A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE MEANING OF HOME ECONOMICS: THE 1899-1908 LAKE PLACID CONFERENCES AND 'HOME ECONOMICS: A DEFINITION'

Purpose. This study compared the meaning of home economics as a professional field of study found in the 1899-1908 Lake Placid Conferences to the 1979 meaning of home economics in Home Economics: A Definition. Objectives of the study were: (1) To determine the conceptual meaning of home economics as a professional field of study as reflected by the participants of the 1899-1980 Lake Placid Conferences. (2) To determine the influence societal institutions may have had on the meaning of home economics at the time of the Lake Placid Conferences. (3) To determine the conceptual meaning of home economics as a professional field of study as reflected in Home Economics: A Definition. (4) To determine the influence societal institutions of 1979 may have had on the meaning of home economics as reflected in the writings of Home Economics: A definition. (5) To compare the conceptual meaning of home economics as a professional field of study by the participants of the 1899-1908 Lake Placid Conferences with that of the authors of Home Economics: A Definition. (6) To compare the influence of societal institutions of the times of the conceptual meaning of home economics as reflected in the writings of the participants of the Lake Placid Conferences and the authors of Home Economics: A Definition.;Findings. The meaning of home economics as a professional field of study was found to be consistent in both the 1899-1908 Lake Placid Conferences and in the 1979 Home Economics: A Definition. Consistency was determined by comparing identified components of three professional field (purpose, presuppositions, conceptual structure of knowledge, mode of inquiry) as influenced by societal institutions (family, religion, politics, economics, education) during both historical time periods.;Wide Spectrum Inference. This process involved putting data into the context of a higher level and then illustrating the connections. Points to be summarized as a result of applying this process include: (1) If members of the field had accepted and practiced the meaning of home economics as indicated in either set of papers, families would be assuming a stronger role in society. (2) The practice of home economics is applicable only in free societies. (3) There is a strong need for home economists to recognize their role in the political process. This role is to develop strong systems of action within families so families can influence the institution of politics by their social nature to create social conditions which enhance desired family values. (4) Home economics is not a discipline; it is a professional field of study built upon several disciplines. It is a distinct field in education at the university or college level. (5) The name home economics is the appropriate name to designate wholeness of a professional field of study. (6) Before unity can occur in home economics, professionals must agree upon the practical problems which should be foundational for study within the field.;This study provides direction for future unity in home economics.;Methodology. Interpretive science as a metascientific research perspective as justified. Ethnographic research techniques, drawn from the field of anthropology, provided a means of identifying and classifying the "meaning" of concepts derived from written material. Specifically, modified ethnoscience procedures were utilized in data collection. A componential analysis was conducted with the Lake Placid Conference Proceedings and with Home Economics: A Definition using the folowing areas: (a) family, (b) religion, (c) politics, (d) economics, (e) education, (f) purpose of home economics, (g) presuppositions, (h) conceptual structure of knowledge, and (i) mode of inquiry. Martrices were then developed to facilitate the comparison of data.