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It is a well-known fact that cooking and home responsibilities have been reserved for the women of the household. However, it is not common knowledge of the ever-changing gender norms and ideas of who should be responsible for the cooking. When women felt the most pressure to be responsible for what happens in the home, including cooking, cleaning, and looking after the kids. According to an article entitled Suburban Housewife, women would “sit on the half-cleaned bathroom floor…and cry.” (1)
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These gender norms have somewhat improved over time as the percentage of men who are cooking has increased from 1997 to 2006 according to a study conducted by Lindsey Tallie in 2018. 2 This timeline seeks to demonstrate a change in gender norms, specifically regarding cooking, and the furthering of women’s education.
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This book contains not only recipes and cooking advice but also instructions for food preservation and other domestic hints. It was also actually written by Scottish writer, Christian Isobel Johnstone, who wrote under the pseudonym, Margaret Dods a character in St. Ronan's Well. Enter[https://books.google.com/books?vid=0qp7op3DrgDWJ1oh&id=c_AGx2L5UPEC&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=Cook+and+&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false] -
The caption handwritten on the back of the photograph reads " Breadmaking club of the Hamilton County Schools from J. B. Brown, Supt." This image comes from the Virginia P. Moore collection. Virginia P. Moore was the first home demonstration agent in Tennessee. Her work expanded to include all aspects of domestic life, including cooking, cleaning, canning, sewing, cleaning, and managing home finances. -
A typwritten text written in black ink on onionskin paper, listing six objectives of Girls' Demonstration Club Work, with the motto, "to make the best better." Home demonstration clubs were introduced in the early 20th-century as an experiment in adult education, specifically for women. The home demonstration work taught women improved methods for accomplishing household responsibilities. These groups flourished after Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act on May 8, 1914. -
These changes in the view of the role of women in the household specifically from the first artifact/event to the last two. The book The Cook and Housewife’s Manual contains recipes and information on how to conduct other housewife duties such as food preservation and other domestic hints.
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This book is representative of the old way of thinking where women were nothing more than a housekeeper and were not valued for their contributions to their family. This woman is seen in many older movies and is the stereotypical 50s housewife. However, many changes occur and lead to a newer way women in the kitchen are viewed as represented by the later two artifacts/events.
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They multiplied after Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act in 1914 which mandated that state and local governments matched federal funding in order to extend the agricultural work by trained men and women agents. This new legislation and increased importance on educating those without a college degree marks significant change in gender norms regarding cooking and allowed women to become better educated leading to their abilities to be employed.
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After viewing this “exhibit” I hope you take away some important lessons and information. First, I hope you are able to reflect on the fight women had to have to get to where they are now. I hope you are able to put yourself in their shoes and feel how they felt, unappreciated, tired, and small. Secondly, I hope you appreciate the abilities and opportunities you have today.
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I hope you look at your life and the accomplishments you have made and take a step back to look at who all made that possible. Lastly, I hope you continue the fight. Gender norms and equality still are not perfect and there are many improvements that can still be made. I hope you take the changes made in the past and continue to apply them to the world we live in now.
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Gender norms are constantly changing as a result of changes in education and societal values. Women used to be seen as the sole housetaker and would only be given responsibilites related to caring for children and taking care of the house. Meanwhile, men would be seen as the breadwinners and the sole provider for their families.
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While some of these stigmas still remain in some cultures, many changes have occurred and women are now seen as and fight for their right to work and be the breadwinners for their families. After viewing this museum exhibit, it is my hope that you will get a glimpse into the early changes in education and societal values that women underwent to get to where we are now.
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The final two artifacts refers to the famous home demonstrations created by women, specifically Virginia P. Moore. As previously mentioned, Virginia P. Moore was the first home demonstration agent in the state of Tennessee. These home demonstration clubs marked a significant change in the education of women, and men. Home demonstrations were an attempt to extend agricultural education to those without a college education. 1