LE3 .A278 2022

2022

Henderson, Stephen

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

History

History & Classics

Established in 1926, the Acadia Home Economics Club (A.H.E.C.) was an extra-curricular extension of the Acadia School of Home Economics until the discontinuance of Home Economics at the university. From the mid-1960s to the late 1980s, the A.H.E.C. maintained a consistent membership body and demonstrated a commitment to community involvement. Over the course of its existence, the A.H.E.C. regularly facilitated educational and social activities for its members. This archival thesis project included the processing of the Acadia Home Economics Club fonds and the creation of an accompanying finding aid. The items within the Acadia Home Economics Club fonds had not been processed prior, and thus the organization of documents and creation of files was necessary. The items within the Acadia Home Economics Club fonds have been described within the finding aid and filed according to their original order. The formal paper examines how the Acadia School of Home Economics, in partnership with the A.H.E.C., facilitated the personal and professional growth of its students and subverted social expectations. From the mid 1960s to the early 1980s, members of the A.H.E.C. participated in annual student conferences, attended extra-curricular educational sessions, and engaged in social activities aimed at the development of camaraderie. Through these events, Home Economics students were able to develop and assert personal agency both during and after their educational career. The documents related to the annual Association of Canadian Home Economics Students conferences highlight the emphasis placed on the personal and professional development of Home Economics students by both post-secondary institutions and the students themselves. Home Economics was, and continues to be, a valuable vessel for women’s empowerment.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3793