Home Economics usually brings to mind sewing aprons and cake baking. However, home economics classes taught much more. These classes acted as a bridge during the 20thCentury for women to enter into institutions of higher education and later into professions. When first introduced in the late 1800s, these classes helped girls prepare for life on the farm helping their families. As universities conducted research, home economics classes taught advanced classes in nutrition and hygiene as well as economics. Women who graduated from these advanced programs went on to teaching positions to pass on this knowledge. This led to positions in hospitals, restaurants, hotels, and even government. Thus, what is usually thought of as a class for repressed women actually prepared women for the real world and a career.
While cooking is perhaps the skill people most associate with home economics, like personal finance, it is a practical skill that most people will need during life. Health experts are alarmed at the rise in obesity in the nation, which is thought to be caused by a combination of factors, like a more sedentary lifestyle, prevalence of fast food, and the high use of overly processed foods in the home. In a society when both men and women are preparing for careers, basic skills like cooking are often neglected. However, a home economics class can prepare anyone to prepare healthy and nutritious meals for themselves and their family no matter their schedule.
Home economics classes can teach the latest research in nutrition and food safety. This is a constantly changing topic as scientists learn and understand more about how the human body works. A home economics teacher can then take this knowledge and help the students apply it in their lives. They can teach the proper ways to select, prepare, and cook vegetables. Learning the different cuts of meat and how to prepare them can not only improve health, but can help keep the budget in check as well.
By: Karen G. Mateo
