FROM THE ARCHIVES
That golden ‘50s woman’s hour
Women of today successfully juggle their careers with motherhood and home life, but in the ‘50s it was a very different scenario, and the division of labour was clearly defined by gender. Back then, as Weekly writer Mary Miller illustrates in this story, the proper place for a woman was in the home and it was the man’s role to be the provider. But as our reporter points out, come evening when both husband and wife have put in a full day’s work, a little time out and consideration is always appreciated.
It is frequently said – and not always in jest – by a man, complaining of his hard day at the office, that he would willingly change places with his wife, send her to his office and himself keep the house clean, do the shopping and take baby to the park all afternoon.
And there is no doubt that it would make a pleasant change were it workable for both parties. The woman would find a new thrill in business, meeting fresh people, finding time flying by and the working day’s end upon her before she had time to look around. “At home,” she would recall to herself, “A woman’s day is never over.”
The man, too, would get that feeling that he has when on holiday. “This is the only life,” he would say. No stuffy office, a quiet smoke on a park bench, a wander around the shops – a couple of hours flicking away with a duster in the morning, yes; but what is all this fuss about housework?
A woman’s job is the monotony of the home. For a man, there are two worlds. The business world – his office, the people there, the clatter of typewriters, the hastily snatched lunch hour, the conferences and quarrels of the office – and there is the other world, the home. What does that spell to him? Relaxation, the paper, his slippers, a good meal, the radio and an evening of peace.
For the woman, there is only one world – the home. It is home in the morning with its polishing, dusting and bedmaking; home during the afternoons, particularly if the weather is too bad for afternoon walks; and home again in the evening with meals to serve and dishes to be washed.
It’s a fact the man wants and deserves his relaxation. But he should remember that he owes a great deal to his wife. It is not good enough to hide behind the evening newspaper, to tune in to see some programme and exclude his wife, to snooze in his chair or to disappear up the road to see the boys. He owes it to his wife to see that she is entertained – with conversation, a picture, the visits of friends or reading her favourite magazine.
Of course, men have a “tiring day” but at least they are out of the house and they see something of life. But the wife has to accept the fact that her place is in the home, both during the day and “after hours”. It is just because of that husbands must give some thought to “the little woman” when they return to the house.
There is no suggestion that the husband should come home, take off his coat and get down to putting the house in order. That should have been done and it is the wife’s duty to see that all is ready for her husband and children when they come home for the evening. A woman should be able to receive a guest whom her child or husband brings home without having to make the slightest excuse for herself or her home.
There is no doubt that the woman’s hour is in the evening – just as much for her as for the man. Her day’s work is done too. She, too, should be able to enjoy relaxation and a change from the household chores.
When the children are young then, of course, there is a very different complexion put upon the matter. Somebody has to care for them and there is always a host of work to do once they are out of the way for the night. There are socks to mend, washing to be done.
When the children are grown, a little consideration for Mother is befitting. Once a week, they could spare an evening to take her to the pictures – once a week at least, they could stay and take on those little tasks of preparing the supper and washing up the dinner things. It is little to ask, but means so much to Mother.