Vocational Guidance for Girls | Page 9

most of them. They must also learn to face
their disadvantages and to work intelligently toward overcoming them.
The country homemaker has no immediate need of studying the
problems of congestion in population which menace the millions of
city-dwellers. The country home has plenty of room and an abundance
of pure air. Yet it is often true that country homes are poorly ventilated
and that much avoidable sickness results from this fact. The country
home is often set in the midst of great natural beauty, yet misses its
opportunity to satisfy the eye in an artistic sense. Its very isolation is
sometimes a cause of the lack of attention to its appearance to the
passerby.

The farmer's wife has an advantage in the matter of fresh vegetables,
eggs, and poultry, but the city housekeeper has the near-by market and
finds the question of sanitation, the preservation of food, and the
disposal of waste far easier of solution.
The city housewife is often troubled in regard to the source of her milk
supply; the country-dweller has plenty of fresh milk, but frequently
finds it difficult to be sure of pure water.
The country homemaker often lacks the conveniences which make
housekeeping easier; the city woman is often misled, by the ease of
obtaining the ready-made article, into buying inferior products in order
to avoid the labor of producing.
The family in the farming community often has meager social life and
lack of proper recreations; the city-dweller is made restless and
improvident by an excess of opportunities for certain sorts of
amusement.
Thus each type of community has its own problems. But practically all
of these problems fall under certain general heads which both city and
country homemakers should consider as part of their education. The
present turning of thought toward training in these directions is most
promising for the homes of the future.
[Illustration: Photograph by Brown Bros. A country home which,
though set in the midst of natural beauty, yet fails to satisfy the eye in
an artistic sense]
[Illustration: Courtesy of Mrs. Joseph E. Wing In contrast to the
illustration above, this home shows what a few artistic touches may do
to enhance the natural beauty of the surroundings]
It is one of the misfortunes of existing conditions that the city and the
country are not better acquainted with each other. Scorn frequently
takes the place of understanding. The town or village girl goes out to
teach in the country school, knowing little of country living and less of
country homes. It is difficult, if not impossible, for such a teacher to be

an influence for good. Especially as she approaches the homemaking
problem is she without the knowledge which must underlie successful
work. It is important that the city girl under such conditions should
make a special effort to study country life and country homes in a
sympathetic, helpful spirit.
Perhaps our analysis of homemaking problems can take no more
practical form than to follow from its hypothetical beginning the
making of an actual home.
No more inspiring moment comes in the lives of most men and women
than that in which the first step is taken toward making their first home.
There is an instinctive recognition of the greatness of the occasion. But
ignorance will dull the glow of inspiration and wrong standards will
lead to wreck of highest hopes. Let us, therefore, be practical and
definite and face the facts.
A home is to be established. The first question is: Where? To a certain
extent circumstances must answer this question. The character and
place of employment of the breadwinner, the income, social relations
already established, school, church, library, market, water and sanitary
conditions, must all be considered. Yet even these regulating conditions
must receive intelligent treatment. How many young homemakers have
any definite idea as to what proportion of the income may safely be
expended for shelter? How many can tell the relative advantages of
renting and owning?
[Illustration: Copyright by Keystone View Co. A tenement district. One
of the greatest disadvantages in urban life is the overcrowding in
tenement houses]
Probably the first consideration in selection is likely to be whether the
home is to be permanent or merely temporary. When the occupation is
likely to be permanent, the greatest comfort and well-being will usually
result from establishing early a permanent home; and this involves a
long look ahead to justify the selection of a site. Not only must health
and convenience be considered, but future questions relative to the
expanding requirements of the homemakers and to the education and

proper upbringing of a family as well. Then, too, young people must
usually begin modestly from a financial standpoint, and they are
therefore cut off from certain locations which they may perhaps desire
and which they might hope