- Sisters Janice and Carol are trying to decide which classes to take next semester. Janice wants to take home economics, which leaves Carol stunned. "Why home ec?" she asks. Carol proceeds to take her to Miss Jenkins, the home ec teacher, who explains the virtues of learning cooking, sewing, and shopping ("present-day textiles cannot be judged with confidence just by casual examination"). Janice is convinced that her choice is the right one.—frankfob2@yahoo.com
- At home, Carol joins sister Janice, who is figuring out what classes to take next term. She mentions home ec, which surprises Carol. She challenges her sister to find out what home ec classes can teach that they can't learn from mom or figure out for themselves once married. Janice accepts the challenge.
At school, Janice meets with home ec teacher Miss Jenkins, who begins by saying that her mom might be too busy running her household and keep up on the latest developments to teach homemaking to two girls. She adds that home ec is about not merely what to do but why. For most of the remainder of the film, Miss Jenkins narrates in voice-over while scenes illustrate the activities she describes. First up, meal preparation classes that include buying, handling, and preparing food, plus a knowledge of nutrition sufficient to plan meals. Clothing courses cover psychology, history, and design techniques. Home decor classes ready you for decorating your first home, whether it be a trailer or your dream house. Boys also take home ec classes to learn about house design, decorator colors, and money management. Family relationship classes are also become more common for both sexes - preparing students for marriage. Child development classes are important for future parents.
Having heard all this, Janice says that anyone planning to be married would be foolish not to take home ec - but what if she doesn't get married? The teacher responds that if she goes on to college, her high school home ec classes would be good preparation for several subjects, including the obvious college-level home economics, but also subjects like chemistry and bacteriology. She lists a number of career possibilities for college graduates in home ec, including teaching, working in a nursery school, working for businesses that sell to homemakers, and writing. Further specialization would lead to jobs as a dietician, social service worker, or researcher. In any case, there's the advantage of being able to maintain a better home for one's self.
Janice thanks Miss Jenkins and leaves. She recalls her sister's challenge and says to herself, "Just wait 'til I'm home and see Carol - what I won't tell her!"
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