justplainbill
Executive Chef
Do the high school home economics courses that were given in the 1950’s still exist? What’s being taught? Were us hairy knuckle draggers gypped by being excluded from this course?
Home Economics
- Thread starter justplainbill
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licia
Executive Chef
For a while homec was being taught for girls and boys (it had another name), but I don't think it is taught here anymore. I can tell it too.
It's taught here, but it's called family life/arts or some such thing. Both boys and girls take the classes. We also have culinary arts, which is a more extensive cooking curriculum than the other more general course.
I never took home economics because, by the time I was in high school (early '60s) I'd already been cooking for almost 8 years and probably could've taught the class. At that time, they learned such valuable skills as how to make chocolate chip cookies, brownies and popcorn. They also learned how to iron shirts and how to set a table. I took French instead.
I never took home economics because, by the time I was in high school (early '60s) I'd already been cooking for almost 8 years and probably could've taught the class. At that time, they learned such valuable skills as how to make chocolate chip cookies, brownies and popcorn. They also learned how to iron shirts and how to set a table. I took French instead.
Barbara L
Traveling Welcome Wagon
I think some of the high schools still teach it here, but I think the name is changed here too.
James said that when he was in high school a lot of the boys decided to take Home Ec. to meet girls. Unfortunately for them the girls had the same idea and took shop!
Barbara
James said that when he was in high school a lot of the boys decided to take Home Ec. to meet girls. Unfortunately for them the girls had the same idea and took shop!
Barbara
mikki
Sous Chef
At my DD High School it's called Home and careers, both girls and boys have to take it. We also have culinary arts,which is more extensive. That class is actually what got ny youngest daughter to cook more.
letscook
Head Chef
It was called home ecominics when I went to school and It isn't taught in our area like it use to. Its call home and career but they don't teach what they should.
We were taught how to buget money, grocery shop, laundry, sewing, entertaining planning, and cleaning a house, most important cooking the basics.
Now days girls and the guys, can't even make a cake from a box, Good grief if they had to sew a button on, they throw the article out and buy new.
Cooking for the family is mcdonalds. or thode frozen meal in bag. Those meals in the bag are expensive and last one meal. If they new how to cook they could cook a meal from scratch and last for 2 -3 days.
Kids are having kids, I can't stand to see them out with babies, no hats on, or socks, just a blanket around them and then they get made cause they have to stay home the child is sick, oh heck why stay home take the kid out away. That drives me nuts.
Todays kids are the instant gradification generation. Save money to purchase something, heck no, I want it now and then they buy it, never mine the rent or the electic bill is due.
Work ha! A friend has a son that got a job at UPS. He worked there for the summer earning I think around 14.00 an hour with benefits. Said he wasn't moving up fast enough and quit and then proud when he got a job (min. wage) at the pac sun at the local mall. He going where now??? When happen to working your way up.
Oh geesch I could go on - but I think thats enough complaining.
It hit a sore spot with me.
Life changes as the years go on - I just can't picture life in the future unless these kids change.
Have a good day
Now days
We were taught how to buget money, grocery shop, laundry, sewing, entertaining planning, and cleaning a house, most important cooking the basics.
Now days girls and the guys, can't even make a cake from a box, Good grief if they had to sew a button on, they throw the article out and buy new.
Cooking for the family is mcdonalds. or thode frozen meal in bag. Those meals in the bag are expensive and last one meal. If they new how to cook they could cook a meal from scratch and last for 2 -3 days.
Kids are having kids, I can't stand to see them out with babies, no hats on, or socks, just a blanket around them and then they get made cause they have to stay home the child is sick, oh heck why stay home take the kid out away. That drives me nuts.
Todays kids are the instant gradification generation. Save money to purchase something, heck no, I want it now and then they buy it, never mine the rent or the electic bill is due.
Work ha! A friend has a son that got a job at UPS. He worked there for the summer earning I think around 14.00 an hour with benefits. Said he wasn't moving up fast enough and quit and then proud when he got a job (min. wage) at the pac sun at the local mall. He going where now??? When happen to working your way up.
Oh geesch I could go on - but I think thats enough complaining.
It hit a sore spot with me.
Life changes as the years go on - I just can't picture life in the future unless these kids change.
