A review by onegalonelife27
The Secret History of Home Economics: How Trailblazing Women Harnessed the Power of Home and Changed the Way We Live by Danielle Dreilinger
5.0
When I first saw this book my mind brought back two things: a ‘teacher’ class where we did mostly crafts and a MST3K short. From the short, I knew there was more to the class than making cookies and sewing shirts, but I never experienced it, so I was curious.
It was a fascinating read, learning how at first it was really a way for women to spend less time in the kitchen, doing chores and also expanding the mind. Such as the geometry in sewing, the chemicals in dyes and the nutrition in diets. It also covered a whole field of careers, from nutritionists, repair ladies for stoves, and the start of social work. Yet as the decades continued, people began to see as the cooking class we know today-blame the 50s-and thus less credit and funding went to schools so classes got pulled. There are still places that teach the course and they do a lot of good. Makes me wish there was a course in my high school so I knew how to do more things.
Anyway lots of good information as well as bits of snark I loved, I recommend this for anyone with an interest in women’s history or feminism. Happy Reading!
It was a fascinating read, learning how at first it was really a way for women to spend less time in the kitchen, doing chores and also expanding the mind. Such as the geometry in sewing, the chemicals in dyes and the nutrition in diets. It also covered a whole field of careers, from nutritionists, repair ladies for stoves, and the start of social work. Yet as the decades continued, people began to see as the cooking class we know today-blame the 50s-and thus less credit and funding went to schools so classes got pulled. There are still places that teach the course and they do a lot of good. Makes me wish there was a course in my high school so I knew how to do more things.
Anyway lots of good information as well as bits of snark I loved, I recommend this for anyone with an interest in women’s history or feminism. Happy Reading!