Home Economics

[memoman]

Re: Home Economics

Well it does sound a bit sexist, memoman, Though admitedly, that's speaking more from today's point of view. There were certainly more women fulfilling the traditional role back in the 70s than these days, I would imagine.

Never-the-less, I'm really glad I learned sewing and cooking. As a single man, being able to sew on a button and cook an omlette has been quite usefull

I don't reconise sexism.i treat everyone the same.Sewing cooking and religious education should be optional lessons and NOT compulsary! I do know from experience that controy to what you maybe thinking not all women expect their husbands to cook and sew,However their is nothing wrong with sharing the tasks if for example their are young children to look after,Both partners work,Or they just like to share these tasks.If you disagree with my opinion well they are my opinions and i have the right to my opinions if reasonably put.

[Marine Boy]

Re: Home Economics

Without intending to sound sexist.Most women do the cooking and sewing.So what was the point of making lads do this at school?

Well it does sound a bit sexist, memoman, Though admitedly, that's speaking more from today's point of view. There were certainly more women fulfilling the traditional role back in the 70s than these days, I would imagine.

Never-the-less, I'm really glad I learned sewing and cooking. As a single man, being able to sew on a button and cook an omlette has been quite usefull

[memoman]

Re: Home Economics

Without intending to sound sexist.Most women do the cooking and sewing.So what was the point of making lads do this at school?

[ann22]

Re: Home Economics

I did Home Economics..I made a red gingham apron and a blue flowery skirt. I couldn'd sew properly so my mother always did it for me when I'd get home. They made us use sewing machines in class which I couldn't control.

I didn't mind cooking so much..though I was very disorganised. I'd always be last to clean up. I never had suitable containers to bring my food home either. All I ever had was a glass bowl with no lid and a biscuit tin. Once we made Strawberry Marshmallow Float (which was meant to be stiff and fluffy, mine was pure liquid )and shortbread. I had to ride a bike home with my biscuit tin in the basket full to the brim with my strawberry stuff all sloshing about and shortbread broken up into the four corners.

We made Spag Bol once, I stupidly brought in a tin of spaghetti to use. I didn't know about the real stuff. Strangely, I actually did very well in my HE Leaving Cert exam, like your A levels I think. Got an A in higher level.

[old git]

Re: Home Economics

Hey, yes! You just reminded me. The thing we did wasn't for a book cover though. I think it was just described as a mat. A little piece of blue cloth about 4 inches by 6. There were a series of holes and you chose different colours of wool/cotton to sew in a design; crosses, dashes, little squares, or letters to make a name if you were adept.

Yep thats it, i suppose its just a smaller version of the book cover.Think i did my initials on one side and class name on the other.If i remember rightly it was wool and i did the letters/numbers by doing little crosses to make the letters.

[steveffisher]

Re: Home Economics

In sewing, we had a blank piece of A4 paper which we had to draw a pattern on in felt pen. Then we had to put the paper in the sewing machine and stitch along the pattern we'd drawn.

30 years on, I still can't see the point. Can't sew to save my life. Although my Angel Delight production method has improved considerably.

[Marine Boy]

Re: Home Economics

...the first thing we done in sewing was a book cover from what i can only describe as a cloth with loads of holes in,that you sewed your initials into...

Hey, yes! You just reminded me. The thing we did wasn't for a book cover though. I think it was just described as a mat. A little piece of blue cloth about 4 inches by 6. There were a series of holes and you chose different colours of wool/cotton to sew in a design; crosses, dashes, little squares, or letters to make a name if you were adept.

[old git]

Re: Home Economics

I remember doing sewing and cooking in HE.Was the usual cakes that i remember eating most of them before i got home! the first thing we done in sewing was a book cover from what i can only describe as a cloth with loads of holes in,that you sewed your initials into.Lol as i type this a memory of a mate making a big snake comes to mind,for some reason he sewed some cotton reels inside the snake to nick them

[Marine Boy]

Re: Home Economics

Ha! That's a brilliant story, steveffisher! Lol.

And I too recall having to bring in Angel Delight.

[steveffisher]

Re: Home Economics

Home Ec? Yeah, cooking and sewing and stuff like that. I was bad at both. I remember my very first cookery class as if it were yesterday. I am still embarrassed beyond belief when I think about it. To get us used to kitchen equipment and tools we were instructed to bring in a pint of milk and a packet of Angel Delight.

After mixing the complex ingredients together, the teacher was a little surprised to see mine had disappeared. Of course, when she asked where it had gone to, I sheepishly pointed towards one of the ovens.

[mazzer]

Re: Home Economics

I had to do H.E. for the first 4 years of secondary school, cooking AND sewing. In sewing I remember we made gingham pinnies, then had to get our mums to provide Singer sewing patterns and fabric to make smock tops. I also made a pair of silky turquoise trousers that I never wore, and a rather natty maroon tweed jacket which I DID wear - a lot! Then a brown bean bag that resembled a giant turd by the time it was finished.

[HG]

Re: Home Economics

I did Home Economics in the first to third years at comprehensive in the early to mid 80's.

I remember in cookery making cheese scones and a pizza, in needlework making a hedgehog pin cushion for some reason which i think I may have.

Also did woodwork and metalwork, still have a cassette rack I made in woodwork.

[Emettman]

Re: Home Economics

But had not been reincarnated to "food technology"?

I'm older and was in a county that still had grammar schools.
We were still divided and it was still domestic science for the girls and woodwork lessons for the boys.

[Richard1978]

Re: Home Economics

I did Home Economics at school from 1989 to 1994. It was compulsary for the first 3 years, then I did it as a GSCE for the other 2.

[memoman]

Re: Home Economics

unfortunatly starting secondary school we had to do home economics and sewing.Both i think was retarded to expect boys to do like religious education.However that was a long time ago.The cooking clases do at least help you feed yourself..It does take training to put a pizza in the oven.i know this is hardly the response you were hoping for.But i honestly can't see the point of making these lessons compulsary for the first 2 years.Horses for courses i suppose?