Home Economics and Les Chefettes

Before becoming a high school elective open to all genders, Home Economics began as a course to educate women on how to maintain a home. Created to aid women in learning expertise in homemaking, the courses also taught skills that would translate into other occupations. Hettie Starr Foster established Home Economics courses at Central State in 1908.[1] In the Vista issue published on September 8th, 1916, Mariel Hopkins announced that, for the first time, students can expect the course to be offered as a two-year program beginning with the 1916-1917 academic year. Miss Hopkins would be joined by Domestic Art Instructor, Miss Olive Thomas. With a new class on the horizon, more and more students would be granted the opportunity to learn valuable life skills.

On March 2, 1928, the Vista published exciting news of the new club coming to campus. The club aims to enhance women’s skills as homemakers and citizens by creating social connections and expanding their understanding and abilities related to home life. The brand new club would be named Les Chefettes and the head of the Home Economics department, Olive Thomas, would be the creator and founder. At the time of establishment, these groups offered women a safe and educational space to learn, socialize, and grow together.

In the course of research, I found what I was looking for most of the time, but had a hard time when searching specific information. Without doing an independent search, it was difficult to narrow down if and when home economics courses were available to men rather than a women exclusive group. There is still a lot of information I have been working on combing through and organizing to ensure the research is done in a way that allows the story to be told of both Home Ec and Les Chefettes and also how the two are connected to one another.

The photo I have selected was taken from the 1965 Bronze Book, page 39. The lines “growing realization and appreciation of the joys and satisfaction of homemaking in the modern home” describes exactly what home economics stands for. Without proper tools, the joy and appreciation of home maintenance can become too stressful. By the 1960s, more and more women joined the work force while also maintaining their homes. With the right set of tools and supportive classes based on homemaking, women could complete tasks with confidence.

Historian Bio

My name is Kai Wyskup. I am a history major at UCO. While taking the History Capstone Seminar, we had the opportunity to engage in a project working along side the Archives and Special Collections department. I selected Home Economics and Les Chefettes, courses that might change a young student’s life for the better. The confidence a student or young adult can gain in the home can provide them with skills beyond the classroom. As a historian, I believe there is importance to be able to find out how different clubs originated and why their creation holds significant value.

[1] Mullins, J. D.; Patton, L.; Lillard, B., & Elsner, K. E. (1990). "Home Economics" in A History of the College of Education and Professional Studies at the University of Central Oklahoma: Volume 1, p138.