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Pre-Industrial Family in America
Prior to the Industrial Revolution in America, the family was mainly an economic unit that lived together. Often extended family would also live with a family, especially in the more rural areas Sometimes included nonfamily members who cared for house and children. Once old enough, children were often sent off to help other families. -
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Industrial Revolution Family in America
Men were going away from the house for work as family roles became more defined. The middle class and modern family -- consisting of a breadwinning husband, housewife, and children -- emerged during this time. -
Ellen Swallow is Born
Ellen Swallow is born Swallow Farms after the Industrial Revolution -
Graduated from Vasser College
In 1870, Ellen Swallow graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-history-of-economic-thought/article/ellen-richardss-home-economics-movement-and-the-birth-of-the-economics-of-consumption/59F5DF4FCB70A362734A8E9890CE2E28#:~:text=FROM%20SANITARY%20SCIENCE%20TO%20HOME%20ECONOMICS%20(1870s%E2%80%931890s),-Ellen%20Richards%27s%20maiden&text=Her%20work%20in%20hygiene%20and,by%20germs%20in%20the%20home. -
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Sanitation Sciences to Home Economics
Throughout her life Ellen Swallow-Richards continued to study and educate people. It was her point that hygiene should be taught in schools that eventually lead to the development of Home Economics. Ellen Swallow-Richards believed that at the very least, people should know how to stop the spread of disease by germs in their houses -
Ellen Swallow and MIT
After Vasser College Ellen set her sights on applying to MIT. At this time, women were not allowed to earn a degree from them, but 2 years after applying she was given permission to take the exams for entering the bachelor's degree program. She was always denied the opportunity to get her doctorate (Moore; Asay).
She went back to MIT to get a second bachelors at MIT and Master of Arts at Vasser College -
Got Married
Ellen Swallow married Robert Hallowell Richards in 1875. Robert Richards was the chairman of MIT's mining department. https://www.sciencehistory.org/historical-profile/ellen-h-swallow-richards -
Established Womans Laboratory
In 1876 the Women's Laboratory was established at MIT through her unending ambition to continue women's education. Three years later, in 1879, she as finally recognized as an assistant instructor there, although she still wasn't receiving pay. -
Published Book
Ellen Swallow-Richards wrote a book "The Chemistry of Cooking and Cleaning: A Manuel for Housekeepers" which used her scientific knowledge on topics like good nutrition, pure foods, proper clothing, physical fitness, and sanitation. She spent a lot of her time working for better discipline of home economics.
https://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2014/08/ellen-swallow-richards.html -
Home Economics Association Formed
in 1908, at a Lake Placid, NY conference, the American Home Economics Association was formed, putting Ellen Swallow-Richards as it's very first president