HR0790 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0790 LRB100 18385 MST 33594 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Home economics is a field of study that deals with the economics and management of the home, family, and community; it deals with the relationship between individuals, families, communities, and the environment in which they live; and

WHEREAS, Home economics had its start in Lake Placid, New York during a series of annual conferences held between 1899 and 1910; organized by MIT sanitary engineer Mary Richards, librarian Melvil Dewey, and a host of other educators, the meetings were dedicated to finding ways to apply the latest in science and technology to improve life in the American home; and

WHEREAS, In 1908, the conferences led to the creation of the American Home Economics Association, which lobbied the federal government to fund educational programs, and the resultant classes were a means of guiding young people through modern consumer culture; and

WHEREAS, Some school systems have managed to breathe new life into the course by divvying it up into more specialized classes, such as courses that specifically address food preparation, which might be more attractive to prospective students in the age when Food Network-style programs inject fun and excitement into life in the kitchen; however, because home economics is typically classified as an elective course, it, like art and music classes, is prone to being eliminated from a school's course offerings; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge that home economics be brought back into high school curriculums with a comprehensive approach covering basic cooking techniques, caloric requirements, sources of food, budget principles, food safety, and the effects of food choice on well-being, including the risk of chronic disease; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the United States Secretary of Education, the Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education, and the Illinois State Superintendent of Education.