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Another woodworking forum that I am a member of just collected enough money from members to purchase 2 mini-lathes, tools, chucks, etc.... and donated them to a high school wood shop. A couple manufacturers stepped up and donated accessories as well. Getting the next generation involved is priceless!
"Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They're easier to ignore before you see their faces. It's easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes."
I totally agree! I've heard that a lot of schools are shutting down their shops because of lack of interest...that just makes me sick! I took two years of shop--and had to fight with the guidence counselor before he let me because I was "academic..." not industrial arts! I got my way, and it was wonderful to get down and dirty in the shop...and forget all the intellectual crap for at least one period!
I loved shop class in high school. That was the one thing worth while looking forward too. I'm just naturally adept with woodworking. I built a whiskey Hooka of laminated woods, turned on the lathe. It was so awesome, it had the whiskey chamber, the "tobacco" bowl on top and a long tube, and all the pieces came apart to clean. I got an A on the project until the teacher found out just what I made, then I got an F and was expelled for a week. Worse part was I never got too keep the pipe, or christen it. It's probably being used in the faculty lounge to this very day for all I know...sigh.
I made a pistol crossbow in my shop class, that didn't make points with the teaching staff either. First an last weapon made in my old high school. (class of 66) I loved shop class. We had Automotive, Metal and wood. I think that is all gone now.
Our LI woodworking club has been giving lessons on hand cut dove tails at one of the local schools.
Rolf
RBI G4 26 Hawk, EX 16 with Pegas clamps, Nova 1624 DVR XP
Philosophy "I don't know that I can't, therefore I can"
Proud Member of the Long Island Woodworkers Club
And the Long Island Scrollsaw Association
I'm sure there are less liability issues with classes like those, Dale...
Just heard that one of my coworkers son hurt himself in Shop Class...it sounds like it was kickback from a table saw (the wood flipped up, sliced his thumb open, and pushed it back, breaking it...)...the worst you can expect in PS2 Basics is carpal tunnel syndrome...
I'm sure there are less liability issues with classes like those, Dale...
..the worst you can expect in PS2 Basics is carpal tunnel syndrome...
Bob
Don't you bet on it, Bob. When I was teaching a computer class in England I had one young anima - erm - student pull a monitor off the desk and onto his head ... don't ask how!!!
I guess it was lucky for me that the parents realised whose fault the accident really was!! Unfortunately it did the monitor more harm than the student!
This is a great thing. I don't know that I would've ever gotten into woodworking had it not been for 6th grade shop class. Most of the schools around here (the richest state in the country to add insult to injury) no longer offer shop classes. I learned woodworking, basic auto-mechanics and many other useful life lessons in these classes. It's a shame that they're not being offered anymore.
Kevin Scrollsaw Patterns Online Making holes in wood with an EX-30, Craftsman 16" VS, Dremel 1680 and 1671
I'm sure there are less liability issues with classes like those, Dale...
Just heard that one of my coworkers son hurt himself in Shop Class...it sounds like it was kickback from a table saw (the wood flipped up, sliced his thumb open, and pushed it back, breaking it...)...the worst you can expect in PS2 Basics is carpal tunnel syndrome...
Bob
Yes Bob, perhaps you are right in that aspect. And, now that I think of it, there probably are jobs looking to hire kids with high PS2 scores. Who needs the creative skills anymore anyways? dale
Here's another recent story on the same subject. My son is so bogged down with the acedemics, he is losing interest in some classes. I'd love to see a shop class at his school.
Thanks Dan, that is an excellent artical. A couple quotes from it that so true: "We have a generation of students that can answer questions on tests, know factoids, but they can't do anything," said Aschwanden, an appointee to the state Board of Education.
and, like I tell my 4H kids :"He tells his students that this is a math class, too, but a fun one."
Thanks again for posting that. Dale
Rolf
RBI G4 26 Hawk, EX 16 with Pegas clamps, Nova 1624 DVR XP
Philosophy "I don't know that I can't, therefore I can"
Proud Member of the Long Island Woodworkers Club
And the Long Island Scrollsaw Association
I hope you all realize that my coments above were tongue in cheek...just looking back, I realize that someone could have taken me seriously....if you did, I apologize!
Connecticut, also the highest or second highest taxed state in the country (we do battle with Mass and NY for that "honor" every year). Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that we're all rich, just means that we pay more to the government every year.
Oh, and I found our (after my wife yelled at me) that our local high school does offer 2 woodworking classes (I and II), yay! They offer these and 2 metalworking classes as well. Maybe there's hope after all.
Kevin Scrollsaw Patterns Online Making holes in wood with an EX-30, Craftsman 16" VS, Dremel 1680 and 1671
I’m too young yet don’t meet other guidelines. We are still 75 and over or health care workers I believe. My husband is in health care, so he has now gotten both of his shots. At this rate, I figure I will be doing good if I get sometime this summer. Glad hubby got his, figure he was my biggest...
Our appt is next week, I think. We are going to another county as ours doesn’t have enough. So they say. First one was cancelled for 2/1 as they had to make sure they had enough for the 2nd shot. Applied the next day and got the same appointment they cancelled. Go figure.
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