The introduction of Household Science into rural schools has been
hindered by the prevalent impression that the subject requires equipment
similar to that in the Household Science centres of towns and cities,
where provision is made for the instruction of twenty-four pupils at one
time and for from ten to fifteen different classes each week. Owing to
the expense and the lack of accommodation, it is not possible to install
such equipment in rural schools. For this and other reasons it has been
concluded that the subject is beyond the possibilities of the rural
school. That this is not the case is shown by the fact that many rural
schools in the United States, and some in Saskatchewan, as well as a
number in our own Province, are teaching the subject successfully, with
equipment specially designed to meet existing conditions.
The accommodations and equipment required may be classified as follows:
1. Working tables
2. Cupboards and cabinets for storing the utensils
3. Stoves
4. Cooking and serving utensils
1. The provision for working tables is conditioned by the space
available, and every effort must be made to economize this space. The
equipment may be placed in the basement or in a small ante-room. In one
school in the Province very successful work is being done in a large
corridor. When a new school-house is being erected, provision should be
made by building a small work-room off the class-room. The possibilities
of a small, portable building, in close proximity to the school, should
not be overlooked.
[Illustration: _Fig._ 22.--Working drawing of folding table]
Where the school is provided with a large table, this may be made of
service. When used as a working table it should be covered with a sheet
of white oil-cloth. When used as a dining-table a white table-cloth may
be substituted for the oil-cloth. If the school does not possess a
table, two or three boards may be placed on trestles, if the space at
the front or the back of the room permits, and these may be stored away
when not required. A table with folding legs, such as is shown in
Figures 22 and 23, may also be used. The top of the cabinet containing
the utensils or an ordinary kitchen table closed in as a cupboard
underneath, may be made to serve. Long boards, about eighteen inches
wide, placed across the tops of six or eight desks, provide good
accommodation. These should be blocked up level and should be provided
with cleats at each end, in order to prevent movement. When not in use
they may stand flat against the wall and occupy very little space.
Separate boards, resting on a desk at each end, may also be placed
across the aisles. Each of these will provide working space for one
pupil. Tables which drop down flat when not in use may be fixed to the
walls of the school-room. As schools vary in many respects, it is not
possible to outline a plan which will suit all; but that plan should be
chosen which will best meet the requirements of the particular school.
[Illustration: _Fig._ 23: Folding Table]
[Illustration: _Fig._ 24--Household Science Cabinet for Rural Schools]
2. The cupboards and cabinets to contain the utensils may take various
forms. A kitchen cabinet costing from twenty-five to thirty-five dollars
may be obtained from a furniture store, or one may be made by a local
carpenter. A large packing-case painted brown outside and white inside
(for cleanliness) is satisfactorily used in some schools. If covered
with oil-cloth, the top of this may be used as an additional table. A
few shelves placed across a corner of the room and covered with a door
or curtain may be used, or it may be possible to devote one shelf of the
school cupboard to the storing of the utensils. It is desirable to have
a combination cupboard and table, which will contain most of the
equipment, including the stove. Figure 24 is a working drawing of such a
cabinet, which may be made by a local carpenter or by the older boys of
the school.
The directions for making this cabinet are as follows:
Obtain two boxes and cut or re-make them so that each is 30 inches high
when standing on end, 12-1/4 inches across the front inside, and 18
inches from front to back. These will form the two end Sections, A and
B. Inside the sides of these boxes nail 1 inch × 7/8 inch strips, to
form the slides for the drawer. The slides come within 7/8 of an inch of
the front edge. Rails may be nailed across the front. Guide pieces
should be nailed to the slides, in order to keep the drawers straight.
Divide Section A for one drawer and cupboard. The drawers may be made
out of raisin boxes cut down to the required size. To the front of each
drawer, nail a piece of beaver board or pine a little larger than the
drawer front. Use any handles that may be conveniently obtained. Cut two
pieces 4' 9-1/2" × 1-1/2" × 7/8". Space the Sections as shown, and nail
these pieces firmly to the fronts of the larger boxes, _A_ and _B_, top
and bottom. Four end pieces 18" × 1-1/2" will be required. Fill in
Section _C_, in this case, 2' 7-1/2", with the pieces from the box lids
or with ordinary flooring. Make a door for the cupboard from similar
material. The top is best made from good, clear, white pine. Screw
battens across, and screw the whole firmly to the box top from the
inside. If more table space is required, make a similar bench top, which
can rest on top of the cabinet when not in use. When required, it may be
placed over the desks. Steel or glass shoes or wooden skids or battens
should be fixed under the cabinet, so that it can be pulled away from
the stove and replaced easily. The dimensions given are for a
two-flame-burner oil-stove which is 30 inches high, 31 inches across the
front, and 16 inches from front to back. The middle Section, _C_, and
the total height of the cabinet may be enlarged or reduced to fit other
sizes of stoves.
[Illustration: _Fig._ 25.--Cabinet, showing stove in position for use]
[Illustration: _Fig._ 26.--Cabinet, with stove behind centre partition
when not in use]
The material required for, and the approximate cost of, such a cabinet,
labour not included, are as follows:
2 boxes @ 25 $0.50
5 raisin boxes @ 5 .25
5 handles at 45c per doz. .20
1 cupboard latch .15
or 1 turn button .02
About 9 sq. ft. flooring .25
About 8 sq. ft. pine for top .50
Pieces for battens, etc. .25
Steel shoes .10
[Illustration: _Fig._ 27.--Space taken by equipment in class-room]
Figure 27 shows another type of equipment and the space it occupies in
the class-room when not in use. The cupboard and the back of the cabinet
contain the equipment necessary for teaching twelve pupils at one time
and also for serving one hot dish at the noon lunch to twenty-four
pupils. One drawer contains linen, etc., and the other, knives, forks,
and spoons. The dimensions of the cupboard and the cabinet are shown in
Figures 28 and 29, and the construction of each is such that it can be
made easily by any carpenter.
[Illustration: _Fig._ 28.--Working drawings of cupboard]
[Illustration: _Fig._ 29.--Working drawing of cabinet]
[Illustration: _Fig._ 30.--Cupboard with drawers and doors open, showing
equipment]
Figure 30 shows the cupboard and drawers open and the method of storing
the equipment. The shelves may be covered with white oil-cloth or brown
paper, in order to obviate the necessity for frequent scrubbing. The
cupboard may be fixed to the wall with mirror plates or small iron
brackets, or it may be screwed through the back.
[Illustration: _Fig._ 31.--Back of cabinet with equipment in place]
[Illustration: _Fig._ 32.--Back of cabinet with stove removed]
Figure 31 shows the back of the cabinet, with the three-flame-burner
stove-oven, the one-flame-burner stove, and other utensils in place. The
folding table, previously described, rests on the top of the cabinet.
Figure 32 shows the back of the cabinet with the stove and oven removed.
The method of storing utensils and the construction of the cabinet are
clearly shown.
[Illustration: _Fig._ 33.--Three-flame-burner oil-stove, with kettles
and one-flame-burner oil-stove on shelf]
[Illustration: _Fig._ 34.--Household Science equipment with drop-leaf
table]
Figure 33 shows the three-flame-burner oil-stove with the shelf
underneath containing three kettles and the one-flame-burner oil-stove.
Another type of equipment is shown in Figure 34. Each end of the top of
this cabinet drops down when the cupboard doors are closed, space being
thus economized. The top of the table may be covered with oil-cloth or
zinc carefully tacked down on the edges.
The directions for making this cabinet are as follows: