Table Of ContentSOME EQUIPMENT CQjWEUuPTXOXii PaTTEKwS
A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty
of
Purdue University
by
Gladys Lucille Darden
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
of
Master of Science
In
Home Economics
June, 1950
P U R D U E UNIVERSITY
THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER MY SUPERVISION
BY ■TT,~. • LUCILLF DAIID3N
30UJ3 ^nniFi.IFNT CONSUMPTION PATT311NS
ENTITLED
COMPLIES WITH THE UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS ON GRADUATION THESES
AND IS APPROVED BY ME AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF
:a ;t OF 3CIFNC IN HOMG GCONOMICS
rofebsor in Ch a r g e of Th e sis
or School o r P epartmemtt
May 25
19
TO THE LIBRARIAN
rsr .
THIS THESIS IS NOT TO BE REGARDED AS/CONFID: [A,
OKAS. SCHOOL FORM O—3-4 0—UI
ACKN 0 W hhjU QmiiiiM Tb
To Dr, Cleo Fitzsimmons under whose guidance this thesis
was developed and written, I am extremely grateful. I wish
to express my very sincere appreciation and thanks for her
interest and helpful criticisms.
Grateful acknowledgement Is made to the Agricultural
Experiment Station of the University of Illinois for permis
sion to use data obtained in Coles and Cumberland Counties in
1946.
To Miss Claudia Williams, County Home Demonstration Agent
of Titus County, and Miss Grace Laurence, County Home Demonstra
tion Agent of Upshur County, Texas, I owe a debt of gratitude
for their assistance in obtaining the data from Texas families
included in this study.
My thanks and appreciation are also extended to the 129 farm
families in Coles-Cumberland Counties, Illinois, and to the 28
farm families in Titus—Upshur Counties, Texas, who supplied the
data for this thesis.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
ABSTRACT.......................................... i
I INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE......................... I
Purpose................................. ...... 3
Assumptions .......................... 4
Possible,-Uses of the Findings............ 6
II REVIEW OF LITERATURE.............................. 7
III PROCEDURE.............................. 15
Sources of Information,. .......... 15
Selection of Counties and Families........ 16
Obtaining the Data....................... 18
Analysis of Data.............................. 20
Definitions and Explanations of Terms........ 22
IV FINDINGS........................................ 23
Characteristics of the Families, Houses, and
Counties Represented in Illinois and Texas. 23
The Families ....... 23
The Houses Occupied ..... * 26
The Counties Represented................... 26
Comparison of Furnishings and Equipment by
Use Areas in Illinois and Texas Homes 31
Living Room. ......•• ...... 31
Davenport ........... 31
Upholstered Chair.............. 34
Rockers........*........................... 34
Radio.............................. 37
Rug................................... 37
Tables......... 38
Lamps ...... 58
Heaters ....... 39
Other Items of Furnishings............... 39
Cost of Items versus Use ......... 39
Chapter Page
Comparison with Other S t u d i e s 42
Dining Room. ........ 44
Floor Covering.............. 44
Dining Table and Chairs .............. 47
Buffet and China Cupboard............. 51
Radio.......... 51
Other Items of Furnishings............... 51
Kitchen and Utility Areas............. 53
Kitchen Furnishings ......... 53
Storage Provisions.......... 53
Dining Table and Chairs................ 53
Work Table and Stool............. 55
Linoleum. ......... 53
Radio.................................... 56
Kitchen Equipment .............. 56
Range • ...................... 56
Refrigerator ......................... 56
Minor Electrical Appliances............ 59
Utility Equipment.................. 60
Washing Machine ............. 60
Irons ....... 60
Sewing Machine ......................... 63
Cleaning Equipment........ 64
Housing Convenience Facilities 65
Comparisons of Total Outlay and Amount Con
tributed Annually to Living of Illinois
and Texas Families by Furnishings and
Equipment in Various Use Areas............. 66
Living Room. ...... .................. 66
Outlay for Furnishings.................... 66
Use Value of Furnishings. ..... 68
Dining Room. • ......... 68
Outlay for Furnishings ....... 68
Use Value of Furnishings ............ 71
Kitchen-Utility Areas 71
Outlay for Furnishings and Equipment,.... 71
Use Value of Furnishings and Equipment... 72
Comparison of Dining Room and Kitchen Fur
nishings ...... 73
Dining Table and Chairs............. 73
Chapter Page
Comparison of Cost Versus Use of Consumers’
Durable G o o d s ......... 76
Total Outlay for Furnishings and. Equipment
in All Areas .................... 78
Allocation of Total Outlay to Various Use
Areas.............. 81
Relationship of Total Outlay for Furnishings
and. Equipment and Net Capital Account of
Illinois Families ............ 88
V SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.......................... 96
Summary ..... 96 °
Conclusions.......................... . Ill
VI BIBLIOGRAPHY................................. 116
VII APPENDICES........ ............................... 119
Appendix A - Schedule.......................... 120
Appendix B - Relationship of Total Outlay for
Furnishings and Equipment to Net Capital
Accumulation of 20 Families in Illinois
with Highest and 20 with Lowest Capital
Holdings..................................... 127
Appendix C - Relationship of Total Outlay for
Furnishings and Equipment to Net Capital
Accumulations of the 11 Youngest and 11
