68
69
70
71
72
73
74
SECTION 10.
Constructive Suggestions
Two questions were asked in order to obtain constructive suggestions from housewives, they were Question 21 and Question 22.
Question 21 was an open question which asked “In what ways would you like to see the talks improved?” Question 22 on the other hand was specific and asked “Would you be interested in recipe talks given by foreign housewives now living in this country showing how they are using their own national dishes at the present time”.
Suggestions for Improvement
The 1,513 answers to Question 21 have been grouped under 16 headings, three of which call for special mention: they are “No suggestion quite satisfied”, “No suggestion” and
“Talks should be at a more convenient time”. The first two which occur 235 and 442 times respectively being 15.5% and 29.2% of the total show a large measure of satisfaction - or acceptance of the programme. The third answer which was given 300 times, 19.8% of all answers was a response which was not expected when the question was framed referring as it did to the “talks” not to the
“programme”, and in view of this should perhaps be given additional weight.
Of the rest, no category received more than 59 mentions or 3.9%. The following table gives the total scores in order of magnitude.
|
Suggestion
|
No.
|
%
|
|
Recipes should be simpler, plainer less fancy
|
59
|
3.9
|
|
More about foods that are obtainable, e.g. vegetables
|
57
|
3.8
|
|
Talks should be longer
|
55
|
3.6
|
|
Should be more Practical
|
52
|
3.4
|
|
More about cheap economical dishes - more suitable for poor people
|
51
|
3.4
|
|
Speakers should know more about cooking, not Variety Artistes. More cooking less chatting.
|
41
|
2.7
|
|
Should go more slowly for taking notes
|
39
|
2.6
|
|
They should be more interesting, more variety of dishes
|
28
|
1.8
|
|
More about what to give children
|
24
|
1.6
|
|
More about how to spin out the rations
|
21
|
1.4
|
|
Recipes should be described more simply, clearly more definite quantities given.
|
14
|
.9
|
|
More suitable for Scotland
|
6
|
.4
|
|
More Health and Food Values
|
1
|
.1
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
88
|
5.8
|
The total scores have been further broken down in four ways, by Class, Age, Without and With Children, and by Urban and Rural. These breakdowns are however of very doubtful value as the numbers in each category are exceedingly small. They are included only because the original plan of the Ministry of Food asked for them and we are making no comments on the tables. The breakdowns by Family Size and by Region which show even smaller results have been omitted. (Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4).
TABLE 1.
“In what ways would you like to see the Talks improved”.
Breakdown by Class.
|
|
A
|
B
|
C
|
D
|
|
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
Total
|
|
Should be more Practical.
|
12
|
4.6
|
14
|
5.0
|
15
|
2.4
|
13
|
3.5
|
54
|
3.5
|
|
Recipes should be Simpler, Plainer less Fancy.
|
4
|
1.5
|
9
|
3.2
|
32
|
5.0
|
18
|
4.8
|
63
|
4.0
|
|
More about cheap Economical dishes - more suitable for poor people.
|
5
|
1.9
|
8
|
2.9
|
24
|
3.8
|
15
|
4.0
|
52
|
3.3
|
|
More about foods that are obtainable, e.g. vegetables.
|
16
|
6.1
|
10
|
3.4
|
26
|
4.1
|
11
|
2.9
|
63
|
4.0
|
|
More about how to spin out the rations.
|
2
|
.8
|
2
|
.7
|
11
|
1.7
|
6
|
1.6
|
21
|
1.4
|
|
More about what to give Children.
|
1
|
.4
|
3
|
1.1
|
11
|
1.7
|
9
|
2.4
|
24
|
1.6
|
|
Speakers should know more about cooking- Not Variety Artistes. More Cooking less chatting.
|
11
|
4.2
|
7
|
2.5
|
21
|
3.3
|
2
|
.5
|
41
|
2.6
|
|
Recipes should be described more simply clearly more definite quantities given etc.
|
4
|
1.5
|
4
|
1.4
|
2
|
.3
|
4
|
1.7
|
14
|
.9
|
|
They should be more interesting - more variety of dishes.
