Helga Bernhardine Helgesen (16 March 1863 – 30 March 1936) was a Norwegian

domestic science Home economics, also called domestic science or family and consumer sciences (often shortened to FCS or FACS), is a subject concerning human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and f ...

teacher and politician for the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

Early life and education

She was born in

Hønefoss __NOTOC__ Hønefoss is a town and the administrative center of the municipality of Ringerike in Buskerud county, Norway. Hønefoss is an industrial center of inner Østlandet, containing several factories and other industry. As of 1 January 2022 ...

as a daughter of Ole Helgesen (1827–1910) and Anne Mathea Alme (1824–89). Her father was a merchant in Hønefoss city as well as a

paternalistic Paternalism is action that limits a person's or group's liberty or autonomy against their will and is intended to promote their own good. It has been defended in a variety of contexts as a means of protecting individuals from significant harm, s ...

industrialist. She spent her youth both in the city, and at the nearby farm Alme in

Norderhov Norderhov is a former municipality located within Ringerike (municipality), Ringerike in Buskerud county, Norway. Municipality Norderhov municipality was established on January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). According to the 1835 census the ...

which belonged to the maternal branch of the family. Helgesen finished middle school at Nissen Girls School in 1880. She was a

governess A governess is a woman employed as a private tutor, who teaches and trains a child or children in their home. A governess often lives in the same residence as the children she is teaching; depending on terms of their employment, they may or ma ...

for four years before taking a teachers' education in 1885.

Career

She was hired as a primary school teacher at

Tøyen Tøyen is a residential area in the central parts of Oslo, Norway, part of the borough of Gamle Oslo. Location There are two different stations which carry the name Tøyen. Tøyen Railway Station is located on the Gjøvik Line, while Tøyen (st ...

in 1885, then at Kampen in 1886. Helgesen was a member of

Norwegian Association for Women's Rights The Norwegian Association for Women's Rights (; NKF) is Norway's oldest and preeminent women's rights, women's and girls' rights organization that works "to promote gender equality and all women's and girls' human rights through political reform, ...

and ''

Hjemmenes Vel Hjemmenes Vel (Welfare in the Home), later Norges Husmorforbund (Norwegian Housewives' Association), was Norway's first association for housewives. Founded in Oslo (then Christiania) by Dorothea Christensen in 1898, it was also the first organiza ...

'' (from 1934: the Norwegian Housewives' Association). Both these organizations were proponents of a better education in the

s. Helgesen became personally engaged in such issues, especially while working and living at Kampen. She started a voluntary school kitchen education at Kampen School for both boys and girls, and studied German literature on domestic science ( Marie Clima's 1889 book ''Haushaltungskunde'') and also travelled to Germany. In 1890 she studied in Scotland on a scholarship. Together with

Dorothea Christensen Dorothea von der Lippe Christensen, née Frost (19 December 1847 – 28 February 1908) was a Norwegian domestic science proponent and politician. Early and personal life She was born in Veøy Municipality as a daughter of vicar Christian Frost (1 ...

and

Henriette Schønberg Erken Maren Caroline Henriette Schønberg Erken (6 November 1866 – 22 October 1953) was a Norwegian cookbook writer and teacher of home economics.Henry Notaker in Norsk biografisk leksikon]Henriette Schønberg Erken Store norske leksikon. Retr ...

, Helgesen has been credited with forming the "first wave" of domestic science pioneers in Norway. In 1893 Helgesen and Christensen issued the

cookbook A cookbook or cookery book is a kitchen reference containing recipes. Cookbooks may be general, or may specialize in a particular cuisine or category of food. Recipes in cookbooks are organized in various ways: by course (food), course (appetize ...

''Kogebog for folkeskolen og hjemmet''. In 1898 she was hired as school kitchen inspector in

Kristiania Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022, an ...

, a position she held until 1904. In 1908 school kitchens became mandatory for Norwegian schools. At the same time, the Norwegian State College for Domestic Science Teachers was established at

Ringstabekk Ringstabekk is a district in Bærum, Norway. Named after the local farm, the district is also known for its schools and the sports field. The sports club Stabæk IF originates in the area. The farm The district originates from the farm Øvre Stab� ...

(in 1909). Helgesen was active in the groundwork at the new college. In 1910, 1912 and 1915 she was the state inspector for the domestic sciences, and from 1917 to her retirement in 1925 she was the state inspector of school kitchens. A new book with Dorothea Christensen followed in 1911, ''Husstel for fortsættelsesskoler, realskoler, ungdomsskoler, lærerskoler og skolekjøkkenkurser for voksne''. From 1923 to 1925 she served as a member of Kristiania city council.

Awards and honours

She received the King Oscar II Gold Medal in 1897.

Personal life and legacy

She did not marry. She died in March 1936 in Oslo. A statue of her has been erected at Kampen School, and a square (formerly a street) in Oslo has been named after her.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Helgesen, Helga 1873 births 1961 deaths People from Ringerike (municipality) Norwegian schoolteachers Norwegian food writers Liberal Party (Norway) politicians Politicians from Oslo Norwegian women food writers Norwegian women non-fiction writers