This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his. Neat in appearance shoes shined, hair cut, suit pressed. The good wifes guide and advice for young brides the. The original source is unclear, but it closely resembles a book called fascinating womanhood, down to several sentences lifted almost wordforword out of that book s pages. Research, tradition and history site hearth contains the full text of core books and journals in the discipline of home economics and related fields from 1850 to 1950. Below is a guide on how to be a good housewife from a magazine, housekeeping monthly from 1955. In a restaurant in cannon beach, oregon, one will find on the wall an excerpt from a 1950s era high school home economics textbook that offers readers several tips on how to be a good wife. The author had classes based on the book, and it could have very well been written for those classes. The good wife s guide was originally circulated as a fax, and then became a widespread email which lists 18 bullet points that all good wives should keep in mind when preparing the house for the husbands return home from work. Theres a chapter on careers too, though naturally, the best career for. How to be a good wife according to a 1950s book oversixty from a 1950s home economics textbook intended for high school girls, this excerpt of advice prepares young ladies for. And heres the 1950s test that urges husbands not to be.
This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Heres an excerpt from a 1950s high school home economics textbook. When i first saw the sheet of paper, i laughed out loud. Yes, this is indeed a real article from a magazine in the 1950 s. When we get glimpses of the way things used to be back before the divorce rate climbed to one in three, whether its a scene from mad men or the charts presented here, we try not to think that this might have been the way things were for our grandparents and greatgrandparents that marriage was a kind of pleasant business partnership in which both partners walked a fine line between. Do you ever feel guilty because you cant live up to this fantasy of the good wife. I found an old book from 1954 that my grandmother actually used in her 1950 s housewife days. It made the rounds on email back when everyone had an aol account. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed. How to be a good spouse in the 1930s thought catalog. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal, on time. Marriage was a mystery to me and i wanted to make sure we got off to a good start one book, in particular.
But there are also certain elements that we seem to. Illustrated with contemporary linedrawings, it contains advice by turns delightfully arcane and timelessly true, for example. This is a way to let him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned with his needs. How to be a good wife 1954 home economics high school. A glimpse into marriage advice from the 1950s related articles. If you know me you know im not a meek and quiet 1950 s housewife. Its quite interesting and sometimes funny to see the differences in the expectations of women in that time compared to now. An article titled how to be a good wife that is supposedly an excerpt from a 1950s magazine or textbook is not authentic. The basics the following is excerpted from an actual 1950 s high school home economics textbook.
From a 1950s home economics textbook intended for high school girls, this excerpt of advice prepares young ladies for what to expect from married life. How to be a good wife according to a 1950s book oversixty. But the advice of the 1950s overwhelmingly put the responsibility of a relationships success on the wife. When he gets to a stopping point, rather than dog earring the page, he puts me over his lap, lifts my skirt, lowers my panties and gives me the same number of spanks as the page. Check out our resources for adapting to these times. Heres the 1950s quiz that proves you are a terrible wife by alan scherstuhl. It is called pictoral medical guide, and was published in 1954 with writings by 42 specialists at the time. How the 1950s housewife was expected to behave in the. This little guide was written in the 1930s for the middle classes one of the first modern selfhelp books. A good wife should be the mistress of her home, having under her care all that is within it, according to the rules we have laid down. Take 15 minutes to rest so youll be refreshed when he arrives. Upon discovering a vintage cookbook buried in a box in her new homes basement, alice becomes. This little guide was written for the middle classes of the 1930s who were reading one of the first modern selfhelp books. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time.
Gives wife ample allowance or turns pay check over to her. How to be a good wife home economics high school text book, 1954 have dinner ready. The 2000 larry elder book, 10 things you cant say in america, reproduces the text of the example, with how to be a good wife, a home economics high school textbook, 1954. Perfect wives in ideal homes the story of women in the 1950s by. Women were expected to create a spotless home, delicious meals, and an inviting bedroom. Shortly after getting married, i bought dozens of books on how to be a good wife. Anyway i could write quite a bit more but the general point im trying to get to. When hubby relaxes with a good book, i kneel before him with spanking slippers in hand. Illustrated with contemporary linedrawings, it contains delightfully arcane and timelessly true advice. I had seen that same article because my husband brought it home and thought i should read through it. The author has made both women totally fascinating. Marriage and homemaking in the 1950s and over 8 million other books are available for amazon kindle. The good husbands guide july 15, 2014 by sue nador 2 comments sue nador updates 1950s wisdom from the good wife s guide for todays husband or wife. The typical 1950s wife stayed at home to cook, clean and take care of the children.
Having a good job that provides health benefits and enough income to keep your family comfortable should be one of the top priorities. Its good fun, a short book but good fir someone who is up for a luagh, great value too. Heres the 1950s test that urges husbands not to be. Living life by the 1955 good wifes guide real honest mom. Your husband will feel that he has reached his haven of. Hope they help you become the best wife you can be. The good wife s guide is a magazine article rumored to have been published in the may, 1955 issue of housekeeping monthly, describing how a good wife should act, containing material that reflects a very different role assignment from contemporary american society. In may of 1955, housekeeping monthly published an article entitled, the good wife s guide, detailing all the ways that a wife should act and how best she can be a partner to her husband and a mother to her children. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious mealon time. I jumped out of the shower, skipped the hair dryer and jumped online. This 1950s article must have been written by a man comments are closed.
This 1955 good house wifes guide explains how wives. I took a class to show me how to be a good wife, 1950s. A nostalgic look at what it was like to be a housewife in the 1950s being a housewife in the 1950s was quite different than today. The story unfolds in two parts, alices present life and that of nellie, the perfect housewife in the 1950s.
Youre probably familiar with the article published in housekeeping monthly in 1955 on how to be a good wife. An extract from a 1950s home economics book recently took the internet by storm, with thousands unsure whether to be shocked or amused by the cringeworthy marriage advice offered to. How to be a good wife according to a 1950s book the good. The good wife s guide goes around the internet quite often as a how to be a good wife kind of post. It may feel a little strange to accept these rules today, but it remains so interesting to see how society once behaved. However, most find these 1950 s housewives rules outdated so this is a modern good wife s guide. How to be a good wife in the style of the 1950s the. How to be a good husband in the 1950s our everyday life. This 1955 good house wifes guide explains how wives should. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be freshlooking.
Alice, a young wife, with lots of secrets, finds a cache of old letters that had been written by nellie the woman who had lived in this house. A list of ten steps on how to be a good wife comes from a 1950s u. I became interested in the book because the idea of the book came about because of an article the author came across titled the good wife s guide supposedly published in 1955 by housekeeping monthly. Heres the 1950s quiz that proves you are a terrible wife. Please wash your hands and practise social distancing. In may of 1955, housekeeping monthly published an article entitled, the good wife s guide, detailing all the ways that a wife should act and how best she can be a partner to her husband. The good wife s guide from housekeeping monthly, may, 1955. It has become fashionable to portray outdated societal behaviors and attitudes ones we now. How to be a good wife according to a 1950s book the good wifes. Top 10 books about women in the 1950s books the guardian. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. I searched for a book, homemaking for dummies perhaps. If their mothers acted this way, small wonder theyre confused by us millennium women. Cars were cooler, people spent more time with their families, and things were just simpler.