The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-05-24
HOME ECONOMICS OF
OCALA HIGH SCHOOL
Essay by Miss Ava Lee Edwards at
the Closing Exercises of the
OcaIa High School

the Closing Exercises of the
OcaIa High School
When considered as a part of the
school curriculum domestic science is
that branch of study that is concern
ed with household economics. The
introduction ON manual training into
American public schools naturally led
to the development of sewing and
cooking as branches of study for girls,
and courses of this kind have been
established in the grammar schools of
many of the large cities throughout
the country.
For some years, prejudice was held
against the introduction of this de-
partment into public schools on the
ground that girls could receive suf-
ficient instructions along these lines
In their own homes. It is, indeed,
true that instruction in the home is
very beneficial to the young girl; but
careful Investigations show that by no
means do majority of our modern
girls enjoy the advantages of this
branch of training in their homes. A
large proportion of the girls who at
tend public schools today live in
homes where servants are employed,
where there is no necessity for the
performance of home duties by the
girls, and hence very important
phase of the woman's education is
|neglected-that of training for the es-
sential duties of life.
Other mothers who do not employ
servants fail to realize the Importance
of training their daughters in the do
mestic world, and prefer to perform
tie household tasks alone rather than
to teach their daughters while some
of our American mothers strive to
educate their daughters for such and
such a station in life, thereby depriv-
ing them of an essential part of their
education.
Charles Lamb, in his tales of Shake
speare, cites us in Cymbeline to how
Princess Imogen delighted her broth
ers with her neat housewifery; he
says, that in his time it was the Gus
tom for women of high birth to un-
derstand cookery, and it was consider
ed great distinction to excel in this
useful art. The American nation is
fast beginning to realize the vast i'm
portance of teaching home economics.
The mans work for his own home is
to secure its maintenance, progress
and defense; the woman's, to secure
its order, comfort and loneliness. The
mans power is active, progressive,
defensive. He is eminently the doer,
the creator, the discoverer, the de-
fender. His intellect is for specula-
ton and invention; his energy for adj
venture, for war and for conquest,
wherever war is just, wherever con-
quest necessary. But the woman's
power is for rule, not for battle, and
her intellect is not for invention or
creation, but for sweet ordering, ar
rangement and decision. Why should
woman not be taught how to per-
form her mission in life?
Youth is the proper time for the
reception of knowledge; therefore, let
prejudice be cast aside. Tt is mans
duty to aid his fellow creature, and if
all the citizens Of our land today knew
the lasting good and benefit derived
by the girls from course in home
economics, in truth, in every school,
provision would be made fer equip
ment for this training.
1t is evident that educators do not
view the subject from merely utili-
tartan standpoint. The educational
values of domestic science and art are
recognized and emphasized. Practi-
cally few, if any of the citizens today
hold any prejudice toward the teach
ing of economics in public schools.
The fact is being realized that a wo-
man should be educated for her sphere
in the same way as man must be
trained for his. A practical educa-
ton is as essential as a classical one,
and in a great number of instances
proves more useful in life. Hence we
see clearly the reasons why it was de-
cided by the school board to intro
duce the department of home econom-
les in our Ocala High School. The
Woman's Club of our city also saw
the urgent need for this department
and used their influence in having Il
introduced.
/ Two years ago it became the priv
lege (which had long been hoped fol
and at last was realized) of every CIR
to enter upon this new course. Some
predicted that the girls would not en-
ter upon this new work with the en-
thusiasm which was anticipated; bu
1.-THE response of the girls was unani
NOUS in favor of this department. 4
7 very competent instructor, Miss Gro
man, was selected as teacher ant
every girl who could arrange he
work accordingly entered upon tn
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