SWA#4

In Catherine Beecher’s “On Preservation Of A Good Temper In A Housekeeper” she depicts a ‘housekeeper’ as a woman who is “habitually gentle, sympathizing, forbearing and cheerful” so that she makes it easier for the staff under her to do the right things without the constant fear of reprimands. The housekeeper should always strive to have an “equable and cheerful temper” so as not to make her household a somber shade in the minds around her.

            The consideration Beecher gives the women of households is to approach their duties as dignified, important, and difficult. She says to look at it as if destinies of those generations after hers will be affected by any decision she makes, and to approach problems as if that were true always. A housekeeper should also feel that her duties are difficult to meet and overcome so that she never underestimates her duties.  The third is that a housekeeper should always expect her best laid plans to be interfered with. She should always expect that something will go wrong and that she should keep “her mind girt” so that she can “meet such collisions with a cheerful and quiet spirit.” A housekeeper should form all plans and arrangements in consistency with those around her.  She should be able to know her limits so that she would not embarrass herself and her family and not wind up disappointed.  An important one was that system, economy, and neatness are valuable.  Such that children should be brought up in an environment where they can “learn to meet the crosses of life with patience and cheerfulness.” Lastly was that a housekeeper should refrain from using angry tones of voice. A calm voice with determination will get a better response then those that use angry tones to get prompt obedience.

            When Beecher refers to a ‘Mistress’ this normally refers to a larger household with staff, with the mistress as the mother of the children.  Also when she says such things as ‘family state’ or ‘domestics’ I believe she is talking about a larger family with a staff beneath the mother. In these cases the housekeeper is depicted as a helper instead of the woman of the household.