Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/workforcoloredwoOOwash WORK —¥OK THE— COLORED WOMEN — OF THE— sou T H, Br Mrs, B, T. Washington. NORMAL SCHOOL FREES, TUSKEGEE, ALA- 1894. . WORK —FOR THE— COLORED WOMEN —OF THE— — SOUTH E^S— BY MRS. B.T.WASHINGTON. Preface. D^. For the past two months, with the assistance of Dr. Hallie T. Johnson and Mrs. Estelle Penney, I have been gathering in the country women of this vicinity and to- gether we have given and received practical suggestions as to the ways in which the homes of the country women may be improved and made happier, and out of these meeting has grown the desire with some of us to have these talks or hints put into printed form. This little pamphlet may fall into the hands of those who will not object to hearing something of these meetings. The country women around this vicinity are similar to others of the same class ; they get tired of the scenery of the country ; they want to see new faces and new things, they do and should come to town often enough to vary their monotonous life. Since it is a fact that the country women come into the towns and villages, we felt that they couM spend at least a part of the day with us in getting hints for their home-life. We take Saturday for these meetings because the great major- ity of country women take Saturday for their sight-seeing and shopping so they accomplish two things in one visit. Our meetings are held in the upper story of a store, on the main street, thus making it possible for every woman who comes into town to come and spend an hour in listening to practical talks and reach her wagon before her husband has time to leave town. We talk in the plainest and freest way possible, about anything, no matter how small it may seem, that in anyway pertains to the average colored woman and we feel that we are on the right track to help these our country sisters and because of this fact we put into print some ot our suggestions, so that the lady teachers all over the South may realize that they have a work to do lor the women whose children they teach. WORK _FOR THE— COLORED WOMEN —OF THE— SOUTH 5^5?— BY MRS-B. T.WASHINGTON. Preface.^. For the past two months, with the assistance of Dr. HaUie T. Johnson and Mrs. EsteJle Penney, I have been gathering in the country women of this vicinity and to- gether we have given and received practical suggestions as to the ways in which the homes of the country women may be improved and made happier, and out of these meeting has grown the desire with some of us to have these talks or hints put into printed form. This little pamphlet may fall into the hands of those who will not object to hearing something of these meetings. The country women around this vicinity are similar to others of the same class: they get tired of the scenery of the country : they want to see new faces, and new things, they do "and should come to town often enough to vary their monotonous life. Since it is a fact that the country women come into the towns and villages, we felt that they couM spend at least a part of the day with us in getting hints for their home-life. We take Saturday for these meetings because the great major- ity of country women take Saturday for their sight-seeing and shopping so they accomplish two things in one visit. Our meetings are held in the upper story of a store, on the main street, thus making it possible for every woman who comes into town to come and spend an hour in listening to practical talks and reach her wagon before her husband has time to leave town. We talk in the plainest and freest way possible, about anything, no matter how small it may seem, that in anyway pertains to the average colored woman and we feel that we are on the right track to help these our country sisters and because of this fact we put into print some of our suggestions, so that the lady teachers all over the South may realize that they have a work to do for the women whose children they teach. Tte Mome-How to Kare for It. BY Mrs. Nathan B. Young, TUSKEGEE, ALABAMA. ^hree of the sweetest vvords in our language are ; Moth- ^ er, home, and heaven. It is m) plan to offer a few words of advice to Mothers, rc:gardingthe home, how to keep it tidy and pleasant. Some may say, ''My home can-not be made tidy and pleasant, because I have only one or two rooms, and have nothingwith which to make them comfortable and inviting'' Dear sisters, you can make even a one-room cabin clean and neat. It is a hard task I grant, but it can be done. A single log cabin can be made cheery and bright. Pray how^ can this be done? You are ready to ask, I will tell you. Plan for your home; arrange such furniture as you have more tastefully and more conveniently. Have regu- lar days for certain work, and a place for everything. Then keep everything in its place. You may say that, you have not the time to put and to keep each thing in its place. But do you not spend half of your time look- ing for things placed here and there — everywhere? Let me give you a hint or two.* Do not hang your clothes all around the house, but make a frame about the size of a door, drive nails in it, and place it in a part of the house that is not often used. Hang a calico curtain across this frame. Thus you have a cheap wardrobe. Put the shoes at the bottom, with toes turned to, yard the wall. Keep the curtain down to pro- tect the clothes and to give a better appearance to the room. Do not put things under the bed; I have seen homes in which the bed served as a closet, as a chicken house Food aqd Kookii^g. MRS- ADELLA HUNT LOGAN. TUSKEGEE, AL\ N/I any persons complain of their food, saying there ' ' is too little of it, there is lack of variety, it is too rich or not rich enough, and others, thougli they may not express the complaint, feel that their food is not fine enough. Great patience should be felt for each of these classes of grumblers, and the house- keeper and cook should study tc remove tiie causes for such complaints. Quantity. In this