Favorite Class

Shown above are two books I have - one is a "Junior Cook Book" I had as a kid, and the other is "Miss Patch's Learn-To-Sew Book" that I found in the nearby thrift store only yesterday. They represent two loves I have - cooking/baking, and quilting/sewing.


Even for all my tomboy-cowgirl stuff, I enjoy being a homemaker. I like cooking and baking and being creative and arranging things and even laundry. Dishwashing is another matter, but I know that's a blessing in disguise. When I was younger and still living at home, I enjoyed helping Mom with the housework and other homey things. Even after my getting married, often she and I would talk on the phone, each of us having a great time telling what we had accomplished in our homes that day. So it's no surprise that my favorite class in high school was Home Ec.


I think nowadays, what used to be Home Ec. ("Home Economics") is now called "Family and Consumer Sciences," or something like that. But I like plain ol' "Home Ec." Actually, when I was in school, we started Home Ec. (and boys in Shop Class) in 8th grade. But high school was the brunt of it. I enjoyed it all four years.


The lady who taught us is still teaching there, and I have to say she was probably my favorite teacher as well. Her blend of good humor PLUS exacting standards and thorough teaching was something I liked. We could cut-up with her and have a jolly time, then she might turn around and demand we rip a seam several times before we sewed it straight. But we learned, and enjoyed it, at least I know I did.


The Home Ec. classroom was pretty big, half set up with sewing machines, and half built as four mini-kitchens. In the center were tables when we were doing book studies. We learned nutrition, sewing, cooking, meal planning and serving, and some extras such as crocheting, plus probably some other stuff I forgot. We each had our own sewing box stored in the cabinet awaiting use. I still have mine, it's bright lime green and still holding some of those original supplies from high school. The handle is in the hinged lid, and I have to hold it carefully to pick it up, because the latch won't hold anymore. If I'd pick it up by the handle, I can just see all that stuff spilling out! But all I have to do is look at it, and I think of Home Ec. class. The square chalks on the far left in the top tray and that long, blue and silver seam gauge in the right part of the top tray are "original" from being in Home Ec. Also, that "orange" piece of foam rubber that's a pin cushion is original to the box. I haven't used the chalk much, but do use the seam gauge quite often.

Half of the year, we did sewing. I had mixed feelings about that. I enjoyed sewing, but nervously wanted to do a good job. Mom could sew, but she hated it, because of a BAD Home Ec. teacher. So her patience was practically non-existent with the sewing machine. But I enjoyed the sewing pretty much. We had to make something each year, progressively getting more advanced as each year went by. I can only remember a couple of things I sewed in Home Ec. .... one was a pair of slacks. In a blue/gray checkery-block pattern. That had to be matched. That had a BACK zipper. Maybe I remember those slacks because of the challenge. And yes, I ripped my share of seams! I also faintly remember making a blue denim-colored VERY SIMPLE skirt.


One time we did some crocheting. I had knitted a little in 4-H, but didn't totally love it because I was afraid all the time of dropping a stitch. (I enjoy it now.) But this crocheting seemed easier. Mom did a LOT of crocheting, and I still have many of her afghans and doilies she made. In fact, the one in the pictures above is one she made. In Home Ec., we all had to make a "Granny Square." I remember I used green and brown yarns to make mine. My best friend was left-handed, so we sat across from each other, and she learned by looking at what I was doing like she was looking in a mirror.


The most memories I have are of the cooking and baking the other half of the year. We divided up into groups with two or three in each of the four kitchenettes. We all had to learn to can tomatoes. Then we could pick some other things, and I remember doing an orange marmalade-type jam, and some relish. Let's just say canning isn't my forte, but I wish I could do that better, or at all! Mom made a green tomato relish I wish I could have more of to this day.


We also baked, and made cookies, cakes, and 7-minute frosting. Certain smells as I bake even today will take me back to Home Ec. class! A lot of times (though I never did), girls would make cookies for the coaches' lounge for athletic games.


At some point, each kitchen group had to plan a meal, cook it, set a nice table, and serve the rest of the class. Then we were graded on it. My group decided to do chicken. Well, Mom was on a restricted diet around that time, and I had it in my mind to be smart and take all the skin and fat off of that chicken before we cooked it. It turned out O.K., but kind of "scrawny." So that didn't help much. I forget what else we served. I think we got a "B!"


The Home Ec. classroom also had a washer and dryer in a little nook behind the teacher's desk, and over in a corner, there were magazine racks and bean bag chairs to sit in and take a break and read. I don't know if that reading nook is still there, but I imagine everything else is about the same, despite the name change of the class. I wonder how much seam-ripping STILL takes place?

[Added photos of the sewing box and comments about the items in the tray on 1-23-2015.]