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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Did I do this before?

You know how you think you did something but it's bounced around in your head so many times you can't be sure.  So just in case, you go ahead and hope you don't boor anyone.  Well here goes.

My schooling was in some ways different from my friends.  They all went through the same schools together while I took a 3 year side trip to a Catholic school.  The thing was our district (township) went only through the 8th grade then we had to go into the city district for 9th through 12th.  Well I rejoined my friends in 9th, as tuition was a burden on the parents. 

In the city it was time for the beginning of selectives for us.  I took a home ec (that's what girls did then)  class and the sewing part was the worse class I have ever taken.  There was no problem with the others, as coming from a Catholic school I had the advantage of being almost an entire year ahead on the subjects.  But of course not home ec.  The teacher seemed to have a prejudice for the 'country' kids.  At least in the class period I had. 

All beginners had to make an apron with a bib.  I was so excited to learn and we bought all the supplies needed, and if I remember right, a very pretty pattern.  Well I managed to followed the instructions she gave and got it all cut out.  Even got it gathered.  Now to assemble the bib to it and waist tie.  It stumped me. Looking back with what I know now, it should have been easy.  But no, I was stopped completely.  I ask the teacher for help and was put off with "in a minute" on a daily basis.  Needless to say the deadline for that step was not met and I was to stay after and work on it.  I met with no success after school from her.  One of the girls working after class (for extra credit and making her pompon skirt) started to help me and was reprimanded and threatened with a lower grade if she did that again.  I went home that night and told mom I wanted to drop the class and why.

The next day she went to the principal and said her piece.  They called in a couple of the girls who were staying after and also some in my class to verify my complaint.  Well the jist of the story is I was allowed to go to study hall for the rest of the year yet was given a C for the class.  I never even went back in that room to retrieve my supplies. 

I never thought again about sewing until I got married and a machine came with the purchase of a vacuum cleaner.  Fortunately I'm a stubborn gal and bought a pattern to make a dress from my new little girl.  It was also fortunate that a neighbor just two houses down was a very experienced sewer and more than willing to help in anyway she could.  There is still a lot about sewing I should know, but I never give up.    Procrastinate some, lol, but keep plugging.

Well I hope this didn't send you nap taking.  Guess we can't always remember if we repeat ourselves.

Now to get to work around here.  Have a good day.

8 comments:

  1. My toughest class was Chemistry. I remember working my butt off to barely pass. Teachers in that kind of situation make all the difference in the world and the guy that taught in there didn't seem at all interested in helping not to mention that there were several classes full of kids he had to teach. I'm just glad I made it through without failing.

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  2. Oh, what a MEAN teacher!!! I only hope that "what goes around, comes around" in this case.
    I learned how to make a gathered skirt in Girl Scouts. That was the only thing we ever sewed, and I had hopes that my mom, who was an accomplished seamstress, would show me how to sew even more. She did teach me how to lay the pattern, how to score it, and how to cut it out. From there, she told me she didn't have the patience. She was the one who suffered for her lack of patience, as she had to sew for my daughter when the time came. lol Like I said, "what goes around, comes around".
    Now my daughter is trying to learn how to sew....started with just hand-sewing a dress for her 3 year old....it was cute. Someday, maybe she will invest in a machine. They are so cheap now.

    Good thing you never give up!!!

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  3. I loved reading this! In high school I took 4 years of Art class instead of home ec. I taught myself to sew with the help of a friend who could make anything on a sewing machine.
    I had a teacher or two like that when I was in school.

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  4. Well, that was a new story to me - I had not heard it before. If you ask me, your Home Ec Teacher was not a very good one that she couldn't help you to get you going properly,

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  5. ZZZZ...ZZZZ... only kidding. Though I never took sewing I also had a teacher embarrass me in front of the class (4th grade) because I had just transferred to this school after a move and they were covering something I had never been taught. When I told her that she proceede to humiliate me in front of the class. I told my mother. She went down to the school and kicked some butt! From then on the teacher was "nicer to me" but I know it was forced.

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  6. Oh Terry...I had a not too hot experience with my skirt and blouse. The apron was OK. I LOVED reading this and I hope you have mire memories to tell us.

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  7. Nice to hear other peoples' experiences on life especially from another country, and as long as they speak the same language! Obviously things were done different here [I was schooled in Scotland] but the end result is pretty much the same, turning out literate sane and worthy beings. BTW I made all my children's clothes, knitted and stitched, it saved me a fortune and they were always well turned out. nice post Terry.

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  8. No I don't remember reading this before, but Spaces was a long time ago it seems. I loved reading about this. I was an awful seamstress in school so much so the teacher looked me right in the eye and said.."Carol..sewing is just NOT for you." hah.. she was right I hated it, now cooking, decorating etc..I am a whiz.
    : ) Thanks for the memories..

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