of the girl's need to learn these skills. Many women who claim no vocation other than the job of providing tl well kept home for the“: families have a tendency to apologize for lit-int; engaged only, in this apparently simple occupation. But is it so simple! Homemaking consists of meal planning, cooking. cleaning and care of the ltuthu; buying or makin clothes; laundering; buying all consumer goods for home run] family; management of time; uties and money; entertaining, chauffeuring. nursing at times, letter-writing, (tint;th with relatives, neighbours and friends: perhaps gardening. In addition to these duties :1 mother has the obligation of {drill}: for the children, \\l|ltl1 not only means physical care but the responsibility [or the personality development of the family. Children today will be the .‘ttlulls of tomorrow .‘ll‘lLl there is it grinning awareness that a healthy and intelligent home environment is nu‘uuury to develop people who tun tuliuo to the stresses and tensions of modern living. No woman, then, should feel the need to ttpologive for heng engaged in unit .ttt imposing list of duties. No woman who takes seriously her duties its fl wife or mother shoultl lL'L'l lltill she is not fulfilling the potential abilities in herself when She lists herwa its at housewtfe. Today more and more women are engaged in Ptlltl employment outside their homes. Mttny women have abilities that enable them to pursue successfully careers in business itntl the pro- fessions. Many of these women, too, have the desire for .1 home and litmily. The :Itlillhll‘llL‘th and working arrangements needed to combine nztttl employment with the tluttes of :t home. maker are a challenge; but 1 thorough training in the skills for housekeeping and thiltl care will certainly be of great value. Women away from home it Ptlfll of catch dity only need suth training more than the woman who stays at home, «once she httsnl time for the [Hill illlLl error methods that are common to beginning housewives. ll .1 wotnitn employs help, shu should have a thorough knowledge ol housekeeping and child [:er in order to direct her household help for efficiency in the operation of her home, Every wot-mm needs training in the skills necessary for hotnetnttkittg. it may well be that, when in the years to come the effectiveness of the Women‘s Instituti- is assessed, if it ever can be‘ [he sponsoring of ill Homemaking (.luhs wtll I'illC very high among the accomplishments of the organization. ( f ' «i "j 4/7 WINTER 1968