

Politics played a role in home economics education, and it wasn’t until later in the century that the course shifted from being woman-dominated to now required for both sexes. The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences at the beginning of the 20th century saw Americans too desiring youth to learn vocational skills.

Family and consumer sciences are taught as an elective or required course in secondary education, as a continuing education course in institutions, and at the primary level.īeginning in Scotland in the 1850s, it was a woman-dominated course, teaching women to be homemakers with sewing being the lead skill. Historically, the purpose of these courses was to professionalize housework, to provide intellectual fulfillment for women, and to emphasize the value of "women's work" in society and to prepare them for the traditional roles of sexes. Home economics courses are offered around the world and across multiple educational levels. Much less common today, it was, and is, most commonly taught in high school. Home economics, also called domestic science or family and consumer sciences, is a subject concerning human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and food preparation, as well as textiles and apparel. A training class 1985 at Wittgenstein Reifenstein schools