counlr)- and in this a^e there are many more people overfed than underfed, but in some cases there is actual want and suffering- Where this istrue the short- age often falls to the lot of the aged and the children Nothing can be saddo<- than that state of a family which does not feed the old folks and the children well. The aged need the stimulating effects of nutritious food to sustain their failing powers. Children eat a great deal because of their constant exercise in open air. Work- ing men need strong food but not jusc the kind nor such large amounts as some take Nursing mothers need abundant food, br.t their diet should be light and nourishing for the sake of their ov\n health and more particularly for the best development of their babies. If the supply of food is actually too small then by some honest ineans, no matter hov/ hard, more should be provided. In hiany instances people complain Tt]e H01D6-H0W to fere for It. BY — Mrs. Nathan B. Young, TUSKEGEE, ALABAMA. j^hree of the sweetest words in our Un^uage are ; Moth- ^ er, home, and heaven. It is m) plan to offer a few words of advice to Mothers, regarding the home, how to lpensible for chil- dren. A good cow is a great bit ssing to a family. No need to remark that the milk and butter should be handled with great nicety — all kno>vthat. Everv one having the care of the dairyshould put herknowledge of cleanliness into practice. Coffee works a great deal of injury to the nervous system, especially when taken so strong, and in such large quantities as some women will have it It is a great mistake to let the cup of coffee take- the place of the breakfast ; better ta', should study more to improve. This work is done too thoughtlessly. The more in telligence you put into your kitchen work, the better results you will get out ol it. A man who was grow- ing rich by cultivating some very poor land, was asked what he mixed with that poor soil to have it bring such fine crops. He replied: "1 mix brains with it." Now, if you will mix brains with your cook- ing efiorts, then your husband will be able to say heartily, when he has fi lished each of your delightful meals, "Thank the Lord and bless the cjok. Wbat Sbal! We do witb Our Kbildrsn? Mrs. Eslelle Penne^^ TUSKP:GEE, ALA. This question is one which is puzzlinj> the rich and' poor alike, wherever young blood is found. I he rich man questions whether or not he is loo indulgent, ai d is thus weakening the minds of his children ; ar^d the poor man has serious moments, when he wonders, if after all, he is not too hard on his young lolks, and is robbing them of a j^reat deal of ihe sunshine of life. It is claimed by many that the young people of to- day are hard to manage, and some go so far as to say,, that they are impudent, lazy, and an unprofitable stt, wholly unlike the good children of long ago, who- minded at a word, and were seen and not heard, and who would no more thiiik of being "sassy" to old folks- than they would think of sticking their heads in the fire. And in order to prove without a doubt that this- is a wicked and godless generation, they invite us to visit the jails and chain-gangs, where we find the ma- jority of the prisoners are young men and young wo- men, and even children. 1 will admit that this is rather a dark picture, but fortunately for us, it is one of those shadow-pictures w^herethe shadow is seen, but the real coloring and life are behind the curtain. If our young people are as bad as some of our old folks try to paint them, where is our star of hope, and what will the future be ? But the case is not so bad as some imagine ; for there is even now a silver lining to this dark cloud. The past cannot afford to be at war with the present, for the present has the advan- tage. Fault-finding and condemning this fast age is not a remedy for these evi's. Fathers and mothers may cherish sweet memories of the past, they will find 5 that they must live in the present, with its new ideas and grand and glorious ad vantages and privileges, such as the world has never before knoun. Old things have passtd away, and we must not sta^id gazing after them but tall in line and try to keep up in the march of pro- gress. If we do not, the children will go on without our guidanceand protection, and perhaps come to grief. Let us now consider some of the ways by which the young can be helped. If we could get the confi- dence of our children, so thai they would take us for their best iriends, half the battle would be won, and the devil 'would be cheated out of some of his best •material. For example, after the day's work is done, and supper is over, let the children, with father and mother, gather around the fireside and tell the experi- ences of the day — iet each have a chance to tell his story. Another way to win the confidence of young people is to take time and listen when they come with secrets that are very precious to them, but may seem like nonsense to you. Be true and never betray tbeir trust, for if you do, you are not apt to be trusted again. Many a well-meaning mother has made the sad mistake of hushing up her child because it asked some question that reached far out inco the mysteries of manhood and womanhood. I will give one instance : The little in- quisitive mind wants to know about baby-land and where the babies come from. Some mothers call this ^n indecent question, and give the child an idea that it has done something very wrong to think ot such a thing. Its mouth has been stopped, but the thinking goes on just the same. Thus the mother, with her false modesty, has set up a barrier between her and the child, which some day she will wish she could break down, and again look into the heart that was once so tendei and true. Many a young man and woman might have been saved from lives of shame and disgrace, if they had been on confidential terms with their parents. The matter of punishment is an important subject to be considered in our home rule, for preach, pray and exhort as we may, the children seem prone to