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UNIT 2
HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY, AND PRINCIPLES OF
HOME ECONOMICS

INSIDE
 Lesson 1 - DEVELOPMENT OF HOME ECONOMICS AS A
DISCIPLINE AND PROFESSION
I. HOME ECONOMICS IN THE PHILIPPINES
a) Historical Development
b) Home Economics Degree Program
II. HOME ECONOMICS IN OTHER COUNTRIES
a) United States
b) Great Britain
c) Australia
d) Others
 Lesson 2 - PHILOSOPHIES AND PRINCIPLES
a) MODELS OF HOME ECONOMICS
b) IMPLICATION OF MODERN PHILOSOPHIES (Idealism,
Existentialism, Pragmatism, Perennialism, Constructivism) ON
THE FIELD OF HOME ECONOMICS

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Specific Outcomes: At the end of the unit, the students must have

a) summarized the historical development of home economics;

b) analyzed the models of home economics;

c) determined the implications of the philosophies and principles applied to

home economics.

Lesson 1 – Development of Home Economics

as a Discipline and Profession

I. Home Economics in the Philippines

Home Economics was a relatively new academic

discipline when it was introduced in the Philippine public
schools’ curriculum in 1904, it was supposed to teach the
practical application of science to homemaking.
Pioneering American teachers, recognizing the unique influence of Filipinas had in
society sought to direct the female power, particularly in a family setting. Initial
classroom material, particularly for nutrition and dietetics, failed to wean taste buds
from native preferences to Americanized savors.

As teaching strategies, were shaped, was appropriate to the Filipina, textbooks

with recipes of native foods, both for every day and those for a special occasion,
were disseminated across the archipelago. The cuisine is a valuable component of
culture. Domestic science might have unexpectedly strengthened Filipino identity
while influencing women to become modern homemakers. Founded by former
senator Dr. Helena Benitez in 1948, Philippine Home Economics Association
(PHEA) brings together Home Economics and allied professionals to improve the
Technology and Livelihood Education and Edukasyong, Pantahanan at
Pangkabuhayan (EPP) subjects’ areas as well as the lives of Filipino families.
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The American method of instruction was ensured by bringing in hundreds

of American teachers called Thomasites in 1901

Vocational training in housekeeping and household arts was made an

important element of girl’s education in the Philippines.
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Elvessa Ann Stewart

A graduate of the University of

Nebraska, she went to the Philippines
as a teacher in 1913. Superintendent
of Home Economics in the Bureau of
Education in Manila in 1929. For 20
years, Domestic training had
flourished in Filipino Schools
starting with “sewing, cooking, and
housekeeping.”

In 1920. Girls in grade 5 to 7 were required to devote 80 minutes a day to home

economics activities which included:

- Cooking - Infant Care

- Sewing - Food Selection
- Housekeeping - Embroidery
- Sanitation - Lacemaking
- Home Nursing
In 1941, every secondary girl was required to have at least one year of home
economics before graduation. Required subjects included nutrition and child care.

Teachers of intermediate Home Economics were required to be graduates of

the Philippine Normal School or the equivalent, which required 3 years of study
beyond the secondary level.

Home Economics: Today and Tomorrow

Today . . .

➢ Professionals continue to practice in many venues which include secondary

teaching, college and university teaching, college and university teaching, and
research and outreach through cooperative extension programs.
➢ K to 12 Program
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Tomorrow - . . .

Why should we have home economics? We need to bring back the old home
economics class. Call it “Skills for Life” and make it mandatory in high school.
Teach basic economics along with budgeting, comparison, shopping, basic cooking
skills, and home management. Give them a better start in real life.

Learnings in Home Economics

• drives academic and applied knowledge; students explore the food system,
from its origin to the market.
• develops skills in food preparation.
• triggers thinking and action to create changes.
• challenge learning pathways.

a. Historical Development

Although principles of domesticity were being taught as early as the mid19th

century, the term “home economics” was not applied to this area of study until the
early 20th century. An increasingly literate population and the greater
availability of printed materials in the 19th century catalyzed the consumption
of literature in homemaking. Furthermore, in 1862, the Morrill Act was passed,
establishing land-grant colleges in each state that were open to women, and that was
mandated to foster research and instruction in practical areas of endeavor.