|
5
|
1.9
|
5
|
1.8
|
12
|
1.9
|
6
|
1.6
|
28
|
1.8
|
|
Talks should be at a more convenient time.
|
71
|
26.5
|
56
|
20.0
|
121
|
19.0
|
56
|
15.0
|
304
|
19.5
|
|
Talks should be longer
|
8
|
3.2
|
13
|
4.6
|
24
|
3.8
|
11
|
2.9
|
56
|
3.6
|
|
No suggestions - quite satisfied.
|
31
|
11.9
|
40
|
14.3
|
110
|
17.3
|
64
|
17.1
|
245
|
15.7
|
|
No suggestions.
|
65
|
24.6
|
78
|
27.8
|
183
|
28.8
|
128
|
34.0
|
454
|
29.2
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
15
|
5.7
|
24
|
8.6
|
32
|
5.0
|
20
|
5.3
|
91
|
5.8
|
|
Should go more slowly - for taking notes.
|
11
|
4.2
|
6
|
2.1
|
11
|
1.7
|
11
|
2.9
|
39
|
2.5
|
|
More suitable for Scotland.
|
2
|
.8
|
1
|
.4
|
2
|
.3
|
1
|
.3
|
6
|
.4
|
|
More Health and Food Values.
|
1
|
.4
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
1
|
|
|
Total
|
264
|
|
280
|
|
637
|
|
375
|
|
556
|
|
TABLE 2.
“In what ways would you like to see the Talks improved?”
Breakdown by Age.
|
|
Under 35
|
Over 35 Under 50
|
Over 50
|
Total
|
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
|
Should be more Practical
|
14
|
3.5
|
20
|
2.8
|
18
|
4.5
|
52
|
3.4
|
|
Recipes should be Simpler, Plainer less Fancy.
|
15
|
3.7
|
29
|
4.1
|
15
|
3.7
|
59
|
3.9
|
|
More about cheap Economical dishes - more suitable for poor people.
|
9
|
2.2
|
28
|
4.0
|
14
|
3.5
|
51
|
3.4
|
|
More about foods that are obtainable e.g. vegetables.
|
14
|
3.5
|
31
|
4.4
|
12
|
3.0
|
57
|
3.8
|
|
More about how to spin out the rations.
|
10
|
2.5
|
8
|
1.1
|
3
|
.7
|
21
|
1.4
|
|
More about what to give Children.
|
9
|
2.2
|
14
|
2.0
|
1
|
.2
|
24
|
1.6
|
|
Speakers should know more about cooking - Not Variety Artistes. More Cooking less Chatting.
|
8
|
2.0
|
27
|
3.8
|
6
|
1.5
|
41
|
2.7
|
|
Recipes should be described more simply clearly more definite quantities given etc.
|
2
|
.5
|
9
|
1.3
|
3
|
.7
|
14
|
.9
|
|
They should be more interesting - more variety of dishes.
|
6
|
1.5
|
19
|
2.7
|
3
|
.7
|
28
|
1.8
|
|
Talks should be at a more convenient time
|
66
|
16.3
|
142
|
20.2
|
92
|
22.8
|
300
|
19.8
|
|
Talks should be longer.
|
18
|
4.5
|
24
|
3.4
|
13
|
3.2
|
55
|
3.6
|
|
No suggestions - quite satisfied.
|
74
|
18.3
|
93
|
13.2
|
68
|
16.9
|
235
|
15.5
|
|
No suggestions.
|
127
|
31.4
|
194
|
27.5
|
121
|
30.0
|
442
|
29.2
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
23
|
5.7
|
44
|
6.2
|
21
|
5.2
|
88
|
5.8
|
|
Should go more slowly - for taking notes.
|
9
|
2.2
|
16
|
2.3
|
14
|
3.5
|
39
|
2.6
|
|
More suitable for Scotland
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
.9
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
.4
|
|
More Health and Food Values
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
.1
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
.1
|
|
TOTAL
|
404
|
|
705
|
|
404
|
|
1,513
|
|
TABLE 3.
“In what ways would you like to see the Talks improved?”
