A few gloats.

[flyrod444]

I've only been at my present school teaching shop since Christmas. In that time a few of my students have become fair turners. The first picture is of a walnut bowl one of them finished last week. It could have been sanded better, but we don't have any good sandpaper left for this school year. It is finished with a coat of BLO. The second picture is of one of the two loads of maple I got out of the large maple that I cut two weeks ago. It was just over 39" in dia. for the first 10' of the trunk. I couldn't get the stump wood since it is full of barb wire up to 4 feet off the ground. I did get one side cut down to a few feet from the ground, but hit wire twice that messed up a few teeth on my chian. That was the reason for my old chain saw in the picture, I used my husky 61 for the rest of the sawing. The tree was over 80 years old according to the rings I was able to count. The center of the tree was punky down to 8 feet off the ground so it was at the end of it's long life and I'm glad that a good number of bowls will be made out of it's trunk. I've hauled most of it to my school shop for my students to use in their turning. The wood we've turned so far has a few rays in it and some has a cluster of burl eyes in it here and there so it was worth the work that went into cutting up the gaint tree with the 20" bar that is on my husky 61.
Jack

 

[bobby g]

Jack,

Your students are lucky that they are in a school with a surviving wood program and with a dedicated teacher such as you. Keep up the fine work. School shop meant so much to me as a struggling teen and I was able to learn much more from my teachers than I could realize at the time.

Bob

 

[boxxmaker]

Schools need more folks like you Jack,that goes that extra mile for the kids.Where is the school your at now? Your not teaching over there at Glenville now?

 

[dlrion]

It gladdens my heart to hear about a school that is still teaching woodshop.

I think this is one class that does not need to go away. I am perpetually amazed at how much schools are willing to invest in gyms and pools, and locker rooms, and football bleachers, and they cannot afford sandpaper.

Who controls this, how do I ensure that my young children will have woodshop left when they get older. Does the school board cut the checks or do the voters?



Dan

 

[Dragon]

It gladdens my heart to hear about a school that is still teaching woodshop.

I think this is one class that does not need to go away. I am perpetually amazed at how much schools are willing to invest in gyms and pools, and locker rooms, and football bleachers, and they cannot afford sandpaper.

Who controls this, how do I ensure that my young children will have woodshop left when they get older. Does the school board cut the checks or do the voters?



Dan

What he said X10. I loved woodshop when I was in school. Seems like there's always time and money for sports but never any for something that might help kids bring in a paycheck someday. Okay, I'm not a sports fan so shoot me. Seriously though, what would it take to get folks like Klingspore's to donate some sandpaper? Maybe NCWW could hold a fund drive to buy up woodshop supplies for the schools and make sure it gets to the woodshops, not into the hands of the school board? If everyone here gave as little as $5.......well, you get my drift.

 

[Trent Mason]

I completely agree with the previous comments. Shop class was my favorite class in all of my schooling, including college. Jack, that's a very valuable thing that you do. :thumbs_up:thumbs_up

 

[flyrod444]

Thanks everyone, I'm pleased that some of my students have grown in their turning skill so quick. As far as the sandpaper goes I will just have to request more for next school year. I have over $500.00 in my shop account at my old school, but I can't spend it at this school and I haven't had enough time to bank any money at it yet. I get $1200.00 a year to run my shop program. It is always tight, but this year I had to spend over half of it on tools for the shop I'm at now. Since turning really dosn't fit in a modern Carpentry program I have to come up funds to buy stuff for turning somewhere else anyway. I've used turning to motivate my students over the last 5 years and it has worked wonderful. Even if I was to get the funds it would take to the end of the school year to get through all the red tape of ordering it also.
Thanks again,
Jack

Ken, I'm at the Jackson County School of Alternatives for the rest of this year. It is for students that have problems in a normal school environment. I have small numbers at this school, but they keep my on my toe's. The students tend to work in the shop very hard and most love turning. We plan on starting a branch of the turning club that meets at this school. It is in Sylva so you would have a short drive.

 

[boxxmaker]

Like said before Jack,my hats off to you.lookin foreward to seeing you again,let me know when you get the club started.

 

[bob vaughan]

Sounds to me like you need to apply to AAW for a machinery grant for your schools. If you've been at it a while and are an AAW member, there may be something there for education of the young.

 

[jhreed]

I have interviewed hundreds of men and all of them remembered the name of their shop teacher and the majority of them said that he was most influential in their education. You have an oportunity to impact many youg lives in a positive way, that they will take to their graves. Please enjoy them while you can. Most of your boys are probably not going to let you know right away how much they appreciate your efforts. They may be in their 50s before the realize what an influence you were.
May God Bless You
James

 

[CaptnA]

Jack you never cease to amaze whether with your turning, your finding wood, or your dedication!
I could second/third/ fourth so much of what has been said. My shop teacher Mr Taylor was an inspiration, mentor, and true friend to so many. The school shut down the wood classes long ago. I always appreciated the wood working but also seeing the USEAGE of math (fractions, decimals, etc) that I could never see any reason to be exposed to.

 

[Mt. Gomer]

Jack,

Your students are lucky that they are in a school with a surviving wood program and with a dedicated teacher such as you. Keep up the fine work.
Bob

+10, along with the other comments made in this thread. You've got some very lucky students, even if they don't realize it yet!! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[dlrion]

Maybe North Carolina Woodworker could hold a fund drive to buy up woodshop supplies for the schools and make sure it gets to the woodshops, not into the hands of the school board? If everyone here gave as little as $5.......well, you get my drift.

I would be willing to contribute to such a cause! What would it take to organize something like this? I would love to help out with something... What if everyone on the site who was interested took 2 months to make a piece of art of their specialty, and we held an auction to support shop classes in NC?

Is this possible? Would any of you other folks support this?

Dan