Those readers whose memories of home economics class are dominated by muffin tins and sewing machines might be surprised to learn about Caroline Hunt, an early innovator in the field. Hunt had no patience for the time-consuming household tasks “home ec” became associated with. “The woman who today makes her own soap instead of taking advantage of machinery for its production enslaves herself to ignorance by limiting her time for study,” she declared. In 1908, she resigned from her position as the University of Wisconsin’s first home economics professor with a letter bemoaning the department’s emphasis on cooking and sewing.
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