Breakdown Without or With Children.
|
|
Without
|
With
|
Total
|
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
|
Should be more Practical
|
37
|
4.0
|
17
|
2.6
|
54
|
3.5
|
|
Recipes should be Simpler, Plainer less Fancy.
|
37
|
4.0
|
26
|
4.0
|
63
|
4.0
|
|
More about cheap Economical dishes - more suitable for poor people.
|
31
|
3.4
|
21
|
3.2
|
52
|
3.3
|
|
More about foods that are obtainable e.g. vegetables.
|
34
|
3.7
|
29
|
4.5
|
63
|
4.0
|
|
More about how to spin out the rations.
|
14
|
1.5
|
7
|
1.1
|
21
|
1.4
|
|
More about what to give Children.
|
3
|
.3
|
22
|
3.4
|
25
|
1.6
|
|
Speakers should know more about cooking - Not Variety Artistes. More Cooking less Chatting.
|
28
|
3.1
|
13
|
2.2
|
41
|
2.6
|
|
Recipes should be described more simply clearly more definite quantities given etc.
|
6
|
.7
|
8
|
1.2
|
14
|
.9
|
|
They should be more interesting - more variety of dishes.
|
10
|
1.1
|
18
|
2.8
|
28
|
1.8
|
|
Talks should be at a more convenient time.
|
195
|
21.4
|
109
|
16.9
|
304
|
19.5
|
|
Talks should be longer.
|
33
|
3.6
|
23
|
3.6
|
56
|
3.6
|
|
No suggestions - quite satisfied.
|
145
|
15.9
|
100
|
15.5
|
245
|
15.7
|
|
No suggestions.
|
258
|
28.2
|
197
|
30.6
|
455
|
29.2
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
54
|
5.9
|
37
|
5.7
|
91
|
5.8
|
|
Should go more slowly- for taking notes.
|
24
|
2.6
|
15
|
2.3
|
39
|
2.5
|
|
More suitable for Scotland.
|
5
|
.5
|
1
|
.2
|
6
|
.4
|
|
More Health and Food Values.
|
-
|
1
|
.2
|
1
|
|
|
TOTAL.
|
914
|
|
644
|
|
1,558
|
|
TABLE 4.
“In what ways would you like to see the talks improved?”
Breakdown - Urban and Rural.
|
|
Urban
|
Rural
|
Total
|
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
|
Should be more Practical
|
46
|
3.5
|
8
|
3.6
|
54
|
|
Recipes should be Simpler, Plainer less Fancy.
|
57
|
4.3
|
5
|
2.2
|
62
|
|
More about cheap Economical dishes - more suitable for poor people.
|
48
|
3.6
|
4
|
1.8
|
52
|
|
More about foods that are obtainable e.g. vegetables.
|
53
|
4.0
|
10
|
4.5
|
63
|
|
More about how to spin out the rations.
|
20
|
1.5
|
1
|
.4
|
21
|
|
More about what to give Children.
|
22
|
1.7
|
3
|
1.3
|
25
|
|
Speakers should know more about cooking - Not Variety Artistes. More Cooking less Chatting.
|
37
|
2.8
|
4
|
1.8
|
41
|
|
Recipes should be described more simply clearly more definite quantities given etc.
|
13
|
.9
|
1
|
.4
|
14
|
|
They should be more interesting - more variety of dishes.
|
24
|
1.8
|
4
|
1.8
|
28
|
|
Talks should be at a more convenient time.
|
262
|
19.9
|
41
|
18.3
|
303
|
|
Talks should be longer.
|
47
|
3.6
|
9
|
4.0
|
56
|
|
No suggestions - quite satisfied.
|
212
|
16.1
|
33
|
14.7
|
245
|
|
No suggestions.
|
368
|
27.9
|
84
|
37.6
|
452
|
|
Miscellaneous.
|
70
|
5.3
|
10
|
4.5
|
80
|
|
Should go more slowly - for taking notes.
|
32
|
2.4
|
7
|
3.1
|
39
|
|
More suitable for Scotland.
|
6
|
.5
|
-
|
6
|
|
More Health and Food Values.
|
1
|
.1
|
-
|
1
|
|
TOTAL.
|
1,318
|
|
224
|
|
1,542
|
Attitudes to Talks by Foreign Housewives.
