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Domestic science/home economics teachers

Domestic science/home economics teachers

From the Introduction to Jane Grigson's 'English Food:'
'In the past food was often adulterated by unscrupulous purveyors...but at least this was recognized as a vicious thing to do. Now our food is adulterated and spoilt in ways that are entirely legal, even encouraged...

'And these crimes against good food are encouraged by domestic science teachers who think it is fine to teach pupils to make pies with pastry-mix and ready-prepared pie fillings. When criticized, they answer, 'We have no time; anyway at least they enable us to teach children the "manipulative skills".' What skills? The skill to turn on the tap and mix the mix to a dough? The skill to operate a tin-opener? The skill to read instructions on the packet or tin? The skill to spoon the filling into a dish? The skill to turn on the oven, a foolproof oven, to the correct temperature? Such 'manipulative skills' are usually mastered at home before school begins, or at the latest in the infant school. The development of taste and true knowledge should be the business of secondary school home economics teachers. And if they are not able to do this through bad organization of the curriculum, they should be seeking to change the system, not conniving in it and excusing themselves. I think it is ironic that the countries of Europe where you get the better food are the countries where such a subject is not taught in the usual state secondary school.'

Since Jane Grigson wrote these words, there has been the devolopment of 'food technology' courses. 'Educational' visits arranged in connection with these courses may include visits to factories where mechanically recovered meat is injected or into factory-made pastry (or otherwise covered with pastry) and the whole is deep frozen. Jane Grigson would have been horrified.