EXHIBITS
What's in a Name?: Consolidation of Family Life After 1960
The 1960s and 1970s proved to be an important time of transition for the college. The once separate departments of Home Economics Education, Clothing and Textiles, and Home Economics and Management were merged together into Home Economics and Consumer Education. [1] The role of women had changed considerably from its conception in the early 20th century. Cooking and sewing were no longer the only relevant skills for women since opportunities in private industry were becoming more and more open. This change was reflected in the increased specialization of the degree requirements, although the general course offerings remained much the same.
Textiles, family development, and general home economics remained areas for students to expand their knowledge, but more emphasis was placed courses’ capacity to prepare students for the professional world. For instance, the Home Economics Education degree came to require courses in all the separate domains of home economics as well as courses in professional education because graduates with this major could go into either secondary education or professional education. [2] Similarly, the Foods Department became more focused on the science of nutrition and provided opportunities for professional development at events like food festivals. [3]
This corresponded to the changing role of extra-curricular organizations. Before the 1950s, extra-curricular organizations had been largely social ones. As university education became an essential step towards employment, extra-curricular organizations came to be critical for business and professional connections. [4] The type of labor that before had been limited to the home became a mainstay in industry as fashion, child-care, and consumer education became industries open to women.