Domestic Science- 1960’s.

Domestic science was my favourite lesson 1964-68 , secondary modern.

I have always cooked and baked, sadly live alone now so not much opportunity , cooking for one isnt the same.

I am not a craft type person but go to knit and natter, to natter and spoil them with cakes on their birthdays

I was 11 in 1952 when we started Housecraft lessons. We made a salad and learnt how to clean shoes. The lessons that were the most valuable were making cakes. This was because the demonstration taught us the reason behind everything involved. Why we beat the margarine and sugar together and added beaten egg - all about getting air in. That was why we carefully folded the flour in so as not to lose the air etc. when I got married at just turned 19 in 1960 the only thing Iwas good at was cakes. I used the old Gas Regulation cook book which came with the first cooker I had.

At my school we only did cookery if we weren’t considered bright enough to do Latin, which resulted in a lot of highly educated, totally impractical girls. I’m one of them.

We had to make the cookery apron first, the actual cooking included cheese and potato pie and rock cakes IIRC. Never enough of anything for my family - 6 of us.

In the 2nd year of DS we did more sewing - things I’d never have worn in a million years - e.g. a petticoat! - so my mother did rather resent having to fork out for the materials.

In the 3rd year we could give it up - I was very glad to. Could also give up Latin and do German or extra English - or go on with Latin plus Greek. Latin was actually one of the very few things I was good at (superb teacher) at so I’d have quite liked to carry on with it, alongside German.

I attended a secondary modern school 1955-1959. We had to make our aprons in needlework (I still have mine). I also still have the cookery book. First year of domestic science was learning how to do household work - like cleaning brass, how to wash up; it included buying hard soap in (I think) 12 inch blocks and cutting into four and how to stack them. Then we did laundry work, which included learning to iron using solid flat irons which had to be heated on an aga-like range (it was a country school and many of the girls came from houses without electricity). When we started cookery, one of the cookers we had to use was an oil cooker, with burners and an oven. There were also gas and electricity cookers plus the solid fuel cooker. The cookery lessons were very comprehensive, and useful a few years later when I lived abroad and you couldn't buy decent biscuits or cakes in the local shops so I made my own.

At my girls' grammar, we only did one term of Home Ec if we were taking Latin (which I was). We had 6 smart kitchen units and had to work in pairs, and I automatically paired up with my best friend which wasn't a good move as she never wanted to try hard and would mess around.

We had to make bread rolls and I said to her that I had added the yeast. She wasn't listening or concentrating as usual.

When we came to take the rolls out of the oven, they had joined together and risen to completely fill the space and couldn't be got out. Sue had also added yeast to our mix!!!

I remember being really annoyed.

She was the same when we were paired up for tennis and would just keep hitting the ball up in the air nowhere near the court and getting the giggles. But we have stayed in touch over all these years and she is still really good fun.

Sarnia

Domestic Science, as it was in my day, is a shadow of what it was then. My 12 year old GD was shown how to make a sandwich in last week's lesson.

Sometimes, progress goes backwards, not forwards.

I decided to do Fish Pie for my Domestic Science 'O' level, in the 1960's. It almost gave me a breakdown - the greaseproof paper fish 'parcel' disintegrated in the pan of boiling water and the potatoes didn't cook properly. They were like bloody rocks.

I failed, hopelessly, of course.

AGAA4

Before we could begin cookery we had to sew an apron!

So did we! Along with a little hat thing with our names embroidered on them, all made from calico in Needlework session. Until we had the apron made we had lessons in laying the table, the correct order to do your washing up, glasses first girls…….
When the aprons had passed our teachers stringent test we were allowed to cook. Baked potato with cheese topping was our first effort. As we had DS all morning that was our lunch that day.
Everything taken on the school bus in a large biscuit tin in our wicker baskets!

This brings back memories!
Ours was called ‘Housecraft’ in the 70’s. We had to have a basket with a cover on and I remember making ‘decorated biscuits’ - basically Rivetas with stuff on!
We (girls of course) were taught how to wash and dry a saucepan and keep dishcloths clean. Ironically it was the only subject I got an A for at O’level. I vaguely remember being asked to make a three course meal for my ‘construction worker’ husband when he came home from work 🫣 I think tomato soup and gingerbread were involved.
I can also remember being taught how to put mascara on properly so that men would find us attractive!!! We were told to apply it to the top of our lashes, ‘because of course your husband will be taller than you’ Oh heck! My daughters would howl about his 🤣

I also had to make a headband and apron for DS lessons. We had to bind it with colour depending which house we were in . Also had to put our initials on the apron pocket and the headband, I hated sewing - fortunately my Mum was a whiz on a sewing machine! and helped me. I did learn a lot which has always stood me in good stead . However I longed to do woodwork - that was a definite no no!!

I remember having to cook a portion of a vegetable. I took sprouts. I put them in a pyrex dish and into my gondola basket. (Does that bring back some memories for some).
I ate them all on the way home from school. It put me off them for years after.

Domestic Science, as it was in my day, is a shadow of what it was then. My 12 year old GD was shown how to make a sandwich in last week's lesson.

Me too. Much trial and error (still!).

Barleyfields

Were you allowed to study two foreign languages as well as cookery? We weren’t. So I didn’t study cookery.

Me neither.

I can cook though, learnt from my Mum, books and TV chefs!

(Incidentally, I passed my GCE Cookery with either a 2 or a 3).

Well done Calendargirl

Of course, any young person now would think that was a fail as it goes backwards now to what it was.
A 1 is fail, a 9 is an excellent pass. Ridiculous!

Any fule kno that 1 is an A*!

I barely remember any of the recipes we were taught in Home Economics. What stands out in my memory was that my Mum disapproved of us learning to use a sewing machine before we were taught all of our hand stitches. That dreaded apron.

As soon as HE was optional, I chose art class instead.

Apologies. My message was meant to reference the comment by Clawdy

Look and Cook was red in colour and written by the Misses Godfrey and Cocker. Lecturers at a teacher training college. There was a companion yellow book called Plan and Cook which was for the next stage!
Cook and Hostess, same size but green in colour followed on!

I took Latin at my grammar school which meant there was only time for very short cookery lessons. We didn't cook proper food, instead we invented new sandwich fillings (not easy when you were used to cheese, or fish paste) and we learned to write invitations for various occasions.

I chose Art instead of Home Economics. This was at grammar school. At the Sec. Mod up the road all girls did H.E.

They were taught really well, had beautiful kitchens and a flat which they used to learn further domestic skills.

They had to budget, plan, prepare menus, lay tables and cook really professional meals. I would say the food they produced as 15 year olds was as good as what 2nd year college students make now.

On Sports Days or Parents Days they would prepare stunning buffets for local bigwigs, parents and governors.

When my son was at High School in the 90s he did Food Technology for a few terms. It was pathetic - they made cheese straws, coleslaw and a “healthy” snack bar. Vastly inferior to what girls in the 60s/70s made. They think by giving it a catchy title rather than cookery, people will be impressed. I wasn’t.

Ladyleftfieldlover

The best cook in my O-level group failed the exam because she messed up the theory paper.

I managed an E because of my excellent theory!

I could write reams about it but that was as far at it went.

The best cook in my O-level group failed the exam because she messed up the theory paper.

I failed O level Domestic Science. My children are not surprised.

AGAA4

Before we could begin cookery we had to sew an apron!

So did we! Plus a matching Alice band with our initials embroidered on the front.