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Family and Consumer Sciences began being taught in the mid-nineteenth century as domestic economy for girls. In this time, women were taken away from the public eye of the community and put into the private eye of the home.
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Created by Ellen H. Richards in the early twentieth century, the AAFCS (originally the American Home Economics Association) was created to emphasize cultural, ethical, and social ideals, and the scientific management of household work. -
The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 established the Cooperative Extension system, in order to provide community educational programs in every county of the U.S.. From this program, Home Economics education was established, and it continues to provide links between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and land-grant universities. All this is for family and consumer education programming, in an effort to improve lives and communities.
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This act established vocational education for paid employment along with vocational home economics education in most public school. By providing funding and equipment, this act transformed the field of study from a female version of general liberal arts and science education, to vocational home economics education for girls in secondary schools.
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The Future Homemakers of America (FHA), established in 1945, developed community leadership through a cocurricular high school organization. -
This act shifted funding focus from home economic courses that had been focused on promoting healthy living habits to family and consumer science courses that focused on preparing students for living and working in a global society.
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This act prohibited sexual discrimination in education. All home economics courses were open to males and females. Male enrollment increased in middle and high school career and family-related programs.
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This emphasized the focus of family and consumer science programs to limit the effects of gender-role stereotyping in the workplace. -
Many family and consumer science programs were strengthened in middle and high school curriculum in the 1990's. This happened especially when the curriculum was revised to contribute to academic, technological, workplace, and family and consumer sciences standards and local and state needs.
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In 1994, the field changed it's name from Home Economics to Family and Consumer Sciences to reflect cultural and educational developments. Future Homemakers of America was also changed to the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America.
https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-homeec-20100826-story.html -