Watch Why Study Home Economics?

Imagine: a girl not wanting to take Home Economics class! Impossible as it may seem, that's just the predicament high schooler Janis finds herself in with sister Carol. The latter just doesn't want to sign up for this all-important course. Duly concerned, Janis consults the teacher herself and she outlines the many, many reasons why acquiring her curriculum's skill sets can be useful for everyone... even boys! To this instructional short's credit, the teacher casually and without condescension notes that many girls may choose paths other than domestic ones. For instance, university study of "Bacteriology will be more interesting because you've been concerned about bacteria in foods!" For 1955, even the thought that women might go to college for something other than "catching a husband" was pretty progressive. If the name of director Herk Harvey rings a bell, there's good reason: his only narrative feature, the original CARNIVAL OF SOULS from 1962, was a commercial flop that gradually became one of the most highly regarded independent horror films ever made. - Dennis Harvey