This time, the application of scientific theories and techniques

modernized activities associated with home economics, such as cooking, laundry,
sewing, house cleaning, care of the sick, and sanitation. This led to the
implementation of courses in “domestic science” at the end of the nineteenth
century. In 1899, with the establishment of the Lake Placid Conferences, the term
“home economics” was decided upon and activists began to call for the teaching of
home economics in schools across the country. In 1908, conference participants
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formed the American Home Economics Association which went on to lobby federal
and state governments for funding to facilitate the research and teaching of
home economics.
In 1917, the Smith-Hughes Act mandated an emphasis in Home Economics
and provided funding for occupational preparation in classes. Although this act
undermined and codified gender roles in the field of home economics, it also
established an important line between the federal government and the field of home
economics which “sought to elevate and enlarge women’s roles in the home and the
society.” The study of home economics aimed to “prepare student[s] for effective
discharge of duties within the home and give scientific preparation for the efficient
administration of household affairs” (Calvin 1). Home economics also gained
popularity in response to the perceived breakdown in society in the early 1900s as a
result of urbanization, industrialization, and immigration.

The Vocational Education Act of 1963 diminished the funding that the field
had been receiving from the Smith-Hughes Act. Funding was only to be provided
for home economics education that leads to gainful employment. Relatedly, in the
1960s and 1970s, home economics came under fire with changing societal norms for
women at home and in the workplace. Many schools dropped these programs and,
in some cases, the educators of this profession were criticized for their lack of
sympathy towards modern feminism. However, home economics legitimately
created opportunities for women and greatly impacted American society, creating
vocational and economic opportunities for women and educating boys/men
regarding domestic skills.

Timeline of Home Economics

Home Economics stands for the ideal home life for

today unhampered by the traditions of the past and the
utilization of all the resources of modern science to improve
home life. - Ellen Swallow Richards
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Catherine Beecher (1800-1878)

One of the first to champion the economics of running a

home. Argue for the importance of domestic life and
sought to apply scientific principles to childbearing,
cooking, and housekeeping. Treaties on the domestic
economy for the Use of Young Ladies at Home.

Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896)

An American abolitionist and author. She

came from the Beecher family, a famous religious
family, and is best known for her novel Uncle
Tom’s Cabin.

Catherine and Harriet both were leaders in

mid-19th century North America in talking about
domestic science. They came from a very religious
family that valued education, especially for women.

The Morrill Act of 1862

Propelled domestic science further ahead as land grant colleges sought to

educate farm wives in running their households as their husbands were being
educated in agricultural methods and processes. In the last decades of the nineteenth
century, the land-grant schools, along with a few private institutions, established
courses of instruction in what was generally called “domestic Science”. Iowa,
Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan were early leaders offering
programs for women.
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Ellen Swallow Richards (1842 – 1911)

A pioneer in sanitary engineering and a founder

of home economics in the United States. She was the
first woman to attend a seminar at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology and later became the first
female instructor. She was also the first to suggest that
public water needs treatment with chlorine. And
started the Home Economics Movement. Also focused
on applying scientific principles to domestic
situations. The most prominent female American
chemist of the 19th century. Late in the 19th century, Richards convened a group of
contemporaries to discuss the essence of domestic science and how the elements of
this discipline would ultimately improve the quality of life for many individuals and
families.
Richards wanted to call this, Oekology, or the science of right living. Euthenic, the
science of the controllable environment. “Home economics” was ultimately chosen
as the official term in 1899.
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In 1899, Richard, along with Melvin Dewey and other

educators and activists, organized a series of annual
gatherings that became known as the Lake Placid
Conferences. These educators worked tirelessly to elevate the
discipline, which was to become home economics, to a
legitimate profession.

In 1908, Conference participants formed the American Home Economics

Association (AHEA). This organization effectively lobbied the federal and state
governments to provide funding for home economics research and teaching,
including adult education work through agricultural extension services, leading to
the rapid expansion of educational programs. In 1993, the American Home
Economics Association was changed to the American Association of Family and
Consumer Sciences during the Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.
b. Home Economics Degree Program and Majors

History of Home Economics (1997 – 1982 related to degree programs and majors)

Family and Consumer Sciences evolved from Home Economics emerged at

the turn of the twentieth century in the context of the progressive reform movement.
The organizers of the home economics movement were educated men and women
who deplored the problems associated with urban crowding, child labor,
malnutrition, immigration, and lack of education, but they also believed that the
application of scientific knowledge could improve the daily lives of people and the
policies of public agencies and employers (Stage 1997, Vincenti 1982). They
organized courses to improve nutrition.