Have a good day
Now days
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We had it (this was 15 and 20 years ago), we learned to bake cookies. I already knew how to do that. Then they swithched us to shop class, so everyone baked and everyone made a birdhouse. I think that was 7th grade.
Then in high school we had to do 2 Home ec electives. I picked sewing the 1st time, (made a lovely sweatshirt!), then when time rolled around for the 2nd one, yes it's true, girls took shop for the boys...... I took metal shop because I learned my favorite boy was in that class.
It must work to some extent tho... that boy is now my favorite husband!!!!
And letscook, I'm with you. I don't think I'm THAT much older than these kids, but something went horribly wrong with most of my generation and those thereafter. I pray I can figure out what my parents did to keep me responsilble, and keep my kids normal!
Then in high school we had to do 2 Home ec electives. I picked sewing the 1st time, (made a lovely sweatshirt!), then when time rolled around for the 2nd one, yes it's true, girls took shop for the boys...... I took metal shop because I learned my favorite boy was in that class.
It must work to some extent tho... that boy is now my favorite husband!!!!
And letscook, I'm with you. I don't think I'm THAT much older than these kids, but something went horribly wrong with most of my generation and those thereafter. I pray I can figure out what my parents did to keep me responsilble, and keep my kids normal!
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flukx
Senior Cook
10 years ago when I was there they still had it. Was called "Family and Consumer Education" and taught some cooking, some sewing, some crafts, taking care of a baby, etc.
DawnT
Sous Chef
Here they have Home and Career in grades 6-8 and both boys and girls HAVE to take it. My kids were already in 4-H and so had the advantage of knowing cooking, sewing and childcare. They also had the basic money handling skills already because of the budgeting they had to do with their allowances! This was the one course they were able to breeze through and still enjoy the rewards.
jabbur
Master Chef
Here where I live it is no longer taught in high school but is part of the related arts curriculum in middle school (grades 6-8) and they call it life skills. They spend more time doing other things like balancing a checkbook and making cookies (but they used Pillsbury cookie dough for one recipe!) and they sewed a pillow! My boys didn't take it since they wanted to be in the music program. You had to decide between life skills, music and foreign language, pick two. They picked the language and music courses and haven't regretted it. I think I've taught them most of what they know and they do better than most of their friends! I took home ec in junior high and learned how to layout a pattern and sew and outfit, plan a meal and set a table. It wasn't gourmet food cooking but I learned the basics in terms and techniques. In high school there was a culinary course but it was part of the vocational program and I was headed to college for nursing. I really think they are letting these kids down in a lot of ways. There is so much push for academic achievement (No Child Left Behind) that they ARE being left behind in basic living skills. Not everyone is college material but they are trying to make all the kids eligible for Harvard!
nutfry
Assistant Cook
For me, home economics was required (for girls and boys) in middle school and optional in high school (I graduated from high school in 2001--even though my experience is relatively recent, I wouldn't be surprised if things have changed since then). The required middle school class included very basic sewing and cooking; I think we sewed in sixth grade, cooked in seventh, and did both in eighth. The optional classes in my high school were more advanced and there were actually separate classes for sewing, cooking, and child development. However, most of the useful life skills I've learned were from my mom or self-taught since I've been on my own.
I also agree with letscook even though it's my generation that's getting lazy. Last week I called my grandparents to thank them for my Christmas gift and my grandmother said that I was one of their only grandchildren (out of ten of us between the ages of 18 and 28) who still writes or calls to thank them.
I also agree with letscook even though it's my generation that's getting lazy. Last week I called my grandparents to thank them for my Christmas gift and my grandmother said that I was one of their only grandchildren (out of ten of us between the ages of 18 and 28) who still writes or calls to thank them.
DrThunder88
Senior Cook
I vaguely remember some sort of "life skills" course in middle school (6th grade, I think). If I recall correctly, it was a mandatory elective that lasted half a semester. Most of it--most of what I remember anyway--involved balancing a checkbook. In fact, I think that class was back-to-back with the "technology" elective that involved building with Lego Technics (very cool), egg-drops (less cool), and drafting polyhedra. I didn't have many free electives in high school, but I don't remember many traditional shop and cooking classes offered. It's a shame, because I am totally un-handy and only recently have I gotten decent at cooking.
