The aim of this paper was to clarify the argument of the teaching materials used in dressmaking classes of elementary schools from the latter half of the Taisho period to the beginning of the Showa era. The results were as follows: 1. Basic material theory over selection of Japanese sewing material was debated oppositely between infants cloth and adult cloth. Infant cloth theory insisted that if fits the minds and bodies of children. 2. Material theory that emphasized children's lifestyle criticized the practical educational view which basic material theory was basic on principally. The production focus, which rooted in basic material theory, insisted that the role of material is to develop children's ability. 3. In the process of transforming sewing material of elementary school sewing departments, from the wide range of Kimono to the clothes that children wore, the development of children's minds and bodies were focused on.

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The authors examined how teachers manage cooking classes and establish learning objectives in elementary school, junior high school and senior high school through the use of questionnaires from home economics teachers. Mastering cooking skills were mainly mentioned as the learning goals in practical cooking classes. Few learning goals were mentioned about natural science and social science. The authors hope that practical classes will be done in which learning about dietary life will be incorporated. Most of the teachers conducted cooking classes 3 to 5 times a year, but it is not sufficient enough for students to master practical cooking skills so it is necessary to address this problem. The results of this survey found there were certain teachers who thought that students experienced the cooking classes for their own gratification. It is necessary to examine more closely what the rewards are for students in cooking classes.

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The purpose of the investigation is to explain the influence of meals with adults on elementary students' food consciousness, the food attitudes and the food knowledge. It was carried out with elementary school students in the fifth and the sixth grades, and answers were obtained from 667 elementary students. The results of the investigation were as follows. The rate of eating both staple foods and the side dishes is higher in meals with adults. The elementary school students who had meals with adults had many conversations, felt the meals were pleasant, were very satisfied, looked forward to them, were careful of their health, and helped preparing for the meal. Their food knowledge was also high. Most of the elementary school students that had meals alone complained about the defects of the physical condition. It became clear that meals with adults influenced elementary school students' food consciousness, food attitudes and the food knowledge. It was important that there was an adult at the time of the meals, and that food education in the family was important for elementary school fifth and sixth grade students.

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The authors' aim is to consider the direction of welfare education in home economics. This study examined the following three points to study welfare education in home economics. (1) Reviews of welfare education research in Japan from the point of experience and of welfare education research in home economics. (2) Analysis of practical reports about welfare education in home economics and suggestions about issues in practical classes. (3) The direction of welfare education in home economics classes, which include experiences. The results were as follows. Learning about welfare problems in society and having relationships with the problems are the most important issues in welfare education. A recent main point is improving practice in experiential classes and especially important is how to learn about local problems. The experience in daily life is also important in welfare education in home economics. From the authors' analysis, practical classes, which include both contact experience and para-experience, are effective for students, because they learn to think about and resolve problems around them. The direction of welfare education in home economics classes is concerned about the issues in daily life. Students can discover issues on the daily life level and challenge them.

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The authors examined the possibility of mastering cooking abilities during cooking classes with the process of problem-solving. The authors experimented with a cooking class that was organized around the problem-solving method. The goal of this class was for students to improve their cooking abilities by themselves. Special points at issue in this research were the process of problem-solving and changes in the way of students' thinking. It became quite clear that the goal of the cooking classes had four main aspects shown through careful consideration of these points; (1) Half of the students could improve their problems with cooking. (2) Students improved their self-esteem and said they wanted to improve their cooking. (3) Students became to have self-esteem through the mastering of their cooking techniques. (4) There was no relationship between the process of problem-solving and personal formation in cooking. There is a possibility of mastering cooking abilities during cooking classes with the process of problem-solving. The authors discussed issues in cooking classes through the process of problem-solving; what was cooking ability, and what was the concrete goal in a cooking class.

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To consider the neccesity of and the skillful ability of constructing clothing in daily life, a questionnaire was given to junior college students and their mothers in 1998 and 1999. Questions regarding what teaching materials or skills are suitable for sewing classes for elementary school to college students were also asked. The main results were as follows: 1) The basic skills of sewing were considered necessary for both students and mothers. They had abilities to sew. 2) Students had the ability to construct pajamas and unlined skirts. It was necessary for them to use ready-made patterns and to construct children's wear, unlined skirts, and one-piece dresses. It was also necessary for them to knit and to be able to reform their own clothing. While the mothers had many kinds of sewing skills, it was not necessary for them to use these skills in their daily lives. 3) Students and mothers were not able to repair parts of the waist or the sleeves of their ready-to-wear clothing. 4) It was considered necessary to lean basic skills of sewing in elementary school, the easy repair of clothing at junior high school, and the construction of simple clothing at high school and to learn the construction of kimono and other complicated clothing at college or professional school.

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