The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-03-07

z
onomics department must bend
every energy, excite every influence
! 10 establish a common understand
! ing Of the language of home econ
omics, its meanings, its aim, its pur-
pose and its scope. To do this would
place one in the position of the gen
! tleman, who. appearing late for din
ner, was chided by his wife: My
dear he replied gleefully, L am
| perfectly happy; | have just begun a
| finish
To fully elucidate the aim, scope
and meaning of home economics,
means discussion of the family, its
history, uses. relationships and fu-
ture. No other subject offers great
er complexities, larger opportunities
| for research or wider scope for the
worker in home sociology, ethics or
history. Home economics is not
merely a study of the house, but of
those who live in it. 1t is not mere
/ ly study of nutrition, but of the
human efficiency which results from
right living in any form along any
line. 1t is not a study of applied
chemistry, physics and economics
alone, but how life may be freed, en-
riched and beautified by means OF
those things. Economics is said to
deal with the hard, dry facts of
everyday living, but it is from the
hard, dry facts of life that ethics
and beauty and harmony are made.
Music is but mathematics, All life
is made up of little things, even
millions are reckoned in dollars and
cents. All depends upon the use and
means, and not mistaking the means
for the end and the result is made
: Or modified by our attitude toward
them.
The aim Of home economics is to
free the woman from the ham, in or
der not to go without hams, but to
afford the opportunity for the devel-
opment of her personality. The pro-
cess is a most intricate and delicate
one, confused by many seemingly
conflicting things. We have made in
, the ordinary home a belated indus
try and most uneconomical con-
dition which complicates the person
al relationships for which homes are
= primarily maintained. The woman
has been tied to the ham, while
-,
and by her very door, but she cam
not gain her freedom byz violently
., severing the tie that binds. She must
, patiently. carefully, deftly and ex-
pertIy unite the knot which habit,
tradition and custom have so tightly
formed
The aim Of home economics is to
free time. strength and money so
that these may all be supplied to
, higher and better things than the &C
= tivities of merely eating, cleaning
q sewing and sweeping or even ac-
- counting But there is but one way
in which this freedom can be attain
ed. Freedom is always to be found
in the margin, therefore the more
skiIfully any task of labor or act is
performed the better, the more
freedom results, the more the task
D is ignored or unskilfully performed
I the less freedom or margin can ex-
list. Freedom is always in time, mon
ey or strength left. So the aim OF
O tho home economies is to face life
y. It's specific definite purpose is the
uniform social purpose of increasing
:, social efficiency; only its means diff
fer from that of the other agents OF
the social purpose.
This is concisely and definitely
what home economics say. So long
as we live in the flesh, man must cal
o in order that he may perform his
v daily tasks and for this his food
# must be prepared. This preparation
# involves many and different kinds Of
tasks and a repetition Of the same
tasks day in and day out, just a:
any business does All men and wo
men must be housed and fed anC
dressed Fundamentally, physica
> we'll being of any or all depends up
on how we'll all this is done. Thi
is automatic and because to do i
we'll involves a theoretical know
ledge as we'll as practical training il
the doing of tasks, We claim tina
3. both of these must be taught.