As times were changing all over, with industrialization beginning to move into day to day life, people began to have *gasp* leisure time! We had time to think about such things as the best way to feed children, manage houses, and host parties. We didn't just have to do it.
Consider this except on "Household Management"
"The Daily duties of a Housekeeper are regulated, in a great
measure, by the extent of the establishment she superintends. She should,
however, rise early, and see that all the domestics are duly performing their
work, and that everything is progressing satisfactorily for the preparation of
the breakfast for the household and family."
Common sense, no? One wonders how anyone got along BEFORE her...*facepalm. These people sometimes take the longest time to state the obvious.
Or this section:
"
In concluding these remarks on the duties of the housekeeper, we
will briefly refer to the very great responsibility which attaches to her position.
Like “Caesar's wife,” she should be “above suspicion,” and her honesty and
sobriety unquestionable ; for there are many temptations to which she is
exposed. In a physical point of view, a housekeeper should be healthy and
strong, and be particularly clean in her person, and her hands, although they
may show a degree of roughness, from the nature of some of her employments,
yet should have a nice inviting appearance. In her dealings with the various
tradesmen, and in her behaviour to the domestics under her, the demeanour
and conduct of the housekeeper should be such as, in neither case, to diminish,
by an undue familiarity, her authority or influence.
"
All of a sudden, this is a full-time job--not just something for Mama to pick up and do!
Lots in here for various other fora as well!