The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-08-06
THE NEW AMERICAN HOME
ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION

the interest in the subjects suggested
by such term as Home Economics"
has been constantly growing, and var
ious independent organizations, most
ly local, have been formed from time
to time to promote it.
One Of the Oldest and most widely
influential of these was the Lake Pla-
cid Conference of Home Economics.
In September, 1899, group of fif-
teen or twenty persons, mostly writ
ers and teachers of domestic science
and allied topics, were invited by the
trustees of the Lake Placid Club to
meet at their club house in the
Adirondacks, to discuss means Of in
creasing the general and intelligent
interest in subjects affecting home
life.
This band of enthusiasts divided it.
self up into committees, which during
the following year collected informa-
ton on such topics as: The best
names and classification for the main
subject and It's subdivisions; the
available literature bearing on the
problems of the home; the introduce
ton of the study Of home economics,
ETC., into schools, universities and col
leges; the training of teachers in this
new department of science; the
means of bringing knowledge obtain
ed in schools and universities to the
practical homemakers in town and
country; and the simplification of
methods of housekeeping These
committees reported at second and
larger conference held at Lake Placid
in July of the following year, and the
work was continued along the same
lines, with ever-increasing influence
until last year (190S), when its pro-
moters felt that the interest in it had
become too general to permit of its
longer retaining its private charac-
ter. Last summers conference was
therefore held at Chatauqua by spe-
cial invitation and most of the meet
ings were open to the public. At this
session it was evident that the time
had come for a general association
which should unite all associations
and individuals who were interested
in the solution of problems relating
70 the bope Throughput this country
I dnd Tanada, and which by sd uniting
should increase the efficiency of all.
The following committee on Organiza-
ton of the American Home Econo-
! mics association was therefore APP
| pointed to report at meeting of the
so-called teaching section of the Lake
Placid Conference to be held in Wash
ington, D. c., Dec. 81, 1908, to Jan.
2, 1909 DR.. G. F. Langworthy, ex-
pert in Nutrition, U. S. Department of
Agriculture, chairman; Miss Isabel
Bevier, professor of household sci
ence, University of Illinois; Mrs.
Melvil Dewey Lake Placid Club, Els
sex Co., New York; Mrs. Alice p Nor
ton, Professor of Domestic Science,
school of education, University of Chi
cago; Miss Adelaide Nutting, Profess
sor of Domestic Administration,
Teachers College, Columbia Univers-
ity; Mrs. Ellen HI. Richards, Massach
usetts Institute of Technology, Chair
man of AXE Placid Conference; Prof.
Benjamin r. Andrews, Secretary, De-
partments of Domestic Economy,
Teachers College; and Mr.. Maurice
LeBosquet, Director, American School
of Home Economics, Chicago.
Somewhat in advance of the Wash
ington meeting, this committee sent
a circular letter to some $500 per-
sons supposed to be interested in such
matters, asking for their support, and
stating as the general purpose of the
association e. the uniting for more
efficient work of all who are interest
ed in domestic science, domestic art,
household and institutional manage
ment, home economics and allied sub
jects; (2) the formation of sections
or working committees to promote
the various phases of the subject
and (3) the publication of journal
to serve as the organ of the associa-
ton, to be of such dignity and char
acter as to rank with other educa-
tional and scientific journals, and to
include original papers, news items,
book reviews, abstracts of other per-
iodicals, personal notes-in short
such material as would make it use
full working journal for teachers and
studnest of home economics and all
concerned with the problems of liv-
ing. Annual dues in the association
including the cost of the journal
were not to exceed $500. With what
general interest and approval this cir
cular met, may be judged from the