Home economics has always involved far more than cooking and sewing.
“The original intent was to look at problems that impact everyday people,” said Rhonda Breitkreuz, assistant professor of human ecology at the University of Alberta.
Linda Ashley, vice-president of the Association of Saskatchewan Home Economists (ASHE), said everyone has issues regarding money, the environment and health.
A home economist’s job is to help people address problems and look for solutions.
“A home economist is often an educator, but not just in a school or university,” said Ashley.
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She said home economists are everywhere in today’s society. Among other things, they could be government policy makers, communications representatives, counsellors or financial advisers.
That variety in careers is the result of human ecology programs being taught in a range of university academic departments.
When the idea of home economics began to run parallel to home making, many universities changed the names of their programs to better represent what was being taught.
“The rebranding was important because I think it really does demonstrate our broader focus,” said Breitkreuz.
Glenda Parsons, communications officer with the Faculty of Human Ecology at the University of Manitoba, agreed, adding that the change encouraged new interest in the field.
“The focus didn’t change, but what people thought of as the focus had changed,” she said.
Broader focus
Although the human ecology courses now are more science and research based than in the past, they still revolve around the same ideas.
Nutritional sciences focuses on nutrition, diseases and sensory benefits of food products, and textiles looks at developing clothing for the fashion, medical, military and sports industries.
Other courses look at family violence and conflict resolution, the effects of aging on individuals and families, and child and adolescent development.
Specialized courses allow students to take their degrees into other professions. Acquiring a more general degree prepares them for teaching home economics courses in schools.
These focus largely on home-making skills, so it’s still important that university students learn the basics in fields such as cooking and sewing.
Beverly Pain, a home economics educator at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Education, said the course is important for bettering the lives of the children.
“They need it to survive, they need it to eat healthy,” she said. “They need to be able to budget their money. They have to be able to feel comfortable and happy with what they can put on their backs, so they feel good about themselves and have a nice surrounding to live in.”
The home economics program at the U of S focuses on developing home economics teachers.
Students gain the general knowledge they would in other universities, but the courses are designed to help them pass their knowledge on to others.
The former College of Home Economics used to include other specialized majors, but was shut down in 1990. A plaque honouring the College of Home Economics was erected at the U of S on Oct. 17.
