The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1916-03-21

of education and recognized as a dis
tinctly creative type of work or as a
branch in which either initiative or
resourcefulness was demanded. The
place it occupies in the average
course of study is either part of
the work in a state of experiment
or it has entered because of econo-
mic pressure from without. Howev-
er, until education takes it for bet
ter or for worse, makes it a correla-
| ted, co-ordinated part of every school
curriculum, offers it the same respect
it gives the distinctly cultural SUBJ
jects, Home Economics can never
come into its own or develop in the
broad, strong way that it should.
So long as cooking is an end in
| itself, it can never be more than man.
ual labor made more efficient, but
| when it is the means of awakening
the students resources; making her
think in terms of labor, time, money
and material; of developing her I'M
tiative, encouraging self reliance and
in assuming personal responsibility
of being a potent factor in giving de-
| cision of character and causing her
| to sOcialize labor-then it has life's
| value and by its own intrinsic worth
justifies its place in the educational
system.
So long as sewing is merely an in
struction in the taking of stitches
and the making of garments; so long
as the pupil studies it only that it
may reduce the economic pressure
upon the home and as a means of
gratifying the vanity in dress among
our young women it does not deserve
place in our schools. However,
when it teaches the fitness of the gar
ment for the purpose for which it is
to be used; when through it a broad
knowledge of textiles, their manufac-
ture and production is given; when it
stimulates new interest and is the
means of acquainting the student
with trade conditions and economic
history, of establishing her response
bility to society and to the trade
worker, of putting a moral value up
on the manner of dress, then sewing
can no longer be omitted from the
school curriculum. Until those teach
ers who have specialized in Home
Economics, until superintendent and
principals idealize and culturize cook
them but the means by which con-
structive ability of the student is de-
veloped, they fall short of the oppor-
this branch of work.
1t is hardly conceivable that the
head of great manual training high
school when the students are making
picture frames, gavels and biscuit
boards, would consider them the end
in and of themselves of their train
ing. These are rather the means by
which the student acquires judg-
ment, skill and initiative and the
training in these concrete things is
that through them he may be made a
constructive agent and developed for
leadership. 1t is true that the bis
cult board, the rolling pin and the
picture frame are necessary and
useful things, but are they the end
and purpose of manual training? No
more is the garment in the textile
laboratory or the pie in the cooking
laboratory the end and purpose of
courses in Home Economics
Is woman's schooling less ade-
quate for the demands of present day
llIS DcCduSc DIS Silc gains d DIOdu Gull
tural training she has been given the
technical knowledge regarding the
laws of her health, the principles of
feeding her body, and safeguarding
her surroundings and securing proper
housing? Is it any less valuable to
experiment in combining foods than
in combining chemicals? Is the law
of atmospheric pressure, Avagadro's
hypothesis or the physical law gov
erning electric currents more import
ant than knowledge regarding the
milk supply, the City water supply,
the disposal of the household waste,
heating of the house and it's proper
ventilation?
The question is often asked "Why
not learn these things at homer" For
the same reason that the state does
not consider adequate training for
the practice of medicine that the can
didate has simply studied in some
other physicians office but requires
before he takes the life of his fell |
lowmen into his hands that he have
finished the prescribed course of stu |
dy in some reputable school and that |!
he be able to pass an examination |
given by the state authorities Like
wise with the lawyer, he must give
evidence by an examination of hav-
ing finished a prescribed course of |
reading and study which shall fit him
for the practice of law before the
courts, before he is granted the priv
ilege of appearing before the judi
ciary. The responsibilities of the
are so many sided, in the
care of the health of the family, its /
proper maintenance, the manage
ment of the family income, the rear
ing of the children, the sanitation
of the dwelling, the preparation of
food and the numerous other duties |
which fall to her lot, that to do any
one or all efficiently and well she
must be trained.
In the last analysis the function of
Home Economics in education is to
give to the men and women of to-
a vision of the social, civic
and moral responsibility of the home
to the community; to take the con-
crete things of the working man and
life, and energize and vi
talize them so that living becomes a
fine art.