putterings 448 < 449 > 450 index
Without properly applying the modern ideas of efficiency to her own mind
(5) A puttering love for all housework, to the extent that work is prolonged, elaborated, and repeated, which takes up several times more energy than necessary...
ex chapter 12, “Developing the Homemaker’s Personal Efficiency,” in
Christine Frederick. The New Housekeeping : Efficiency Studies in Home Management (1913) : 184
LoC copy (via hathitrust) : link
some more —
We have talked a great deal about methods and systems, plans and schedules in the household: now comes the most vital, the most difficult point of all, and yet the keystone of the whole matter — the personal attitude of the woman toward her work.
Without properly applying the modern ideas of efficiency to her own mind (which is in itself a complete and separate organization) the whole plan of “the new housekeeping” falls to pieces... [182] It closes over women like water over a drowning person, and women confess themselves overcome, actually assuming the mental attitude, in regard to their work, of slave to master, instead of master to slave...
The actual, widespread state of mind of many millions of women may be classified and divided about as follows, as I have excellent reason to believe after the closest and most confidential correspondence with many hundreds of women everywhere:
- A general feeling that they are weighted down by fate and circumstances, and that their housework is a kind of ogre who has them in his grip, from which they cannot escape, or against which they do not seem to be making any headway.
- An attitude which mistakes the physical work of housekeeping for the real ends of homemaking — which thinks it is making a home when in reality it is only keeping a house; which measures housekeeping ability by the amount and exhaustiveness of the physical work accomplised. [183]
- An automatic, dull sort of attitude which goes through the routine with as little thought or analysis as possible, following any traditional methods, aiming only to get it finished as soon as possible, and skeptical of any new way of getting work accomplished.
- A mania for some one phase of housework — such as cleanliness, decoration, cooking, etc., on which all originality and effort is spent, to the neglect of general efficiency.
- A puttering love for all housework, to the extent that work is prolonged, elaborated, and repeated, which takes up several times more energy than necessary.
- A general lack of confidence, and inability to find and apply remedies for conditions they know to be wrong; a prograstination in applying remedies they already know to be effective; a half-heartedness and lack of patience and thoroughness in applying any new [185] methods or routine; failure to maintain discipline over themselves.
- An attitude of mere tolerance toward housework — preferring business or other careers, looking impatiently and contemptuously on all housework, hoping to be relieved of it entirely some day, and exchange it for something “more interesting.”
Every one of these attitudes of mind is really poisonous and antagonistic to either efficiency or the highest personal happiness and character.
183-185 : link
Christine Frederick (1883-1970), home economist, proponent of Taylorism in the domestic sphere, and of planned obsolescence
wikipedia : link
“She was credited with almost singlehandedly bringing about the standardization of height of kitchen counters and work surfaces, and with encouraging the design of kitchens to save steps for the woman.”
ex New York Times obituary (April 8, 1970) : link (paywall)