Back in the late 50s and early sixties a large majority of children were fodder for essential but often dull and uninspiring employment. Much potential was thwarted by misconceived education theory. Woodwork was all right if you were chipper and liked wood but gardening would do little for the important university interview experienced by the few. Then there was domestic science.
Domestic science was never offered to any male pupil that I knew. In the culture of that time it might have had such a pansy image that any offer of that subject to boys could well have led to shame and a refusal to co-operate. But I would have co-operated; I would have liked to have captained the school football team at the weekend and then produced an orange drizzle cake on school premises [and scones if there was time] on the following Monday.
As a matter of fact I produced a half decent orange drizzle cake not two hours ago. 51 years late. I greased, base-lined, creamed, folded and turned like a man possessed of...... little confidence.
Confidence is a funny thing; armed with it the world is yours and mine but without it there are tears, self doubt and a broken promise. My cake looks good. Very good. A little saggy in the middle mind.
I reckon it needed another ten minutes.
If there is any man out there that needs to drizzle just drop a comment. We can grease and cream by gentle direct learning whilst our better half paints the ceiling.
WB
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Exellent piece of writing Wilf. We certainly would have been classed as cissified if we had to take Domestic Science or Cookery as we knew the subject. I have three grandsons who with their peers have braved the unknowns of Domestic Science and were chuffed when their produce was brought home and eaten. Times have certainly changed Wilf. The domestic science teacher at St. Josephs was Miss Jean Seed whose father was employed at Ushaw Cllege. Perhaps this name will bring a response from former pupils who remember her.
ReplyDeleteBrian Mc.