New High School Woodshop

[Russell Svenningsen]

The city of Marshall, Minnesota, just opened a brand-new high school. Yesterday, the public was invited for to tour the place and have a look around. I went immediately to the wood shop. No pics, but it is approximately 100 X 40 and filled with kewl toyls. Some brand-new Laguna equipment: table saw, HUGE lathe, 16in Bandsaw and 2(yes, 2!!!), 14inHD bandsaws. Huge, old, green PM66, 2 HP Jet shaper, 40"(I think), Timesaver drum sander(!!!!!), several massive(read:BEEFY) old PM drill presses, Jet 6" jointer, Unisaw, and a beautiful set of Crown tool mortise chisels. New dust collection with 6" duct to each machine. Plus 8 4-vise maple woodworking benches(approx. 5' sqaure, I'd say).

Very nice shop. I enjoyed looking around. The old PM66 was on a skid, I wonder if it's going to go up for sale???!!!!!:rolleyes:

[tod evans]

i am so glad to hear that some schools are still offering woodshop.it seems that all i ever read about is another closing their doors for whatever reason. thanks for making my day! tod

[Jim Young]

I'm a little surprised to read this too. I'm glad to see this. Maybe there will be a turnaround in current thinking of getting rid of vocational education.

[Brad Townsend]

I am really encouraged to read this. Having worked in high schools for 35 years and watching many good IA programs get whacked, this is really encouraging. My only concern is that, without good supervision, those kids will soon have all that beautiful equipment turned to a pile of rubble.:D

[Gail O'Rourke]

HI, I just came from our local high school, it is an academic as well as vocational/technical school. Whenever I can I volunteer my time and go out and help the kids. They have a great program there but any time someone from the field can join them, it's an opportunity to try things a different way. The sophmores do cabinetmaking, the juniors do framing (sheds etc) and the seniors work on bigger projects live renovations and additions. Next time I am there I will take some pictures.

[Dar Lounsbury]

I work for a fairly large school district. 6 Junior Highs and 4 High Schools. Five years ago, all had vacational woodshops going full time. Today, only 4 shops remain operating half days with 3 teachers between them. All Metal and Weld shops closed.

SAD. Really, really sad.:( :( :(

Dar

[Norman Hitt]

We will never get this loss of IA programs turned around UNTIL.......Someone can come up with a way to explain (in a manner which the Acadamian Hiarchy and Politicians can understand.....((which is highly improbable)) ), that not EVERY child wants to grow up sitting in front of a computer for their life's work, and that not EVERY manufacturing job must mandatorily be shipped overseas. Some folks would actually like to do Physical work with their hands on something other than a keyboard.

As it is now, the Schools see no need to train people to be able to build ANYTHING since all the Corps are outsourcing that activity overseas, and there is also no need to train anyone to repair anything, because everything is now built with planned obsolence.......ie: throw away.

[Alan Turner]

Good for Marshall! I lived there for a couple of years, and it is a very fine small town in SW Minnesota.