A Historical Study on the Relation between Chemical Education and Homemaking Education in Girls' High Schools

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to clarify the relation between chemical education and homemaking education in girls' high schools in Japan from the standpoint of the vicissitude of the Course of Study. In the Course of Study enacted in 1911, substances in our home life, such as foods, fabrics and so on, were taught in chemistry, and techniques and economics were taught in homemaking. In 1943, the Course of Study was extensively revised and homemaking education was positioned at the core of curriculum. At this period, the good relation between science education and home-economics education had been kept. After the World War II, an experience curriculum was adopted in school and natural organic compounds were taught as food constituents, fabrics and fuel in chemistry. However, a few description of living science appeared in home-economics textbooks. At present, discipline-centered curriculum is adopted in science education, and the chemistry of substances in our home life is scarcely instructed in upper secondary schools.