Both two –year associate and four – year bachelor’s degrees in family and
consumer education, also called home economics, included general education
courses as well as basic home economics instruction in areas such as household
finance, early childhood development, and nutrition. Bachelor programs that include
student – teaching experience can lead to teacher certification at the elementary
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middle school, or high school levels on an individual level, the skills gained from
education in this discipline can greatly enhance a student’s financial well-being and
personnel relationships. Prerequisites for both associate and bachelor’s degrees in
family and consumer education include a high school diploma.

In the present situation, as the name implies, interior designers use home economics
in the form of interior design as they plan and decorate indoor spaces. These
designers work closely with their clients to plan projects that may include choosing
paint colors, furniture, light fixtures, and other furnishings for homes and/or
businesses. Interior designers must also be aware of budgets and timelines for their
work and ensure that the client is happy with the result. These designers need a
bachelor's degree in the field.

In local status, it teaches courses in childcare, family relations, finance, nutrition,

and related subjects like home management. Includes both teachers primarily
engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. And
in a global situation, when professionals engaged in and with their professional
practices, they assert a claim of extraordinary knowledge. With Home Economics,
it is such a challenge when everyday lived experiences are in themselves, of which
everyone has knowledge of it. Professional application of knowledge has an explicit
focus on the wellbeing of others and therefore it constitutes professional practice.
Home Economics educators engage in professional practice when we connect with
students and their families to build capacity for a life well-lived. It considers the
professional practice of Home Economics education using Aristotle’s consideration
of human action through the dispositions of techné, episteme, and phronesis. Each
provides unique understandings about the relationship between ideology and action,
and therefore professional practice. Using these three dispositions to understand
professional practice is a position that is different from the current market ideology
that pervades every social and cultural institution, especially schools. Using
McGregor’s (2010) eight unique contributions of Home Economics that enables the
discussion about the professional practice of Home Economics in a market-
orientated era. It concludes with a discussion about what the three dispositions for
human action offers Home Economics educators as they focus on what they do with
their students in classrooms that have also meaning outside the school gates and
beyond the school years.
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Home Economics is called now as a family and consumer science according

to the Los Angeles Times. Modern home economics courses now offer more
inclusive education to all students, including those in high school. The field is also
known by other names, including human sciences, home science, and the domestic
economy. From historical development to home economics degree program and
majors in the Philippines context, home economics is a discipline which is explicitly
concerned with the family and all aspects of family living. From the time it was
founded and until the present, its basic mission is still to improve individual and
family life and changing political, economic, and physical conditions, principles,
and ideals which are concerned on with man’s immediate physical environment, his
nature as a social being and the relationships. It’s broad areas of concern revolve
around the goal of helping families meet their basic needs and realize satisfying
personal, family, and community goals based on an understanding of the physical,
psychological and socio-economic needs of the family in the Philippine Cultural
Setting. Home economics was founded to help individuals and families relate to
change. Its uniqueness lies in the holistic view of daily living of individuals and
families.

II. Home Economics in other Countries

Home Economics in other countries has contributed significantly to

strengthening programs aimed at women, families, and children (O ’Toole and
Nelson 1998), and to formally and informally educate women, increasing understand
and appreciate other cultures, improving public health, and improving the process of
introducing change.

a. UNITED STATES. It began to become involved outside their country at

the start of the twentieth country when mission boards hired graduates to assist
in establishing home economics. (Ellen Swallow Richards was the first
president of the American Home Economics.)

The LIBRARY OF CONGRESS departments in schools and colleges in other

countries improved the living conditions of the people when the missionaries
worked (O ‘Tools and Nelson,1988).
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b. GREAT BRITAIN. As a subject, home economics is the science of the

household. Home economics as an exhibition proposes five new models for
domestic life, curated through the time of domestic occupancy. To teach
Home Economics, one will need to study a relevant degree such as a
Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) or a degree that
combines education with Home Economics subject and if these options don’t
quite work, there are some alternative routes to consider.

Home Economics arts questions of British society and architectural culture

that have come about as a result of changes in patterns of everyday life. In
Asia, it is a strong component in higher education and advances are being
made in different Asian countries; research is being conducted and the
discipline is attaching significant numbers of young people.

c. AUSTRALIA. Home Economics is a multidisciplinary subject that

promotes the well-being of individual families and communities. The institute
is the peak professional body for home economics professionals in Australia.