wander, and must bear the yoke of their wrong-doing, and be taught that *'the way of the transgressor is hard." Some parents are firm believers in the use of the rod ; it is used with a free hand for every offense, great or small, the hickory is laid on. The child who accident- ally breaks a dish, gets as many stripes as if he had told the blackest lie. This kind of discipline does more harm than good. It ruins the disposition, and by and by we will have a hardened wretch to deal with, and no amount of flogging, or kicking, or cufiing, or abusive language will have any effect upon him. Ly- ing, stealing, disobedience and bad language are some i6 of the V orst offenses, and ought, we all think, to have the severest punishment, but even then the sin or crime does not always cease. Oftentimes giving extra tasks of work to be performed is sufficient penalty for many of the childish misdemeanors. Another simple, but (oftentimes effective mode of punishment, is to send the child ofT in a room, to be alone and think over its conduct. Children ought to love their homes, and feel there is no place like home, and some times par- ents are greatly grieved because their children seek pleasure and enjoyment every where else but at home- Our young men are off by the time they get their sup- pers — there is always some excuse for going out, when the real reason is, they aresc^eking amusement. Things around home are too dull. Very often the Saturday night frolic, which has been the scene of many fights,, and even murders, has enticed our boy, and before we know it, he is walking the downward road. Some mothers and fathers cannot understand why, in spite of all their good advice to the young folks about bad company and about the safety of home, that they do not take heed and settle down contentedly We must do more than advise— we must do all in our power to- make our homes so attractive that they will be like loadstone ; so powerful that they can't get away from, the m.agnet Study to out do the devil. Think of sim- ple pleasures that cost nothing, but will be enjoyed by the family. Singing is a gift that our young people- have, and it is always appreciated, but if families had more singing they would find it a power in bringing: peace and love at home. Another simple pleasure is to give, occasionally, inexpensive suppers or teas, and invite a few of the young friends. Last, but not least. 1 would call attention to the- religious training of our children. The place to begin is at the mother's, knee. She ought to give them their first ideas of God as our Heavenly Father, who loves, and watches over us at all times. Some little ones have such strange notions about God, that I am led to believe thai parents have not given the right kind of religious jiistruction. Our ministers neglect the lambs- and cramb the sheep, and and so the young in the flock, starve. F^^thers and mothers go to church on Sunday and sing God's praise and get happy, but their chil- dren are many times at home or at the neighbors, doing everything but keeping the sabbath day holy, We are told to train up the child in the way he should go, and christian parents must lead their children tenderly and lovingly in all right living. We must teach by precept and example, and watch and pray for their good^ and God will bless our efforts. Wtet to Wear mi flow to Dross. BY MRS- B- T.WASHINGTON. TUSKEGEE, ALA. Few subjects are of more practical importance to women than the subject of What to Wear, and How to Dress Many women who are some what advanced in' age and even others not so far advanced have the mistaken idea that they can dress as carelessly as they please and that their age will excuse them. Again, a woman too often thinks, that now I am married and a mother and so no one cares how I dress. Let us remember that our husbands, our children, and even our friends are just as glad to see us neatly and becomingly dressed as if we were many years younger. As the mother is so are the children and often the husband. As a woman grows older and becomes a mother she will be obliged to divide her wardrobe with her daughters, but she should be careful to see that she does not give up all, so that a person meeting her and her daughter would mistake the mother for the servant of the daughter. Every woman in selecting a dress, a hat, a pair of shoes or any other article of clothing should be guided by two or three simple things; first, her make-up, color, size, whether she is a short person or a tall one, etc. No wo- man should rush headlong into^ a store to purchase an article of clothing simply because it is pretty and a near neighbor has something like it; what is true of purchas- ing an article of clothing is also true of the making of it. Do not make a dress or purchase a hat according to the i8 fashion of one worn by a friend simply because it looks well on that friend. It may not look so well on you^ The same care should be exercised in buying a calico dress as in the purchase of a more costly one. A calico dress is the average dress and tvery woman should make a strong effort to have each year one neatly made calico dress. If she is a tall woman a little trimming in the form of a ruffle should be added to the skirt near the bottom: If, on the other hand, a short one, the skirt ?ihould be almost entirely plain. A tall and stout woman ■should not wear such figures as plaids, but should select stripes — these all come in calico prints in these days. A woman with a short waist should not wear a dress which requires a belt. If women would only consider it of Sufficient importance to find out what is becoming to them they would make a more pleasing appearance. There are two extremes to every woman, her head and her feet. Somewhere it has been said that if a man's hat is in good style it does not make much differ- ence about the rest of his clothes . I should like to make this same remark in regard to woman, adding also that if her feet are neatly shod it will not matter greatly about the rest