re: History: Woodworking Classes

Once a week when I was in junior high we’d have shops class, ranging from cooking and sewing to welding and woodworking. I still have a small metal piston on my keychain that I made in grade 9. As an educational experience, it was mostly a failure; I didn’t retain any of the skills I learnt (although a particularly gruesome safety video instilled a healthy respect for the planer) however as a life experience it was important. I don’t remember how to weld or use a metal lathe, and the woodworking shop didn’t really influence my decision to pick up woodworking as a hobby but the time in those classes provided me with some good memories and a vague appreciation of those skills (as well as a scar on my right index finger from cutting it on metal and needing stitches…) I hope today’s hyper-safety culture doesn’t phase out shops classes or even worse, instil fear rather than appreciation and respect for these skills.