Food and Culture in Southern Illinois-A Preliminary Report
John W. Bennett, Harvey L. Smith, and Herbert Passin
American Sociological Review, Vol. 7, No. 5 (Oct., 1942), pp. 645-660.
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Genesis. Scientific examination of food habits in American rural communities seems to date from the post-World War I period, when a number of modest studies emanated from agricultural colleges and rural sociology departments of state universities. These studies emphasized the necessity for modifying cooking techniques and food-choices for dietary improvement, and suggested practical techniques for that purpose.
This same tradition persisted in the later attempts of various government agencies, particularly those associated with the wide-scale activities of the Department of Agriculture. Thus NYA has experimented with model cooking projects, Farm Security with garden and canning instruction, WPA with school lunch programs. The Consumer Purchases Studies of the Department of Agriculturure represent an elaborate extension of this type of research.