In Australia, Home Economics courses mainly taught students how to cook

new dishes, garden, and take care of children. It allowed women to receive a
better education while also prepared them for a life of settling down, doing
chores, and taking care of their children while the husband becomes the head
winners.

d. Others
In Latin America, there are few units in higher education institutions, but more
at the intermediate level in teacher – training programs. Brazil and Colombia
have a strong higher education program. In Central and Eastern Europe, home
economics training is giving a result of work done by the (IFHE) International
Federation in Home Economics Committee on Outreach.
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Lesson 2 – Philosophies and Principles

a. MODELS OF HOME ECONOMICS

Economists focus on the household - a residential unit - whose members pool

their resources (at least to some degree) to provide for the welfare of all. Households
usually consist of family members linked by blood or marriage, occasionally
augmented by unrelated members. Households are defined based on residence, while
families are defined primarily by kinship. The household is not an undifferentiated
unit, but "an economy in microcosm, a system of exchanges, entitlements, and
responsibilities allocated among members in a group whose boundaries are far from
clear" (Rogers 1990). According to Guyer (1980), it is "a particularly dense center
in a network of exchange relationships." Within the group residing together, there
may be further distinctions between those who do and do not carry out domestic
functions together, such as cooking, eating, child care, and farm labor (Webb 1989;
Heywood 1990). Therefore, different analyses of the same household may identify
different subgroups of individuals.

Microeconomics household theory traditionally deals with questions of labor

supply and consumer behavior. No distinction is made between an individual and a
household of several members. New concepts in the mid-’60s; however, such as the
formalization of the human capital concept. In most cases, the household is still
considered as a unique decision unit, and interactions between household members
are neglected. With the development of the new house economics, economists now
pay more attention to family decisions that go beyond traditional economics
questions. Instead of being treated as a black box, the household is increasingly
regarded as the production place of basic commodities, and interaction between
family members has become an object of analysis.
Other models in home economics
1. Management of the household: Economics
2. Application of Science: Human Ecology
3. Introductive Reasoning: Cooking and Sewing
4. Education of Women: Homemaking
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Decisions in an Existing Family

Traditional models of time allocation suppose a joint utility function for the
household as a unit. The income of all family members is pooled and all produced
goods are used jointly or distribute fairly within the family.

These assumptions are fundamental for traditional models of labor supply and
time allocation. Given that all income is pooled and all commodities are jointly
consumed or fairly divided, a utility function will be maximized. The various
approaches differ only in the assumptions concerning the different ways of using
time.

b. IMPLICATION OF MODERN PHILOSOPHIES ON THE

FIELD OF HOME ECONOMICS

Idealism

The idealism philosophy of Socrates (469-399 BC)

and Plato (427-347BC) has many social implications,
mainly on the idea of the state government as well as
education (Brickhouse, and Nicholes, 2000). A need to offer
an appropriate social milieu would be mandatory provided
that the state wishes the fine natural prospective of its teens
is apprehended and ideal to their fullest potential.

In other words, the state must introduce an outstanding social

implication. Idealism insights into question that mattered, such as: What is the
purpose of life? What are the values by which man should live? How does man
perfect his character? People must provide their bodies with basic needs in terms of
food. Consequently, human beings can see the truth, reason, and recollect through
the mind, not the body provides and that their bodily needs are satisfied (Klemke,
Kline, & Holenger, 1986). In other words, a human being must possess a healthy
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body by not neglecting it and at the same time not giving it great attention, which
would help to liberate the mind so it can function to the fullest potential.
Implication of Idealism to Home Economics
This implies that in-home economics, it refers to the ways people interpret
and implement healthy eating just to live. Being literate to foods, it helps to foster a
healthy relationship to nutrition through the three mechanisms: security, choice
association preference, habit, values, ethnic heritage, tradition, social interaction,
emotional state, availability, convenience, economy, age, occupation, and body
image), and pleasure that can give satisfaction to the body and mind.

Existentialism
The existentialism uses existence to refer
specifically to human, existence. There is a
common belief that only a concrete thing can
exist. Existentialists also supported this view and
described the man as a concrete individual,
capable of being existent.

Existentialism believes in an individual’s personal experience. Thus, it is

considered as a philosophy of being, a philosophy of attestation and acceptance has
an essence. In this regard, existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre’s famous dictum “existence
comes before essence”, which implies that there is no pre-defined essence to
humanity except that which it makes for itself.

Principles of Existentialism:
1. Subjectivity – It is only natural that man is held responsible for what he is.

