Home economics is back in fashion, but you just might not recognize it under its new guise.
The words ‘home economics’ commonly trigger images of Susie Homemakers in white aprons, leaning over a stove, discussing sewing and parenting skills. Some may even remember enrolling in high school courses focused on teaching students everyday skills of managing a household, balancing a cheque book and raising a family – namely trying not to break a boiled-egg baby.
Today, home economics has changed and is working under a new name.
Often referred to as “human ecology,” the discipline has broken out of its domestic walls to include a more outward focus on health and nutrition, financial literacy and the environment.
“I see it as coming back into fashion. I know it’s had its ups and downs,” says June Matthews, a professional home economist and Food and Nutritional Sciences professor at Brescia University College.
On March 27, Brescia is hosting the Ontario Home Economics Association Conference 2010 and 31st Annual General Meeting. The event will be held in the Mother St. James Building and the theme is “Celebrating the Diversity of Our Profession.” Speakers include Western History professor Monda Halpern, discussing the home economics revolution in Ontario.
When Matthews was young, home economists were on the radio offering advice on food preparation and childrearing.
“They were considered credible sources of information and in those days there weren’t registered dieticians everywhere. It was the home economist who told us how to feed the children, take care of the children and take care of your home and clothing – the broad aspects of everyday life.”
During the 1960s and 1970s, home economists were criticized by the women’s movement, which saw the role as domesticating women. Matthews admits to scoffing at becoming a home economist herself because of the stereotypes.
“I never dreamed I would be a home economist,” she says.
She later learned that aside from traditional roles of home economists, women in these roles were also activists.
“I think we tend to forget the first wave of feminism were these home economists,” she says. “We have to give them credit for thinking about educating women outside the home at a time when it was very restrictive.”
As the term ‘home economist’ went out of fashion, so did university courses dedicated to the discipline. At Brescia, the program morphed into ‘human ecology,’ but declining enrolments forced another change. Now courses fall under the more specialized Foods and Nutrition and Family Studies programs. Related courses are taught within psychology, sociology and political sciences.
Among famous home economics alumna from Brescia is Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, who completed her degree in 1973.
More recently, home economists received a boost from trends toward sustainability, valuing locally grown and produced products, development of community gardens and the slow food movement. So-called domestic skills of cooking and sewing are becoming more commonplace in keeping costs to a minimum.
“It’s interesting how we fought to have it all and now we’ve lost some of that value that is placed on everyday life that everyone needs to know. And now we are paying Martha Stewart millions of dollars to be our Home Ec teacher.”
Proof of the rise is that there are 175 conference registrants from across the province, says Matthews, more than half being students.
“There may have been a time period when we were doing white sauces and aprons, but maybe white sauces and aprons were important, too. That was only one component of what we were doing.
“Yes, knowing these basic skills may have been considered limiting before, but it is actually liberating now.”