Thursday, May 06, 2010

Home Ec 101

 
Sometimes it is fun to walk down memory lane.  It is interesting to look back and to realize how certain situations or people helped form you into the person you are today.  I found a box filled with old school pictures recently, and enjoyed time reminiscing about youthful days.   In this picture are the girls from my eighth grade class.  We are with our home ec teacher, Mrs. K, who taught us homemaking skills every Friday, and Physical Education on Monday through Thursday.  On this day we made salads, and my group made spring pea salad on lettuce leaves.  I think the other group made cottage cheese filling in tomato cups.  I don't remember the three-tiered tray, but there must have been quick breads or crackers on each level.  It's interesting for me to observe the little things.  Our shoes, for example, which were usually always black and with a clunky heel.  Or the fact that those nylons were probably not pantyhose!  We always wore dresses to school, since pantsuits didn't become fashionable, nor allowed, until 9th grade.  Either long, straight hair or a puffy bouffant were the fashion of the day.  At this age we were very influenced by Coed magazine and we read it faithfully each month.  We could order a subscription through our home ec teacher and it would be delivered to us in class.  When the bulk order arrived at school, our home ec teacher would give them to us and dedicate a class period to reading them.  So many memories.  I know how Mrs. K and this class influenced my life.  I wonder how it influenced the others in my class.  That would be fun to know!

13 comments:

  1. such a lovely reminder that just as we were touched and influenced by others, we too serve as role models today. we must stive to be good ones!

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  2. When my husband was a college freshman, there was still a dress code. I tell that to young people at the college now and they can't believe it.

    I have them watch the old TV shows like Leave It to Beaver and Ozzie & Harriot (sp?) and see how those high school and college students were dressed.

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  3. I don't remember home ec as much as I remember sewing class. I learned to sew in junior high and from then on until I was an adult I made my own clothes. I still have the first sewing project, which was an apron.

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  4. I certainly rmember Home Ec. I took 101, 102 and 103. This photo could have easily been my friends and I in Home Ec. We certainly were not allowed to wear pants to school and those shoes are the kind we wore our senior year and in college.

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  5. Oh, that was a good walk down memory lane, La Tea Dah. So glad you got a lot out of that class. Great picture, too. Sincerely, Susan

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  6. OMG ! What a fantastic photo! I wish schools were still able to offer things like home ec - with an updated name - and shop too for that matter. Oh! and they shouldn't cut arts programs either...so much to be learned!

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  7. Wow! Take me back. We had home-ec in ninth grade which was still junior high. We actually had it every day. One semester sewing and one semester cooking. Our home-ec teacher was Italian so we learned to make pasta from scratch, tomato sauce in addition to the usual cookies, etc. In sewing I made a culotte (sp?) jumpsuit for the spring style show. We didn't wear pants until I was in high school and it was pantsuits at first also.
    It is wonderful to have a teacher that influenced you so much. I really loved Mrs. M. also, but just never quite mastered the art of sewing. Fortunately I did master cooking.

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  8. I so enjoyed home ec ..and I had to wonder what my grade 8 class looked like. The girls likely all had shags and seafarer jeans.
    Your class sounds wonderful and I can imagine how you must remember your teacher fondly.
    It was fun to try to find you in the picture.

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  9. Oh what a fabulous photo! It's great to remember good teachers. This really looks like my era :0)

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  10. Third one on the right?

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  11. What fun picture and memory. Aren't you going to tell us which one you are in the picture? Does your teacher know YOU became a home ec teacher too?

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  12. You've brought back thoughts of a few teachers that really made an impact on me. Interestingly enough, two of the three taught me crafts or sewing! The third was my writing teacher.

    God bless them all wherever they are!

    Yours is one of my favorite blogs. Do drop in for a visit!

    Laura

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  13. What a fun picture! If only young ladies (and older as well!) dressed that nice today. I remember my mom talking about the dress codes that existed when she was in high school, and as a young person, I laughed. Now I wish there were more of them!

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