Mary Frances Housekeeper

If your paper dolls have adventures when adults leave the room, then this book is for you. The Mary Frances Housekeeper 100th Anniversary Edition is third in the Mary Frances series of story-instruction books designed to teach the domestic arts to children. This story revolves around The Doll Family of Sandpile Village, a homeless family of paper dolls in the world of Mary Frances’ imagination. The family meets with good fortune when their mistress provides them with a magnificent cardboard dollhouse and beautiful furniture in the Arts and Crafts style of the time. Filled with joy and pride over their new home, Mrs. Doll sets out to teach her children how to care for it well. Her lessons include how to set a table, sweep, select paint colors, make a bed, wash windows, do laundry, and dust furniture, plus instruction in the social graces of a good hostess, host and guest. In this lovable, lively household with six children and one spunky maid, antics abound. Readers will get a glimpse at early 1900s America and learn good housekeeping principles in pages bursting with delightful black and white illustrations and a charming cast of characters. Following the story, Part Two introduces the kitchen-garden method, a popular system for teaching household skills to children in the early twentieth century. The curriculum was designed to make housework feel like play and includes a variety of housekeeping songs to sing while the work is done. This book taps into the childlike instinct to play house, and shines in its ability to entertain while learning. Part Three contains paper dolls to cut out and color, fold-up three dimensional craftsman-style furniture, and plans to make a beautiful two-story doll house from cardboard.