Further classification of home economics courses upon the basis of the customary departmental subject-matter fields serves to indicate the relative emphasis given to the different subjects by land-grant college home economics units. Table 15 summarizes the facts with reference to this classification and also gives data concerning the undergraduate courses that may carry graduate credit.

TABLE 15.-Emphasis upon various home economics subject-matter units and development of work in the same shown by relative number of courses and semester hours offered by 39 land-grant institutions

Examination of the table shows, in so far as number of courses offered is an indication, that the emphasis is upon two fields, foods and nutrition and textiles and clothing. Six hundred, or 51.6 per cent, of the 1,162 courses offered deal with these subjects, of which 341, or 29.3 per cent, are in foods and nutrition and 259, or 22.3 per cent, in textiles and clothing. Next in order of number of courses offered is applied or related art with 188 courses, or 16.2 per cent of the total.

In spite of the fact that Smith-Lever extension work provides employment in the field of home economics to a large number of women only 12 courses in home economics extension, slightly more than 1 per cent of the total number of courses, are offered by the 39 land-grant colleges reporting. Inasmuch as the work of home demonstration agents should require rather intensive technical home economics training in a variety of subject-matter fields it is sometimes thought sufficient to emphasize these aspects of preparation. However, the portion of this survey that deals with the land-grant college extension services shows two things clearly, first, that the demand for home demonstration agents will increase greatly during

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the next 10 years, and second, that the training of the present home economics extension field force is inadequate. If to these considerations be added the increasing emphasis upon all forms of adult education and consequent development of methods and techniques appropriate to such instruction, it becomes fairly obvious that home economics may well give greater attention to courses designed for the special training of home economics extension workers.

In the past such courses as have been offered have not been popular, but even cursory examination of the situation reveals many reasons for their failure to appeal to students. In many instances they have been makeshifts, only slightly related to actual work in the field by practice opportunities, and even more commonly the tone of extension leaders in the institutions has been one of minimizing the practical benefits and advantages that may result from formal training for the field. So much reliance has been placed upon common sense, tact, and energy requirements for extension service that the actual possibilities of psychological and personnel management instruction have been seriously neglected. If home economics extension is to be developed to the extent and upon a plane that is desirable, training must be given comparable to that of high-school teachers although of quite a different kind and emphasis.

It is also somewhat disconcerting to discover that the courses that are directly related to health constitute but 3 per cent of the total number of home economics courses offered. While it is true that health and sanitation are treated in other groups of courses from both their public and domestic aspects, it is extremely probable that the small number of courses offered directly upon the subject reflect an actual deficiency of emphasis in home economics work. At no point does home economics have a better opportunity to provide upon a nonmedical plane a very extensive and extremely technical body of scientific, legal, and social training that should create attitudes and interests upon the part of students which will operate throughout their lives to the advantage of personal living and community welfare. It is earnestly recommended that home economics leaders consider the possibility of utilizing subject matter in the fields of health and sanitation to a much greater extent than at present as a means of accomplishing the objectives of home economics defined by preceding paragraphs of this report.

Although not a matter that concerns the classification of home economics courses by subject-matter fields, one further noticeable and perhaps significant characteristic or tendency became very evident in the examination of the courses listed by home economics departments for the purposes of this survey. This was the frequency with which the word "selection was included in the course

titles. Food selection, clothing selection, selection of household textiles and furnishings, and similar titles show the interest being taken in presenting a larger number of courses on this basis. Specialization in industry has taken over in such large part the construction of the materials necessary to clothe, house, and feed the family, that the problem of the homemaker is, and will increasingly be, one of selection. It is becoming more and more the case that choice of commodities and activities must be based upon highly technical knowledge if it is to be intelligent and not simply in response to attractively illustrated advertising.

Chapter VII.-Curricula

A curriculum is merely the bringing together of various elements of instruction so related to each other and to the accomplishment of a common purpose that a definite educational objective may be attained. A curriculum is in effect a planned rather than a chance means to reach a specific desirable educational outcome. Merely to group together a series of courses haphazard and without reference. to a purposeful result is not making a curriculum. The whole significance and purpose of curriculum making lies in the assembly and use of materials purposefully. Like a road a curriculum leads from one place to another; its terminal must be definitely selected. A single curriculum can not serve a half dozen major objectives.

It becomes important, therefore, to discover how home economics sets about constructing its curricula, what objectives are set up by each, and how well the specific selection and groupings of elements are adapted to the accomplishment of these objectives.

In discussion of methods of determining offerings some of the administrative processes adopted for the construction of home economics curricula have been presented. The arrangement of these offerings into distinct curricula is usually not rigidly prescribed throughout. Part may be required, part freely elective, or part may be elective within a limited range of choice. Many kinds of combinations and special adjustments are in practice. Thus a basic or core group of courses extending over a 4-year period (sometimes mistakenly referred to as a curriculum) may be prescribed to which various free or group electives may be attached for the purpose of attaining specialized objectives of various kinds. Or the basic courses may be grouped in the first two years and upon these various specialized curricula of two years may be constructed. Under either of these types of course grouping, what the student gets is a curriculum only in so far as the grouping and the succession represent a planned and purposeful means to the accomplishment of a definite educational end.

How many curricula do the various home economics units set up and which ones are most generally offered? Without attempting to determine at this point whether what the institutions call curricula

satisfy the definition given or are in fact something else, we find the following situation. Five institutions report but one curriculum, that in general home economics. Eleven report 2 curricula, 1 of which in 10 instances is the general home economics curriculum and in 9 cases is the curriculum in teacher training. Three curricula are offered by each of 10 institutions; 4 by 7; 5 by 4; 6 by 1; 7 by 3; 8 by 2; and 10 by 1. Three-fourths of all the institutions reporting offer four or fewer curricula.

It would appear, therefore, upon the face of these returns that the land-grant colleges are in most instances attempting to arrange their work into articulated groups and programs for the accomplishment of a limited number of major objectives. However, this apparent conclusion must be considerably modified in view of the variety of major objectives reported in other portions of the survey returns. It appears rather that in many instances so-called curricula are in fact not groups of courses coordinated for the accomplishment of definite objectives. It seems that assemblies of practically all courses available are frequently designated by the term "curricula. merely upon the basis of the predominance of courses in a specific field. Further examination of detail with reference to certain curricula for which data were furnished will afford additional evidence upon this question.

The following list of curricula given by the institutions will serve to indicate those most generally offered and will also provide a convenient order for successive discussions of each. The curriculum in general home economics is listed by 36 institutions; that in teacher training by 35; foods and nutrition by 20; textiles and clothing by 10; institutional management by 15; extension by 14; and applied or related art by 6.

Various others mentioned by from one to three institutions are curricula in physical education, family life, bacteriology, hospital dietetics, research in textiles and clothing and in clothing and art, hotel management, and home management. But these are so infrequently offered that they are of little significance in a study of general practice in home economics curriculum differentiation.

General Home Economics

General home economics is the curriculum named by more institutions than any other. It will be examined, therefore, in considerable detail in order to determine: First, whether general agreement has been reached as to its objectives; second, whether general agreement has been reached concerning the proportion of the total time that should be allowed to required and elected work; and third, whether general agreement has been reached as to its content.