Tubalcain

[ddyke]

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Oh yeah. It was Virgil Cain that worked on the Danville train 'til so much cavalry came and tore it all down again.

Good link. I only got through two on the first visit, but I'll soak 'em all in eventually.

[ddyke]

I learned a lot from him. This is why we have unemployment -- so many schools shut down their shop program. I have collected several of the parts to melt aluminum. If I could make a rough casting of a common chassis, I could then machine the critical surfaces.

BTW, it was "until Stoneman's cavalry came" in the original version.

[waaytoomuchintothis]

I always wondered about that phrase and one other, in the top ten version. Seemed awkward.

About shop class... I loved shop. When the Fed contribution to education was slashed for Starwars garbage, we lost something really wonderful that made people feel self-sufficient, whether they ever used those skills again or not. The 1980s were a bad time for education. But losing shop was a tragedy almost as rough as losing Civics.

[paul gage]

they dropped PE (gym class) up here too. :violin: Now everyone's a fat lazy academic that doesn't know the difference between a screw and a nail! :character-spongebobdance: :confusion-confused:

Harry! Love all the smilies!

[ddyke]

Look at the classes they kept!

I was showing my grandson (14 years old) the lathe and the mill. His eyes lit up as he watched chips fly. Maybe we can talk Mr. Pete into putting the full course online for home schoolers (no matter what the age is - this old guy would take it). People pick on them but many of them want the traditional things taught - academic and practical.

[ddyke]

I had mech drawing. That is gone because of CAD but it would be cool for them to offer CAD classes to replace it.

[ddyke]

I had the math skills but lost interest in engineering for many reasons but regained it with slot cars.

[MrAdept]

I was "lucky" enough to be on the tail end of engineering drawing and woodshop and metal work in school. In college I did a degree in production engineering and got to play with lathes and mills and shapers - just so much fun. Sadly I also got to watch the same college rip out all the workshops and replace them with art studios... There is no engineering there now, just courses on Hospitality, tourism and events... Quite sad really!

Mark

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Bibbster, my father is an architect. His buildings are all over Memphis. Be glad you went another way. My father is no prince, but even I felt sorry for him watching architecture become what it is today. I used to do some drawings for him, mostly plot plans and easy stuff, and I did a lot of scale checking over the years, so I saw up close as things changed to the artless, non-creative, cookie-cutter and unprofessional junk that is being done today. I remember an architect who was a scandal and nearly lost his license because he was caught being in the employ of a contractor, putting his stamp on everything the contractor did. Today, that kind of unprofessional behavior is commonplace. Believe me, you are much happier this way.

[HomeRacingWorld]

My "shop class" was working on stock cars. Since I learned to weld at 14 and paint with a gun by 15, my "skills" were used by several teams in our area.

It helped the Principal and Super of Schools were a driver and board member of the Speedway :)

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Now THAT is cool.

[SpeedyNH]

[RazorJon]

my 12 year old daughter can run a metal lathe, put she thinks the chips are the cool part, her twin sister is the fashion queen and draws
outfits, guess its still in the interests of some kids to do shop work, shame so many schools ended those programs

I had VOC METALS my junior and senior year 3 hours a day we had about 15 in my class, we all work as machinists, iron workers, or similar type jobs, my high school only ever had 1 pro football player but it still has the football program