The Helpful Husband 1910

Detail of picture with 120 people, picture of teachers at Lachute Summer Teachers’ School, Edith between two women in dark dresses. School Inspector Rothney, the man who helped Flora get into Macdonald in 1911 is in the picture with a Mr. Parmelee, a well known Quebec educator.

I suspect that this picture contains a representative sample of the middle class in the Eastern Townships of that Era.

I found this description of a helpful husband in an 1910 Pictorial Review. Apparently, they had a contest and asked readers to write in and the best submissions won prizes. This submission, from West Virginia won third prize. Odd, but all the submissions seem to be written in the same style, with only a twist of format. Hmm. And if this is a true account, I have to ask, is this husband indeed so perfect, or is the wife merely focusing on his good points? Maybe that is the secret of a successful marriage. Of course it is!

Now, the other submissions described men who actually helped with the housework, doing dishes and dressing baby. But this helpful husband doesn’t actually do any work, he merely is considerate. )This would be just like Norman Nicholson, of Flo in the City, my novel in progress about a girl coming of age in the 1908-1913 era based on the letters of http://www.tighsolas.ca/) who constantly praised his wife, but did no housework. That was Margaret’s domain.

“I am a Northern girl and my husband is from the South , so our ways of doing things and so many of or ideas about things are entirely different. I believe my husband is most helpful to me by always being good natured and taking things as they come. The coffee can be ever so strong, bread burned ever so badly, I am always made comfortable by “Oh, never mind that.”

When he invites friends to our home for any meal he always telephones me they are coming, giving me plenty of time to prepare things. During the summer months, he insists that I get no hot meals at night, and is willing to do with as little cooking as can be done to exist, that I may be comfortable.

Before our boy came, I wondered what home life would become, knowing how hard some men make everything for their wives in bringing up the children. I can say truthfully, I didn’t dream any man could be so nice in regard to them. We live within seven miles of his parents, and knowing how hard the trips are for me, no matter how badly he wants me to go home, some excuse is almost always made to them. I have to go few times.

Without his care and help I would be physically far from well. During the night season he is the one who gets up to bring baby to me and Sunday afternoon and some evenings of the week, he cares for baby, anxious that I might get outdoors and from the cares of home.

I have been blessed in another way where so many women are made miserable. In regard to money matters I have been made to feel that the money made by him is as much mine as his.

Knowing that I like pretty clothes, he is always anxious to have me get just as much as he can afford, and doesn’t fail to admire the pretty things.

I am very fond of reading,and not having time, my helper reads to me in the evenings while I sew.

He doesn’t forget that a woman still needs a sweetheart’s attention, and remembers when away to bring some little gift to me.”

And I ask again: “HOW DID THE 50′s EVER HAPPEN?” That 60′s advertisment for instant coffee where the husband is upset because his wife makes a lousy cup of coffee?? Answer: it happened because articles like this were not printed in men’s magazines.