Isn’t Being Quite Grown Up Exciting?

Washington circa 1920. "Home Economics Section." A test kitchen at the Department of Agriculture, Courtesy of Shorpy.com

“Isn’t being quite grown up exciting?”

And thus we are introduced to the magnificent world of home economics in 1935.  Over the holidays (that seem like an eternity ago, now!), I ordered a copy of The Home Economics Omnibus by Florence LaGanke Harris and Hazel H. Huston (printed in 1938, copyrighted in 1935, with illustrations, available at various online use book sellers for anywhere between $7  and $20).

In addition to writing about a bazillion cookbooks–including a wartime one–Florence LaGanke Harris, Director of Women’s Activities, Building Arts Exhibit, Inc., Cleveland, was also the author of the Nancy Page Club syndicated newspaper column that eventually introduced 27 quilt patterns to rural readers.

Dr. Hazel H. Huston, later Price, was a professor of home economics at Ohio State University.  She appears to have had a more traditional academic profession–teaching, conducting research, and publishing articles and books.

In the introduction to teachers, Mrs. Harris and Dr. Huston tell us that they wrote the omnibus as a two year curriculum as a means of saving schools money because only one textbook would be needed.  They continue by noting that

“all seven divisions of the standard home-economics set-up are included here–

1. foods and nutrition
2. clothing
3. houseplanning and furnishing
4. home management
5. child care and development
6. health, and
7. family and other social relationships

The text is geared to center on a girl’s life, so the boring names for the different phases have been changed to

Foods and Nutrition–” The Well Fed Family”

Clothing –”The Well-Dressed Girl”

Houseplanning and Furnishing–”The Well-Planned and Furnished Home”

Home Management–”The Well-Managed Home”

Child Care and Development–”The Well-Cared-For Child”

Health–”The Well-Being of the Individual”

Family and Social Relationships –”The Well-Bred Girl and Her Social Relationships”

If you are able to, I encourage you to get your hands on a copy of the Omnibus.  It is not stretching it to say that many mid-century homemakers probably used this textbook when they were studying home economics in high school.  Because so many readers have asked for books on how to be a “50′s housewife,” I thought we’d spend a good deal of time exploring this textbook.  In addition to the comments to the posts, we can also continue the conversation at the Modern Retro Woman’s Facebook discussion section.  (I apologize for the late announcement–my grandfather’s passing kind of threw things for a loop and I realized just now that I forgot to give you guys advanced warning of my plans).

Since the first section is on “The Well-Fed Family,” we will be able to continue our discussion of healthy meal planning from that era.

I was talking to one of my Preparing Future Faculty students, Holly, the other day before all of the other students arrived about my non-higher education life and the joy it brings me to “teach” about being a modern retro woman in a non-traditional format.  Holly is a grandmother and pointed out to me that so many of her granddaughters’ friends seem like they don’t even know how to boil water.  I know Ann has said on more than one occasion that she doesn’t feel confident in her cooking skills.

Well, you’ll be glad to know that this textbook starts us out at the very beginning.  The first recipes that students are allowed to try during “laboratory” are for beverages.  In a roundabout way, students gained confidence in boiling water but the boiled water also provides an enjoyable outcome.

One final note before I end today’s post is the recognition by the textbook that a homemaker was not a uni-dimensional servant to the family members.  Her actions, decisions, and attitudes had an impact on the well-being of the entire family.  Unlike famous “housewives” on television today, she was able to use her smarts and her creativity to create a welcoming and loving home.

I’m looking forward to exploring this textbook with you!