Have you ever noticed that some houses where you visit are always neat and look well cared for, and that the towels and table linen are carefully darned or patched? Have you seen what a difference there is in the appearance of the people who do not care for their houses and clothing, and those who do? The latter are apt to wear neat-looking shirt waists, to patch the worn places and darn the holes before they are too large, and to sew on the buttons before they are lost. The little word C-A-R-E is responsible for the difference. Have you learned to help at home to repair and care for the clothing and household linens? "A stitch in time saves nine." It often saves money and time, too. Do you know why? Learn how. The Pleasant Valley girls learned to darn and patch and occasionally Miss James had a "repair day," when all were permitted to bring their mending. Can you do this at your school? LESSON 1 CARE OF CLOTHES What are some of the things to learn in order to care for one's clothes? [Illustration: FIG. 94.--Ethel Allen remembers about the lesson on neatness. She is removing a spot.] Marjorie Allen's Cousin Ann, who lives at Paterson, New Jersey, spends her summer vacation with Marjorie at Pleasant Valley. Marjorie knows that she earns ten dollars a week at the office and pays all her own expenses. She always looks very neat and well dressed. What is the secret? She has learned how to spend wisely and how to care for her clothing. She learned much of this at school, and experience has taught her how to manage. Suppose we learn, too, so as to be able to care for our clothes. Here are some of the things Marjorie's cousin learned: 1. That clothes, if well brushed, look better. 2. A well-pressed suit or skirt lasts longer and looks neater. 3. Stains or spots spoil one's neat appearance and look careless. 4. A patch or a darn is no disgrace. They make one feel more self-respecting than holes or tears. They help to increase the life of a garment, too, if taken in time. 5. That being careful each day saves much time; a little care is worth while. Let us study to-day how to do some of these things. Perhaps we can clean our school coats or some wool garments brought from home.