Battle Creek Sanitarium School of Home Economics - Nucleus Yearbook (Battle Creek, MI)

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or dietitian instructs the mother, and not infrequently an audience of neighbors, in the proper modification of milk, in the care, bathing and dressing of the child, in the value of quiet, cleanliness and fresh air, and especially in the importance of regular maternal nursing. The pure milk is the most important factor only in that it attracts the mothers, who come to the station to buy the pure milk and before they get away they are loaded with advice and literature. The problem narrows down to a concerted effort to educate the mother into the secrets of motherhcod and the community into the needs of such education. The Visiting Dietitian A comparatively new department in both social service work and home economics has been developed in that of the visiting dietitian. There are two fields of major importance open to the visiting dietitian, one that of co-operating with physician or physicians and the other, doing social work under the title of visiting housekeeper. In the former, the dietitian co-operates with the physician, using the diet as a curative treatment. The second held, that of the visiting housekeeper, requires more ground work in economics, more complete knowledge of housing and sanitary conditions and of industrial problems. The applicant must be a lover of mankind and have the personality that approaches the tene- ment mother as an equal. She must give time and strength as well as knowledge by actually entering into the activities of the household. Her aim is to aid in preventing dependency and illness, and to relieve illness if possible by dietary means. The results of this kind of work are shown in five definite waysf: Qlj Family expenses systematized, Q25 Family dietary revised, QSQ A dietary for. children furnished, C42 The general standard of living deci-dedly raised, Q55 General health of the family improved. But above all, these five results manifest themselves in the community life by generally improved moral and physical at- mosphere. It is a wonderful opportunity to combine science and philanthropy. Who would be better equipped to take charge of a home for working girls than a graduate in home economics, where scientihc knowledge relating to foods, household management, interior -decorating, etc., is received? In the large cities, it is no-t difhcult to raise money for the help and encouragement of working girls and in many places buildings have already been erected for the purpose of estab- lishing a home for these girls. Much care must be taken in furnishing these homesg extravagant and useless articles must be omitted. Both the practical and esthetic needs must be recognized in order to create a pleasing environment. A new field is being created! The American housewife today is -developing a great appreciation for the House Beautiful. She is beginning to realize that the proper decoration of the interior of the home affects not only the aesthetic 30 f

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Ns 'S as macaroni, rice or sandwiches, and fruit. As a result of these lunches the chil- dren are much more fitted for their school Work, an-d their physical condition in many cases is greatly improved. Une little boy who kept the truant officer busy trying to keep him in school, has not missed a day since he became familiar with the school lunch. Whether it is the lunch or the increased vitality for doingschool work that is responsible for this, is uncertain. Next to the school lunch room may be mentioned the open air schools. The diet of these children is of vital importance. They are often semi-invalids and nourishing. food does much to increase their physical efficiency. The Day Nursery offers an interesting work to those who love children. Wfe are all familiar with the work of the Manhattanville Day Nursery and also the Helen Day Nursery of Chicago. There are many opportunities for Work of this kin-d and it may be as large or as small as one desires. It may include the chil- dren of the poorer classes or itlmay be confined to the children of the middle classes. One can probably do no greater good for his community and country than to see that its children are well cared forg are started on the right road to young womanhood and young manhood. We cannot make over the present generation but We are responsible for the coming generation. If the children are properly cared for in infancy and given good nourishing lunches during school ave it will do much toward making the coming genei ations st1 ong physically and mentally Qne of the newer and more unusual occupations for the dietitian 1 in the floating hospitals of New York and Boston Mothers and then babies need spe cial care with reference to diet and no one is better equipped to give this than the dietitian Anothei form of Work with children is tl1e milk station A milk station 1S simply a room from which pure milk 1 given out for the use of babies that must be bottle fed This is usually a medium sized 1oo1n located in the congested part of the city In the larger c1t1es the activity of the station may be threefold which includes a clinic the milk station and the visiting nurse or dietitian The clinic is held three afternoons a week and is attended at each session by two doctors and a nurse of social settlement experience All patients who procure milk or are visited by the nurse unless undei the care of a family physician are required to attend the clinic The milk supplied is a special baby milk from a model dairy and obtained at a rate which makes it possible to dispense it to the poor at the same rate they are paying for the heterogeneous milk of the slums All milk is sold those unable to pay being 1efe11ed to the Associated Charities The nurse 29 ' D7 b .' Y , V S 6 . . .. . S . . . ' 9 , ' W 4 n ' J 1 . , I C R 1 1 C - 1- l '

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ws-nn,-ir-.f. .E-wr f- ff-rf-wfrww., -, -V V ,. N Q sense of the various members, but also tends to develop health, happiness and character. Once appreciating the influence of interior decoration and its real moral worth, she is going to seek the helpful advice of those who have made a study of this art. A The dietitian's place in the Home is inestimable. The broad training in home economics enables her to cope with all problems of housekeeping, intelligently and efficiently. She knows that the rules of scientific management used in busi- ness are applicable to the business of housekeeping and that, with the ability to apply these rules, there is a saving of time, strength and money, coupled with ease and comfort of mind. Above all, the dietitian as a home maker is able to dispense with the three cooks-one going, one here and one coming-so common in many households. She treats her cook more as an equal than as an inferior. and instructs her as to the how and Why of various methods, in a manner that is both pleasing and instructive to the cook. The result is a cook who takes pleasure in her daily tasks and feels that she is really an essential part of the househol-d. On the other hand, if the dietitian in the home finds it inconvenient to employ a cook, she is prepared to take care of this branch of the housework in a most scientific and ehqcient Way. Are We left longer in doubt as to the actual need there is for the dietitian? Could We have a much broader field oi more abundant opportunities foi service which after all, is the keynote of a successful life?