Stevensgirl

I was thinking about this today. I first learned to sew way back in junior high, and that was back in the early 70s . Do they still offer sewing in public schools anymore? I made some pretty hideous things in that class, but I caught the bug and have been sewing off and on all these years.

Lisa_wanna_b_quilter

Our small town school cut it out years ago due to budget constraints.

craftychick

EC was probably one of the first cuts school districts made. I also sat and used a sewing machine in junior high in the early 70s.

snipforfun

Our high schools even have and teach long arming quilting machines. Sewing is required for boys and girls

NJ Quilter

In our district, yes, there is still a version of 'home ec'. It's called domestic somethingorother if I'm not mistaken. There is a term of sewing; one cooking; not sure what else is involved. I don't think it's quite the same as you and I remember but it is somewhat close. In the sewing portion I know they all make the same string bag. The only creativity involved is your fabric selection. When I had home ec, we could select any garment project we wanted. Still have nightmares about the teacher taking out the bazillion pins I had in the neckline of a garment I wanted to sew differently than the pattern called for. I ended up walking out of that class and blasting the teacher in the hallway. My mother was horrified that I flunked that class that term. At least I waited until the last term of the school year and had aced all the previous terms so overall, it didn't matter.

As an aside and result of that outburst, all of my fellow female (the only gender the class was offered to at the time - late 60's) students refused to take the home ec class the following year. We all demanded to take 'shop'. The school determined they could not deny us, but at that point made it mandatory for the male students to then be required to take home ec. Who knew I was a rebel! And a feminist!

Stepney

I was wondering the same thing, only for me that junior high class was the mid 60's My mother started teaching me to sew around 11 years old so for me that meant an easy A. This summer my San Deigo grand daughters will be getting their first sewing lessons from me when they come to visit........I can't wait!

CookyIN

NJ, circa 1970 I thought about being a rebel and demanding that they let me take shop just to prove a point -- but wanted to do the cooking and sewing of Home Ec too much. Truth is, I wish I'd had the option to do both. Would have used those Shop skills through the years just as much as my domestic skills.

Jackie Spencer

I took Home Ec. in the 60's. I still have and use some of the recipes we made. Home made caramels and brownies with fudge frosting, etc. My favorite was the sewing, we made bermuda shorts and a top, one year.

Dina

I taught at schools in Oklahoma and Texas, junior high and high school, and home ec. was removed from them. Life Skills was what replaced them, if anything did. (One of my friends who taught home ec. had to get re-certified in a different subject to continue teaching at our school.) I think the only sewing in Life Skills was sewing on a button. I have been retired for five years, so maybe home ec. has come back....but I doubt it.

Dina

NJ Quilter

It's been a few years, but I think the school ended up making both genders to a half year of each - home ec and shop. And yes, I still use those mechanical drawing skills learned in 9th grade! Actually designed and drew out our home addition only 20 yrs ago as a result of those skills! And trust me when I say, that was a loooong time after 9th grade!

As well, I had been sewing garments at home for a number of years, hence my wanting to do the one particular pattern in a different fashion. Too bad the home ec teacher didn't have my 'vision'. And while my mom wasn't particularly pleased with my grade that term, Nana was very proud of me!