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malthaussen

(18,290 posts)

33. mechanical drawing and shop, one semester each in Junior High.

Sat Aug 9, 2025, 10:33 AM

Aug 9

No Civics or Latin by the time I reached Junior High, although Civics had been a requirement a few years earlier.

In High School, "requirements" varied depending on the program in which one was enrolled. Not all students (indeed, not even half) were in a College Prep program. Each program had different requirements.

But "Health" and "Gym" were required of all students. "Health" was a joke course, sex ed masquerading under a different name, and we had to take it every year. I really can't tell you much about it, as I cut that course practically every day it was given (it was a once-a-week deal). I cut a lot of courses in HS.

-- Mal

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What school courses were mandatory for you to take that are probably not required today [View all] LogDog75 Aug 7 OP

Civics. Oopsie Daisy Aug 7 #1

Yep. Same here. Freshman year. Arkansas Granny Aug 7 #2

Pretty sure that civics is still a required course. Emile Aug 7 #10

While it hasn't disappeared entirely, your presumption that it's "still a required course" is wrong. Oopsie Daisy Aug 7 #15

Not In Illinois, It's Not Wrong ProfessorGAC Sep 1 #40

Okay. Oopsie Daisy Sep 1 #44

i chatted with a retired teacher but still subs , says many schools dont teach civics anymore . AllaN01Bear Aug 7 #23

Yeah. A real shame that it is gone. emulatorloo Aug 7 #11

add me to that list. When I was in 8th grade a semester of Civics was required yellowdogintexas Aug 8 #30

See My Post Above ProfessorGAC Sep 1 #41

Same as your experience Diamond_Dog Aug 7 #3

I hated home ec. murielm99 Aug 7 #4

I got terrible grades in that, and I was just remembering the apron. I tried to make a fell apart when I presented it. Walleye Aug 7 #6

My son and some of his friends murielm99 Aug 7 #7

I got that merit badge in Boy Scouts! malthaussen Aug 9 #34

i failed home ec. couldnt sew a tee shirt if it killed me. AllaN01Bear Aug 7 #24

That was my experience also. I went to Jr. High and High School in Dallas, Texas. CTyankee Sep 1 #39

Latin Pachamama Aug 7 #5

Had To Do That In HS ProfessorGAC Sep 1 #42

I had to take Latin in order to take French. It was a pre-req. I wanted to learn French and didn't realize the value of CTyankee Sep 1 #45

Honor Students Had To Take Latin ProfessorGAC Sep 1 #46

I remember every Monday would bring newspaper articles to our social studies class and discuss them Walleye Aug 7 #8

I remember doing that, too. In 9th grade Civics class. Diamond_Dog Aug 7 #9

Drafting MichMan Aug 7 #12

Drafting was an assigned course in my middle school (mid 1970s suburban Boston). Eugene Aug 7 #18

Not so, I lived in the Philly suburbs and we had to take "mechanical drawing." malthaussen Aug 9 #35

Drafting was required? Oeditpus Rex Sep 1 #43

Everyone had to take Home Ec and Shop. Biophilic Aug 7 #13

at my first high school, 4 years of Home Ec or Agriculture were necessary to get the 18 credits yellowdogintexas Aug 8 #31

I cannot tell you how much I and my whole family suffered through seeing. 🤣 Biophilic Aug 8 #32

Mechanical drawing and shop -- a semester of each. rsdsharp Aug 7 #14

French from kindergarten through 7th grade JoseBalow Aug 7 #16

Can't recall if it was mandatory, but snot Aug 7 #17

Driver's Ed was an elective in my High School... malthaussen Aug 9 #36

high school: typing (I hear that's obsolete.) middle school: printing and drafting/mechanical drawing Eugene Aug 7 #19

Funny stories about shop Marthe48 Aug 7 #20

Home Economics catbyte Aug 7 #21

I won that thing too! My senior year in high school 1966. yellowdogintexas Sep 1 #38

Typing Diraven Aug 7 #22

Penmanship. Cursive. Oopsie Daisy Aug 8 #25

In grade school it was Penmanship. Ritabert Aug 8 #26

Cursive, Civics, U.S. History, Home Economics, PE. Polly Hennessey Aug 8 #27

Shorthand (Gregg) snowybirdie Aug 8 #28

Music appreciation. surrealAmerican Aug 8 #29

mechanical drawing and shop, one semester each in Junior High. malthaussen Aug 9 #33

We had to learn to dance LogDog75 Aug 9 #37