of her clothes. Good shoes and plain hats are cheap and certainly a woman makes a better appear- ance with her feet neitly dressed in a good shoe and her head dressed in a plain becoming hat than she d^ es without them. These things are within reach of every woman, if she will only regard them of enough importance to secure them . Every woman should own a pair of gloves. As far back as we can remember women, are urged to wear gloves upon their hands — in the Bible it is spoken of in more places than one. No woman can afford to go without a pin at her throat. Not necessarily an expensive one but something which will give to the throat a close and neat appearance. Many women think that the arrangement of the hair concerns no one but themselves. It concerns all wo- mankind and it is the duty of each woman to so arrange her hair that no one can deny her right to an ownership in the civilization of the 19th Century. It has for a long time been the custom among some women to wrap their h lir in strings, thus hiding that which is our glory — namely our hair. This custom was practiced during the days of slavery, when there was not time given by the masters for combing the hair. Thank God! that day is slowly but surely passing away, a^-d 19 women are now given the time to keep themselves de- cently dressed. How many women remember how care- ful was the master, who refused to give them time to comb their hair, to have his horse curried each day. It improved the looks of his horse, it improved the spirit of his horse ; it would have had a similar effect upon his slave. This habit of wrapping the hair must be abolished as quickly as possible. Let us fight it until it is entirely wiped out. If the hair is too short to braid and pin at the back of the head, or to arrange in a knot at the back of the head, comb it back from the forehead and let it alone. This style may be varied by parting it in the mid- dle or a little ou the side of the head. Women pay too little attention to the harmony of colors ; not only as as pertains to the materials combined in a dress, a hat, etc., but also as pertains to the har- mony of their own color with that of their clothing, A fair woman with red complexion, should not wear bright red, bright yellow, etc., no more than should a dark woman wear light blue, pink or white.. Have we not been women thirty years? And now can we not see that we must lay aside some of these customs which were thrust upon us by slavery, and which cling to us so closely that they seem almost our second nature? And do we not think it necessary to, at least, consider these things and try to find a rememedy for them ? In all ages, among all races of people, women have been, and are, expected to take the lead in correct ideas of dressing. Let us, then, not be to j slow t) begin to da our part. Yentilation. BY Mrs. B. T. Washington, TUSKEGEE, ALA. Mothers who live in the country and who have open fireplaces, houses wiih lartje cracks in the floor or open places between the logs as they are laid on the walls, think very little of tne ventilation ot their homes or rather they imagine, that they receive all the air necessary through these openings and through the chimney. 1 acknowledge that we are blest in hav- ing open lire-places and that we get a certain kind of ventilation from these cracks in tbe top and side ot our houses, but have we ever stopped to ttiink that this is not ventilation in the sense tnat we understand this wora* 7 his is more of a draught and is very injurious to health. Ventilation in the best sense is letiing in outside air wtiich in turn drives out inside air thus pu- rif yinjj; the room. A GOOD RULE FOR VENTILATION. Open both the windows and doors. The door of course being so situated that the air coming in will be from the outside. Always remember that there must be two currents of air in the process of ventilation. We may not open the door at night but we can secure these two currents of air just the same. Many rooms have windows made of planks and a hole bored in the top and one in the bottom of such windows will us- ually answer the purpose of ventilation. Then there is the window made of boards which slips up and down, and here again ventilation may be had by leav- ing a small place at the top and another at the bottom. 21 Many mothers do not think i't important to air ilieir beds, they get up and even before they dress make up their beds. It only takes a moment to understand how injurious and how dirty this habit is. During the night we have given off bad odors from the body, foul breath has been breathed into the bed clothing and if we do not give the bedding a proper airing we go back to bed the next night and inhale into our systems this filth. Moth- ers must secure their children and themselves against these harmful practices. Open the door and windows each day, the earlier the better, take off all the bedding, lay it on the backs of the chairs and give the mattress and bedding sufficient time to become well aired by following these directions you will sleep better and rise in the morning fresher and more able to accomplish the work of the day. Once a week, at least, the curtained- wardrobe, sale, washstand. etc., should be thrown open and pure air al- lowed to pass freely through them, thus taking from the wearing clothes, tiie furniture, etc., odors which go into them from the food while it was cooking in open vessels. If we are obliged to prepare our meals in the same room in which we sleep and live we can. at least, get covers of either tin or wood or some other cheap material, so as to protect ourselves, clothing, and furniture from the odors which come from the food while it is being cooked. Mothers, if you regard the matter of health of your children and your own health, if you regard the import- ance of cleanliness, sweetness, and purity, see to it that your homes receive attention in this matter of ventilation. These "Practical Hints" are dedicated to the c0Lintr\- women on Alabama farms. 31042