2. Disbelief in God – Man’s freedom develops from existentialists called atheists

disbelief in God.

3. Choice as the ultimate evaluation – “freedom of choice,” If an individual is

free, he must be free to choose, and correct choice will set him free.
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4. Anguish (Anxiety) – The realization of a profound responsibility gives rise to

anguish.

5. Nothingness – Human existence, thus appears as the nothingness of being, as

a negation of every reality.

6. Absurd – a state of alienation from the word.

7. Death – supports the negative experience and is the final say that life is
meaningless.

To get a better group of how existentialism looks at life, here are

examples of existential questions:
Who AM I? What is death?
What is the meaning of life? What happens when I die?
What is the meaning of existence? Is there a God?
What is my greater purpose?

Implications of Home Economics to Existentialism

Education in its technical sense, with all its tools and techniques, is the means
to achieve some objectives. Its various aspects are ideal with the methodology of
education which refers to a set of methods, principles, and rules for regulating an
educational system. Methodology of education is revised according to the age and
the means at the disposal of a nation. But the aims and objectives that a nation set
before are deeply rooted in the philosophy of life it holds and can hardly be changed.
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Pragmatism

Implications of Pragmatism
According to pragmatism, the education of
the child should be through the medium of society
so that it develops in him socially, the qualities
which promote his welfare and happiness. John
Dewey rightly speaks out Education is a process of
development.
Education Implication on:
1. Education as life
2. Education as growth
3. Education as a social process
4. Education a continuous restructuring of experience
5. Education the responsibility of the state

a) Education is a continuous re-organizing, reconstructing, and integrating the

experience and activity of race.

b) An education child is born with inherent capacities, tendencies, and aptitudes

which are drawn out and developed by education.

c) Education is the social continuity of life.

d) Knowledge is gained by experiences and experiments, conducted by itself.

e) It is for the state to make the child capable and confident to meet the problems
and challenges of life successfully.

The implication of Home Economics to Pragmatism

When professionals engage in with their professional practice, they assert a
claim of extraordinary knowledge. Within Home Economics such a claim is a
challenge when everyday lived experiences are in and of themselves ordinary of
which everyone apparently has knowledge. Professional application of knowledge
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has an explicit focus on the well-being of often and therefore is what constitutes
professional practice. Home economics educators engaged in professional practice
when they connect with students and their families to build capacity for the life we
lived.
Perennialism
This is a teacher-centered educational philosophy
that focuses on everlasting ideas and universal truths. To
clarify, Perennialism suggests that the focus of education
should be the ideas that have barb of centuries behaving the
ideas are as relevant and meaningful today as when they
were written.

The goal of perennials education is to teach students to thinks rationally and develop
minds that can think critically, which develops in students a lifelong guess for the
truth. Perennials believe that education should epitomize a prepared effort process
toward the understanding and appreciation of the great works, like literature written
by histories finest thinkers that transcend time and never become outdated.
The implication of Perennialism to Home Economics
A perennial home economics classroom aims to be a closely organized and
well-disciplined environment, which develops in students a lifelong quest for the
truth. For example, reading, speaking, and listening are emphasized in the early
grades to prepare in later grades to study literature, history, and philosophy related
to home economics.
Constructivism
Constructivist professional development
gives teachers time to make explicit their
understanding of learning (e.g., is it a
constructive process), of teaching (e.g is a
teacher an orator or a facilitator, and what is the
teacher’s understanding of content?), and of
professional development (e.g., is teachers own.
. .)
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Constructivism central idea is that human learning is constructed, that learners

build new knowledge upon the foundation of previous learning that sharply contrasts
with one in which learning is the passive transmission of information from one
individual to another, a view in which reception, not construction, is the key.
Constructivism represents one big idea in education. Its implications on how
teachers teach and learn are enormous. If efforts in reforming education for all
students are to succeed, then teachers must focus on students. To date, a focus on
student-centered learning may well be the most important contribution of
constructionism.
The implication of Home Economics to constructivism
Here are the following tips for the teachers:
1. encourage team working and collaboration
2. promote discussion or debates
3. set up study groups for peer learning
4. allocate a small proportion of grades for peer assessment and train students in
the process and criteria
5. show students models of good practice in essay writing and project work.
Examples of constructivist classroom activities:
• Reciprocal teaching/learning – allow pairs of students to teach each other.

• Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL). Learners pose their own questions and seek
answers to their questions via research and direct observation.

• Problem – Based Learning (PBL)

• Cooperative learning