Oldest Cooperators in Illinois -1946....... 129
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1 Distribution of Illinois and Texas Families on
Basis of Tenure and Place in Marriage Cycle...... 24
2 Distribution of Illinois and Texas Families...... 25
(By tenure and income groups)
o
3 Average Ages and Years Schooling of Husbands and
Wives In Illinois Families - 1946............ 25
4 Percentage of 129 Illinois Families Having Items of
Living Room Furnishings - 1946.......... . 32
(By tenure groups)
5 Percentage of 28 Texas Families Having Items of
Living Room Furnishings - 1950............. 33
(By tenure groups)
6 Percentage of 129 Illinois loinilies Having Items of
Living Room Furnishings - 1946............ 35
(By marriage cycle groups)
7 Percentage of 28 Texas Families Having Items of
Living Room Furnishings - 1950............ 36
(By marriage cycle groups)
8 Comparison of Highest and Lowest Cost Upholstered
Chairs in Relation to Years Owned and Hours Used
Per Year for Selected Families................ 40
9 Comparison of Davenport and Studio Couch In
Relation to Cost and Hours Used Per Year for
Selected Families ............. 40
10 Comparison of Davenport and Upholstered Chair in
Relation to Cost and Hours Used Per Year for
Selected Families............. 41
11 Comparison of Highest and Lowest Cost Davenports in
Relation to Hours Used by Two Groups of Families. 42
12 Comparison of Percentages of Families in this Study
and In Kane County, Illinois, Having Items of
Living Room Furniture. ......... 43
13 Percentage of 129 Illinois Families Having Items of
Dining Room Furnishings - 1946......... 45
(By tenure groups)
Table Page
14 Percentage of 28 Texas Families Having Items of
Dining Room Furnishings - 1950,,.,............... 46
(By tenure groups;
15 Percentage of 129 Illinois Families Having Items of
Dining Room Furnishings - 1946 •................ •. • 48
(By marriage cycle groups)
16 Percentage of 28 Texas Families Having Items of
Dining Room Furnishings - 1950, ..... 49
(By marriage cycle groups)
17 Percentage of Illinois and Texas Families Having
Items of Kitchen Furnishings ............ 54
(By tenure groups)
18 Percentage of Illinois and Texas Families Having
Items of Kitchen Furnishings.............. 55
(By marriage cycle groups)
19 Percentage of 129 Illinois Families Having Items of
Equipment - 1946 .......... 57
(By tenure groups)
20 Percentage of 28 Texas Families Having Items of
Equipment - 1950 ................. 58
(By tenure groups)
21 Percentage of 129 Illinois Families Having Items of
Equipment -.1946...... 61
(By marriage cycle groups)
22 Percentage of 28 Texas Families Having Items of
Equipment - 1950........ 62
(By marriage cycle groups)
23 Comparison of Average Total Outlay and Amount Con
tributed to Living of Illinois and Texas Fami
lies by Consumers* Durable Goods in Various Use
Areas........ 67
(By marriage cycle groups)
24 Comparison of Average Total Outlay and Amount Con
tributed to Living of Illinois Families by Con
sumers* Durable Goods In Various Use Areas 69
(By tenure and income groups)
25 Comparison of Average Total Outlay and Amount Con
tributed to Living of Texas Families by Con
sumers* Durable Goods in Various Use Areas....... 70
(By tenure and income groups)
Table Page
26 Comparison of Average Total Outlay and Amount Con
tributed to Living of Illinois and Texas Fami
lies for Kitchen and Dining Room Furnishings 74
(By marriage cycle groups)
27 Comparison of Outlay and Use Value of Furnishings
for Dining in the Kitchens and Dining Rooms of
Illinois and Texas Families..................... 75
28 Comparison of Cost per Hour of Use for Selected
Items of Consumers * Durable Goods for Illinois
and Texas Families........................ 77
29 Comparison of Percentage of Average Total Outlay for
Furnishings and Equipment Allocated to Various
Use Areas by Illinois and Texas Families......... 84
(By marriage cycle groups)
30 Comparison of Percentages of Tots.1 Outlay Allocated
to Various Use Areas by Illinois and Texas
Families................. 35
(By tenure and income groups)
31 Relationship between Average Total Outlay for
Furnishings and Equipment and Net Capital
Accounts of Illinois Families - 1946....... 89
(By marriage cycle and tenure and income
groups)
32 Summary of Consumption Patterns for Various Items of
Living Room Furnishings of Illinois and Texas
Families............... 99
(By tenure groups)
33 Summary of Consumption Patterns for Various Items of
Living Room Furnishings of Illinois and Texas
Families.......................... 100
(By marriage cycle groups)
34 Summary of Consumption Patterns for Various Items of
Dining Room Furnishings of Illinois and Texas
Families • ...... 102
(By tenure groups)
o
35 Summary of Consumption Patterns for Various Items of
Dining Room Furnishings of Illinois and Texas
Families.......................................... 103
(By marriage cycle groups)
36 Summary of Consumption Patterns for Various Items of
Kitchen Furnishings of Illinois and Texas
Families ...................... 105
(By tenure groups)
Table Page
37 Summary of Consumption Patterns for Various Items of
Kitchen Furnishings for Illinois and Texas
Families .... ...... 106
(By marriage cycle groups)
38 Summary of Consumption Patterns for Various Items of
Equipment for Illinois and Texas Families .. 107
(By tenure groups)
39 Summary of Consumption Patterns for Various Items of
Equipment for Illinois and Texas Families........ 108
(By marriage cycle groups)
o
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