Question 22 asked “Would you be interested in recipe talks given by foreign housewives living in this country showing how they are using their own national dishes at the present time “. This question was asked of all the housewives visited and 2,714 replies were obtained roughly in proportion to the proportions of the sample.
The total results, both in the raw scores and in the weighted totals, show that 50% of housewives answered
“Yes” to this question, 11% were indifferent and 38% answered “No”.
These answers were analysed further and breakdowns were obtained by Social Class, Age, Without and With Children, Urban and Rural and Region. The breakdowns by “Number of Mouths” and by “Fuel” are not included as they did not appear relevant.
Breakdown by Social Class.
This analysis shows a clear class difference; classes A and B have the greatest proportions of “Yes”
answers, 54.2% and 55.6% and the lowest proportions of “Indifferent” and “No”
answers, 8.7%, 9.2% and 37.1% and 35.2% respectively. Class D has the smallest proportion of “Yes” answers and the largest proportions of “Indifferent” and
“No” answers. If Class D is compared with Class B it will be seen however that the increase in the proportion of “Indifferent” answers is relatively greater than the increase in the proportion of “No” answers.
TABLE 1.
“Would you be interested in recipe talks given by foreign housewives now living in this country, showing how they are using their own national dishes at the present time?”
Breakdown by Social Class.
|
|
Yes Number
|
%
|
Indifferent Number
|
%
|
No Number
|
%
|
Total
|
|
O
|
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
|
A
|
244
|
54.2
|
39
|
8.7
|
167
|
37.1
|
450
|
|
B
|
260
|
55.6
|
43
|
9.2
|
165
|
35.2
|
468
|
|
C
|
563
|
51.5
|
116
|
10.6
|
414
|
37.9
|
1,093
|
|
D
|
313
|
44.8
|
98
|
14.1
|
287
|
41.1
|
698
|
|
Total
|
1,380
|
50%
|
298
|
11%
|
1,036
|
38.1
|
2,714
|
|
Weighted Totals & Percentages
|
4,225
|
50.3
|
951
|
11.3
|
3,217
|
38.3
|
8,393
|
Breakdown by Age.
The breakdown by age shows that the youngest group “Under 35” has the greatest proportion of “Yes” answers and the least “Indifferent” and “No” answers. The oldest group “Over 50” have the least proportion of “Yes” answers and the greatest proportion of
“Indifferent” and “No” answers. (Table 2).
TABLE 2.
“Would you be interested in recipe talks given by foreign housewives now living in this country, showing how they are using their own national dishes at the present time?”
Breakdown by Age.
|
Age
|
Yes
|
Indifferent
|
No
|
Total
|
|
Number
|
%
|
Number
|
%
|
Number
|
%
|
|
Under 35
|
362
|
53.6
|
64
|
9.5
|
249
|
36.9
|
675
|
|
Over 35 & under 50
|
636
|
52.5
|
130
|
10.7
|
445
|
37.8
|
1,211
|
|
Over 50
|
338
|
45.0
|
96
|
12.8
|
316
|
42.2
|
750
|
|
Total
|
1,336
|
50.7
|
290
|
11.0
|
1,010
|
38.3
|
2,636
|
Breakdown Without and With Children
.
This breakdown shows that these housewives who have children are more interested in talks by foreign housewives than these who have none. Those without children giving a higher proportion of answers in both “Indifferent” and “No”. (Table 3).
TABLE 3.
“Would you be interested in recipe talks given by foreign housewives now living in this country showing how they are using their own national dishes at the present time?”
Breakdown by with or without children.
|
|
Yes
|
Indifferent
|
No
|
Total
|
|
|
Number
|
%
|
Number
|
%
|
Number
|
%
|
|
Without
|
760
|
47.9
|
196
|
12.3
|
631
|
39.8
|
1,587
|
|
With
|
611
|
54.6
|
102
|
9.1
|
405
|
36.3
|
1,118
|
|
Total
|
1,371
|
50.7
|
298
|
11.0
|
1,036
|
38.3
|
2,705
|
Breakdown into Urban and Rural.
