I ran across a copy of an old article from “Housekeeping Monthly,” the May, 13, 1955 edition. The title of the article was, “The Good Wife’s Guide.”
After reading through it, all I could think was, “Boy, times have changed!” The expectations of a wife from 1955 are very different than now.
Here is a summary of what made a good wife in the year 1955:
A meal that was ready and waiting for her husband
Taking 15 minutes to refresh and touch yourself up (for added measure, put a ribbon in your hair)
Clear away any clutter in the house
Run a dust cloth over the tables
During the colder months, have a fire prepared (this is how he will feel he has “reached a haven of
rest and order”)
Make the children presentable
Minimize all noise (including the children)
Show you are happy to see him
Greet him with a smile and show a sincere desire to please him
Let him talk first (after all, what he has to say is more important than what you have to say—yes,
it says this!)
Don’t complain (even if he goes out with the boys or comes home late…this is how you understand his world of “strain and pressure”)
And for added measure, don’t complain if he stays out all night (are you for real?)
Your ultimate goal is to make the home a place of “peace, order and tranquility”
Your greeting should not consist of complaints or problems
Make him comfortable (this includes having a drink ready for him, encouraging him to lie down in a chair or bed, arranging his pillow and taking off his shoes)
Keep your voice low, soothing and pleasant
Don’t question him or his judgment (after all, he is the master of the house…yes, it says that too)
Finally, the last bit of advice for what makes a good wife is this: “A good wife always knows her place.”
Do you have the makings of a good wife? I know I certainly wouldn’t, according to these standards!
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Photo by dr_XeNo in Flickr