Home Economics

Home economics as a movement, an academic field of study, and a profession had its birth in 1899 at the first of a series of conferences in Lake Placid, New York, initiated by Ellen Swallow Richards. [Page 545]Begun as a social movement to enlarge women's opportunities for scientific training and careers, it emphasized applying scientific principles to the problems of everyday living. From its early beginnings through establishing a professional organization, the American Home Economics Association (AHEA), to a myriad of efforts at restatement of its mission, definition, and name, the field has continued to reflect concern for the elements of the home, in its broadest sense, and the well-being of individuals and families.

Educated as a research chemist and the first female graduate of MIT, Ellen Richards was committed to applying science to the problems women encountered in everyday life. She had “faith in science as a cure-all” (Richards, 1909, p. 20). She engineered the first serious discussion of this new field, home economics, by organizing a series of Lake Placid Conferences in 1899. Ten women who were in careers or active in public affairs were invited by Richards to become founders of this new profession. Richards was elected the first chair and oversaw the number of attendees grow from the founding 11 to more than 700. The definition of home economics formulated at the 1902 Conference is still widely used and quoted today:

Richards's emphasis on professionalism and education prevailed over the course of the conferences and culminated in the founding of the American Home Economics Association in 1909, when she was elected its first president. She was visionary in her desire to have educated women both apply scientific principles in their own homes and have concern for the amelioration of the condition of mankind. This holistic vision gave the profession a unique mission and moved it beyond simple attention to household tasks. Richards worked throughout her lifetime to broaden the thinking of leaders in this new enterprise to include the task of helping to shape society. Her comprehensive vision has both sustained the profession and presented obstacles to its clear understanding.

Since the 1960s, the field has continuously examined itself and acted dynamically to mold its mission and vision to reflect a contemporary response to societal problems. A profession dedicated to a synergistic, holistic focus and an abiding commitment to individuals, families, and communities, it brings together the research and practice of numerous specialized disciplines such as human nutrition, foods, clothing and textiles, family and child development, housing, family economics, consumer education, and home management. It is no wonder that the tensions between the “whole” and the specialized parts have been felt over time.

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