Death of the School Shop

[Steveo O'Banion]

This isn't intended to be a rant, more of an FYI to those who don't know.

The Industrial Arts or "shop" classes that many of us took in school and might have been our first or only opportunity to work with real woodworking machines and tools has nearly become extinct in the U.S. It's been replaced in MOST schools (not all of them) with Technology Education, aka passive learning with a computer. OK, thats my definition anyway .

If you care about the old school shop in your community let the school administration know that you think it's a valuable part of the schools curriculum. I'm VERY lucky that I teach in the woodshop I first saw as an 8 YO in 1968 and have the job I've wanted since then. Our school system has always seen the value of it and kept our programs running, although we have been pruned back some. The community I live in updated our woodshop with a big computer controled router table when they built the new HS, but eliminated graphic arts, the auto shop and everything else.

When I worked in construction and manufacturing, project managers and supervisors were always shocked when they heard of the closing of these programs. Although never intended to be vocational in nature, they provided a little career education and a chance to try-out and nuture some basic skills. Today's Technology Education gives a kid a chance to sharpen his computer mouse skills.

Money is always a culprit.

Steve

[Chuck Wintle]

I think shop skills are still relevant today.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

It's sad that shop and/or techincal programs are being eliminated from school curriculums! They are invaluable. I never took the shop classes I was always doing the science and math classes.

When we were in Illinois, my daughter was v/p of the auto club in the h/s she attended. We moved to Idaho when she was a junior and her senior year she was v/p of the auto club in the h/s here. She went on to get a degree in automotive mechanics. Once in a while she turns a wrench but the experience and education sure helped when she got hired by a major automotive parts company. She later left that job to relocate for her husbands career.

Those type of classes also teach a manner of thinking that deals with safety, planning and execution of plans..........invaluable.

[Jim King]

It is a sad thing to see this happening everywhere up there. I have always beleived that if there is no noise there is no real productivity and shops are about teaching one how to make noise. Saws, welders, lathes what ever that can make something is good. I have never forgotten when many years ago during the cold war the head of Chrysler said we need not fear the Russians any more because if they wanted to destroy our industrial complex they would have to bomb Japan.

The US now being the largest debtor in the world is not going to come out of it with a $600 refund from the future taxes and making hamburgers.

The Chinese are making a lot of industrial noise and smoke and are taking over the world very quickly. We as Americans with our clean shirts and ties , our MacMansions and triple dip mortages seem a bit lost.

I am certainly for any and all shop classes in the schools. Noise makes more REAL money than paper shuffeling.

[Scott Velie]

I agree 100% this is a HUGE issue. Kids today are not learning any kinds of hands on skills. Because of that most have no appreciation of building or fixing things.
This is a sad thing. Everyone on this forum knows the satisfaction of woodworking. I don't know about all of you but I first learned in high school shop.
All on this forum should speak up when appropriate to get schools to get shops open again.

[Joe Pelonio]

Here the Technology Education includes engineering, materials science, and biotechnology.

They also have Career and Technical Education. The classes include accounting, business entrepreneurship, business law, computer gaming, photoshop and web design.

We still have a full auto/paint/metals shop available for students at any high school as space allows at just one location. No wood shop.

Much of that is from parental input to the District on what they want taught as electives, beyond the standard curriculum. I figured that here it was due to the abundance of Boeing engineers and Microsoft employees living here, but it sounds like a national trend?

[Greg Heppeard]

It's not just a money thing...it's liability also. Remember the kid who cut his finger off and his parents sued the school?....

I do believe in industrial arts being taught in schools, but I also believe there should be a better instructor/pupil ratio. It would hold down the number of lost appendages.

[Bob Rufener]

I have seen just the opposite in my area high school. About 12 years ago, they held a referendum to expand and equip a new technology (industrial arts) wing. It passed and a lot of industries contributed money and/or equipment for this new wing. There is a large printing firm in our area named Quad Graphics that outfitted a state of the art graphics arts facility. A program was begun for a select number of students to design and build a house to sell. The local Rotary club was big in this endeavor. Students design and build a house in the area under the guidance of carpenters, electricians, plumbers, etc. The FACE departement has students work on design as well and also decorating of the interior. The ag department does some work with landscaping and planting.

The local industries have been big in assisting the high school as they see a need for workers who can come to them partially trained. A big plus for them in the long run so they are willing to help out.

I wish this was process was done in other areas of our country as it has worked out well here.

[Jim King]

I have lived in countries where we had many computor schools and no electricity or anyone to make desks for the computors.

It may seem a bit strange but here in the Amazon the trade schools are heavily funded and directed by industry and what the industries needs are. Maybe we are not third world after all ?¿

[Joe Melton]

What's wrong with a kid learning woodworking skills/industrial arts from his or her father, rather than from a school?
Joe

[Jeffrey Makiel]

What's wrong with a kid learning woodworking skills/industrial arts from his or her father, rather than from a school?
Joe

Joe...you hit the nail on the head!

I always say: "it starts at home". If parents don't give their kids physical responsibilities to do around the house and don't participate in any physical hobbies with them, all the schooling in the world won't make a difference.

The next time you go to a woodworking show, or perhaps a hobby show like model railroading, look around and take note of the age of the attendees.

-Jeff

[Mike Henderson]

What's wrong with a kid learning woodworking skills/industrial arts from his or her father, rather than from a school?
Joe

I learned woodworking at school - my father was not a woodworker and had no facilities, equipment, or for that matter, knowledge of woodworking, to pass along to me.

That's why we need schools for many types of knowledge. Otherwise, we'd only be able to work in the same industry as our father - which might not be right for us.

Mike

[Dennis Peacock]

What's wrong with a kid learning woodworking skills/industrial arts from his or her father, rather than from a school?
Joe

Now you're preaching my kind of sermon.

[John Cartledge]

Where I come from we eliminated technical schools which were trade shops dedicated to teaching both trade skills and general High school subjects. This is no recognised as one of the biggest mistakes we made and has contributed to a large skills shortage. The skills I learned from the old tradesman I still carry with me and have been a great help through my life, Fathers are part of the story but learned skills from qualified individuals can't be beat.

[Dan Barr]

well, this is just going to make my skills even more valuable.

the more people are jealous of what i am able to do, the more chance there is of someone trying to do something on their own in order to prove that they dont need me anyway. yea, they'll screw it up the first few times, but eventually a few persistent people will succeed. Or, they'll just pay money to have it done for them.

but yes, this surely does smell of an american problem. it feels like the "know-how" is all but gone out of this country sometimes.

The business man remarks: "What?!, $4,000.00 to install $2,500.00 worth of cabinets!"

The installer replies: "Well, aint no one else in town that can do it and you cant exactly out-source this one to mexico."

When you get the chance, grab the bull by the wallet, not the horns.

Imagine this: Eventually we have too many "degrees" floating around. Market ids flooded with people that have degrees but no skills. skilled anything is in extremely high demand and the few skilled laborers begin to make more money than the "degreed" skill-less surplus. in some segments, this is the case.

I know a guy who installs windows for Andersen windows. he pulls over 120K per year just by installing 8-10 windows a day. Yes, that's moving pretty quick, but, he has the skills and not many do. He has no High school diploma either.

We got rock stars and professional athletes making millions?!?!?!?!

LOLOLOL

dan