, therefore the former must take the precedence.
The school has been able to prove, however, that girls educated there
can command a fair wage in trade, but that a longer time given to this
training will enable them to obtain better positions and salaries. Hence
an increasing number have been willing to remain longer, giving even a
year or more to preparation. It was with this latter class that the time
was ripe to offer some training in lunchroom cookery which could teach
them what could be procured at low prices and yet be nourishing; how to
prepare food at home, and how to use the hot table often found in an
up-to-date factory. For this purpose, therefore, some simple additional
equipment was installed and a daily menu was offered, comprising
inexpensive, attractive, wholesome dishes, at the lowest possible cost.
Many of the students care for so little variety in food that all of the
necessary elements for building strong, healthy bodies are not supplied,
hence they are under-nourished. They require encouragement to even try
the food which is essential for improving their physical condition. The
girls have taken great interest in their lunchroom cookery. They
appreciate the inexpensive menus and admire the simple table
decorations. Gradually they have given up spending their few pennies
for poor fruit, cake, or candy at some cheap shop, and now purchase
nourishing dishes cooked by the students at the school.

The cooking course connects directly with the talks on hygiene. The plan
of work is the following: (1) Twenty girls are chosen at one time. These
work in two groups of ten each, and for six weeks have daily one-hour
lessons. This gives them thirty lessons, which is almost equivalent to
what the public school offers in a year, but, being concentrated into
daily work and practical use in the lunchroom, is of equal, if not
greater, efficacy. (2) The students set the tables, cook a definite part
of the lunch, dish the articles, prepare the counters, sell the various
dishes, keep and report sales, and clear the counters afterward. The
groups alternate in order that preparing food, watching its progress,
and taking it from the stove may be done by all with a minimum loss of
time from their trade instruction. (3) The selection of girls to take
the course is made from (_a_) those who can remain long enough in the
school to combine trade training with the simple cooking course, (_b_)
those who have such poor health that a