Several organisations for self-protection and the advancement of the profession are open to teachers of Domestic Subjects.  The Association of Teachers of Domestic Subjects was founded in 1896, and has done valuable work for the members.  It is affiliated to the Association of Teachers in Technical Institutes, and is thus enabled to obtain good legal advice.  A representative has been appointed to sit on the Council for the Registration of Teachers.  The Association is helping to educate public opinion, and to review and consider the pedagogy of domestic subjects in all classes of schools.  Domestic Subjects’ teachers are also admitted to membership of other Teachers’ Associations, which safeguard the interest of their members and offer advantages for training and travelling.  Members of the Association of Teachers of Domestic Subjects have the right to join for the purposes of the Insurance Act the “Approved” section of the Secondary, Technical and University Teachers’ Provident Society.  The London County Council has secured “exception” from the Act for their Domestic Subjects’ teachers, their allowance for sick leave being better than the provisions of the Act.  The Association of Teachers of Domestic Subjects has obtained special terms for members from two assurance companies for deferred annuities or endowment assurances.  The London Teachers’ Association has also a provident section.

We have seen that Domestic Arts may now claim a position of importance in both the elementary and secondary school curricula, and that the teaching of these subjects may rank as a profession in which there is a great deal of scope.  The attitude of mind towards these subjects has much changed during the last few years, largely owing to the efforts of those who have taken them up as subjects of scientific study.  Much, however, remains to be done, both in organising the teaching in schools, and in the training of teachers in domestic subjects.  Only those who have had scientific training, are competent to put the work on a sound scientific basis.

[Footnote 1:  An interesting sidelight on economic conditions is afforded by the instructions issued by the London County Council for the guidance of teachers of Domestic Subjects (Syllabus of Instruction in Domestic Economy.  Revised, March 1912).  The girls are to be taught account-keeping in order to “cultivate a well-balanced sense of proportion in spending and saving. ...  Weekly incomes suitable for consideration in London, to begin with, are 35s., L3, and 28s. taken in that order.”  The number in family is supposed to be six, i.e., parents and four children.

The obvious inference is that experts do not find it possible to deal satisfactorily with cases in which there are, say, six children and an income of 25s.  An income of L1 a week is not even mentioned, though many a London school-girl must know “in the last three years of her school-life” that her mother has not more than this to spend.  Translated into concrete quantities of food, clothing, and rent, this “living wage” is found insufficient for daily needs.  The teacher therefore is encouraged to ignore the economic conditions of most of her pupils. [EDITOR]. ]