author
Ellen Beers McGowan
1873–1963
An educator and author who helped make textile science practical for students, teachers, and everyday consumers, Ellen Beers McGowan brought careful research into the world of fabrics, clothing, detergents, and household arts. Her books reflect the early twentieth-century effort to treat home economics as a serious field of study.
1 Audiobook
Textiles; a handbook for the student and the consumer
by Mary Schenck Woolman, Ellen Beers McGowan
About the author
Ellen Beers McGowan (1873–1963) was an American educator and writer in household arts and textiles. She was an instructor in Household Arts at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she taught students to understand fabrics, judge materials, and make informed choices as consumers.
McGowan wrote and co-wrote several influential textbooks, including Textiles: A Handbook for the Student and the Consumer, Textiles and Clothing, A Guide to Textiles, and A Comparative Study of Detergents. Her work combined practical advice with technical information, helping bring textile education into college classrooms and public life.
She also wrote Soap Bubbles (1929), showing the range of her interest in explaining everyday materials and household subjects. Today, McGowan is remembered primarily for her contribution to the professional study and teaching of textiles and home economics.