Flash back 62 years — to 1951 — and what a treat we have today: The 1951 Home Economics project completed reader Angela’s mom Geraldine when she was in the 11th grade at Hoover High School in San Diego, Calif. Entitled “Storage Conveniences in the Home,” this delightful primer is pieced together scrapbook-style, using yarn taped to pages as pointer lines. We declare it museum worthy — a wonderful piece of popular culture ephemera that recalls life — and the education of young women — in the early 1950s.
My mom, who eventually got her bachelor’s degree in home economics, sent me a project she did in high school, in 1951. It’s fabulous. Pictures from magazines, different diagrams of kitchens, examples of types of shelving, etc. I know your site fans would dig it.
We asked Angela if her mom could tell us a bit more. Geraldine replied in a flash:
As an 11th grade student at Hoover High School in San Diego, I chose Home Management for one of my elective classes.
Of course, the class was part of the Home Economics Dept.
The assignment was to use storage space wisely throughout the entire home and garage. Four other girls and I were given the kitchen storage space project.
Each of us presented our magazine cut-outs to the class and I was the only one who earned an “A”. Why? I briefly explained one can spoil a dinner recipe if you are unable to find the correct knife for mincing fresh herbs due to clutter. Store only what you often use and remove the clutter.
Only an “A”, Geraldine? We give you an A+! This is such a wonderful time capsule of school life in the 1950s — thank you, Geraldine! Keep digging through your archives, we want to see More!
And yes, Angela, we dig it. We dig it a lot. Thank you!
Readers, did you discover any new storage ideas from Geraldine’s report? Pam says she’s diggin’ the built-in perfume shelves in #20
All of the images from Geraldine’s high school kitchen and storage project can be seen much larger in our slideshow — for ease of reading captions and admiring all her hard work. Tips to view slide show: Click on first image… it will enlarge and you can also read my captions… move forward or back via arrows below the photo… you can start or stop at any image:
Janet in CT says
WOW! Loved this and could spend hours studying it. What cracks me up is that who now has the time to organize like this? I guess mothers back then who did not work could spend their time making their homes perfect! I doubt many people these days have cabinets or drawers for bread, cereal, jellies, vegetables, and LIGHT BULBS?! And what a laugh to see a big cabinet dedicated to the Nesco type roasters, which were a must back then in every household. Note nothing referring to storage for Saran wrap or paper towels or tin foil; baggies didn’t exist and maybe not plastic wrap or other similar products, so no need for a drawer for it. My MIL must have thirty types in all different colors, in a pigeon hole spaces in a cubicle in her pantry. Excepting the brown floor, I love the kitchen in photo #1, with that dreamy teak looking server in the background. Something I do miss is towel storage in bathrooms and love the shelves with the pink ones. And that towel rack in the kitchen is fantastic. It is called a swinging rack but I think it also pulled out of the cabinet on a slide. In one house we rented, there was one like it and inside the cabinet was a heat vent; you always had warm towels and it was wonderful! That I would love to see revived! So much to see and comment on here but it was another world back then!
Mary says
The lightbulb cabinet is my absolute favorite. I could certainly use one of those.
Kay J says
I totally agree – the lightbulb cabinet is priceless! I ended up using one of the overhead cabinets in our laundry room for our lightbulb storage since we don’t need to replace them as often as they did in the 1950s!
Chris says
The OCD freako in me was absolutely PURRING at all the specific storage areas. I will confess that a few years ago, I go a little crazy with my label maker. I love organization and having really anal, designated storage areas. Luckily, I am more spastic about it in my head than I am in reality. Some of Martha Stewart’s crazy over-organization gives me shivers of joy and envy! 🙂
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
I like how the man-caves are called “Secluded Place for Father” and “Father’s Dream Room.”
Also, the washer and dryer are really neat. Not sure I’ve ever seen ones like that before.
I can’t help but think, though, that if you need that much storage, you simply have too much stuff!
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
Ha ha! Now I see someone made the same comment right above me!
Janet in CT says
That jumped right out at me too! Why can’t it be Mom’s Secluded Place? I guess back then “Mom’s place” was in the kitchen. Or sitting in front of that gorgeous vanity making herself pretty for Dad! Life was so much simpler then.
Jenny A. says
This is awesome! Thanks for sharing. I love the caption “A Secluded Place for Father” – so much more genteel than “Man Cave”, ha ha.
April says
This is so cool, and what makes it even more interesting for me is that my dad graduated from Hoover just a few years before Angela’s mom
db says
This is great!
Sarah g (roundhouse) says
What a great project, and put together so well! Home ec is one of those classes that has fallen out of favor. At my school ( graduated 05) it was available but not required and was considered an easy A or even yet, a class for those who are not college bound. I think this class should be required though, it’s sad how many people I know who can’t sew a button, don’t do their laundry properly and have no idea how to manage household expenses etc.
Angela says
I completely agree! I graduated high school in 2002 and we never even had the option of a home ec. class, even though many of us wanted one. I had to take a costume class in college just to learn how to sew. I love sewing and make quilts all the time for gifts. People are always surprised that “such a young girl” knows how to sew because it seems the craft is almost defunct now 🙁
Chad says
Sara, we graduated the same year! I think it was the same at my high school, but in middle school, everyone took wood shop, metal shop, cooking, and sewing for like 6 weeks each. I thought that was a good way to do it.
Mary Elizabeth says
Sarah,
Even when I was in high school (graduated in 1965), home ec. was neither required nor encouraged for girls going on to college. There wasn’t room in my schedule. So I took a sewing class at a fabric shop after school. And I wanted to take wood shop, too–my grandfather had helped me build my own dollhouse when I was seven or eight years old and I wanted to learn new skills. My guidance counselor told me not only didn’t I have time in my schedule but also girls weren’t allowed in shop classes. As a result, lots of smart girls went to college without basic skills in cleaning, cooking, balancing a checkbook, mending a ripped seam, replacing a button, all that stuff. And they were helpless when a lamp needed rewiring or a simple shelf needed to be assembled in the dorm room. Luckily, I had parents that taught me all these things. I remember when one of my dorm mates threw out a nearly new bathrobe because it had a little stain. I fished it out of the trash and introduced her to oxygen bleach.
Mostly I loved the hide-away sewing center. I saw something like it in a Shaker museum. Many thanks to Geraldine for sharing her project with her daughter so her daughter could share it here.
Mary says
I think this is the best thing you’ve ever had on your site. And that’s saying a lot, because every one of your posts is wonderful!
pam kueber says
🙂
Thank you, it is pretty darn wonderful — thanks to Geraldine and Angela!!!!
Sara of WA says
I agree!! And that blue kitchen with the stenciled roller shades (might be on the west side of the house as that’s when sun shines in during diner prep) are to die for!!
ChrisH says
What I wouldn’t give for that shop in the basement.
Jay says
Priceless! Great pictures and a great way to start the week. Thanks!
Chris says
What a treat! Such a fun way to begin my day. Thank you for sharing this! A++++++!