This analysis shows a small but interesting difference in that the Rural sample has a greater proportion of
“Yes” answers than the Urban 54.5% to 49.6%. (Table 4).
TABLE 4.
“Would you be interested in recipe talks given by foreign housewives now living in this country showing how they are using their own national dishes at the present time”.
Breakdown Urban and Rural.
|
|
Yes
|
Indifferent
|
No
|
Total
|
|
Number
|
%
|
Number
|
%
|
Number
|
%
|
|
Urban
|
1,101
|
49.6
|
239
|
10.8
|
875
|
39.5
|
2,215
|
|
Rural
|
199
|
54.5
|
35
|
9.6
|
131
|
35.9
|
365
|
|
Total
|
1,300
|
50.1
|
274
|
10.6
|
1,006
|
39.0
|
2,580
|
Breakdown by Region.
The results of this analysis should be received with very considerable caution as the numbers are in many cases very small. The results on the rural breakdown should be disregarded for this reason. Taking the Urban figures it appears that the proportion of housewives interested is highest in the South West, Scotland and the Midland Region, and lowest in the South, The greatest proportion of “Indifferent” answers were in S. Wales and of “No” answers in the South. (Table 5).
TABLE 5.
“Would you be interested in recipe talks given by foreign housewives living in this country showing how they are using their own national dishes at the present time”.
Breakdown by Region.
|
Region
|
Yes
|
%
|
Indifferent
|
%
|
No
|
%
|
Total
|
|
Scotland
|
Urban
|
89
|
61.4
|
17
|
11.7
|
39
|
26.9
|
145
|
|
Rural
|
21
|
75.0
|
2
|
7.1
|
5
|
17.9
|
28
|
|
S. Wales
|
Urban
|
80
|
50.6
|
31
|
19.6
|
47
|
29.8
|
158
|
|
Rural
|
18
|
78.2
|
5
|
21.8
|
-
|
-
|
23
|
|
East
|
Urban
|
47
|
46.5
|
4
|
4.0
|
50
|
49.5
|
101
|
|
Rural
|
30
|
53.6
|
5
|
8.9
|
21
|
37.5
|
56
|
|
Midland
|
Urban
|
157
|
59.6
|
27
|
10.3
|
79
|
30.1
|
263
|
|
Rural
|
22
|
75.9
|
1
|
3.4
|
6
|
20.7
|
29
|
|
N. Midland
|
Urban
|
52
|
46.5
|
6
|
5.4
|
54
|
48.1
|
112
|
|
Rural
|
22
|
33.8
|
4
|
6.2
|
39
|
60.0
|
65
|
|
N. East
|
Urban
|
208
|
51.1
|
29
|
7.1
|
170
|
41.8
|
407
|
|
Rural
|
26
|
50.0
|
4
|
7.7
|
22
|
42.3
|
52
|
|
N. West
|
Urban
|
139
|
44.5
|
25
|
6.2
|
148
|
47.5
|
312
|
|
Rural
|
13
|
56.5
|
4
|
17.4
|
6
|
26.1
|
23
|
|
S.E. and London
|
Urban
|
194
|
44.4
|
73
|
16.7
|
170
|
38.9
|
437
|
|
Rural
|
15
|
53.6
|
2
|
7.1
|
11
|
39.3
|
28
|
|
South
|
Urban
|
32
|
26.9
|
8
|
6.7
|
79
|
66.4
|
119
|
|
Rural
|
15
|
53.6
|
-
|
-
|
13
|
46.4
|
28
|
|
S. West
|
Urban
|
103
|
63.9
|
19
|
11.8
|
39
|
24.3
|
161
|
|
Rural
|
17
|
51.4
|
8
|
24.3
|
8
|
24.3
|
33
|
|
Total
|
1,300
|
50.4
|
274
|
10.6
|
1,006
|
39.0
|
2,580
|
