This book recounts the story of the rise and fall of an all-women's department (home economics) at the University of California, Berkeley. Emphasis is on the connection between gender and status in an academic department and the life of one woman scientist, Agnes Fay Morgan, who was instrumental in the department's development. Analysis considers the process by which departments dominated by women began in the 1900s as separate, unequal, low status institutions, and as a place to put the rising number of women students and faculty. Following an introductory chapter, Chapter 1 describes the creation of the Department of Home Economics in 1916. Chapter 2 recounts the department's development in its declared effort to provide university schooling for "the housekeeper, homemaker, and mother." Chapter 3 examines the role of Agnes Fay Morgan in the department's development and her scientific achievement despite gender discrimination. Chapter 4 looks at the difficulties of the department in providing the practical and teacher education mandated by the state while at the same time maintaining the scientific standards of the academic community. The final chapter recounts the demise of the department and draws lessons for newly developed university programs. An appendix summarizes the department's history, and a bibliographic essay summarizes the methodology used. (Contains approximately 140 references.) (DB)