Story originally printed in the Tomah Journal or online at www.tomahjournal.com
Published - Sunday, May 25, 2008
Column: All thumbs in IA class
Had the opportunity a few weeks ago to witness some of Tomah High School’s finest craftsmen in action.
I was given the task to serve as the substitute teacher in woodshop class and on site of the building trades class. I was assured by the teacher that students had individual projects to work on in the woodshop class and the building trades crew was aware of what needed to be done on the work site.
Thank goodness for that, because if I would have been required to field any questions on planing, cutting or measuring I would have been in big trouble. I’m not talking a little trouble. I mean 12 penny nail trouble. Is a 12 penny nail a big nail? Because that is the scope of trouble I am trying to visualize for my readers n big trouble. If a 12 penny nail is not that big, how about one of those pole barn spikes. Get the picture?
You see my only memory of what was then industrial arts (IA) when I was in high school n now I think it’s technical education n is when I nearly severed my thumb with a handsaw while cutting a board for a class project I was working on. Might have been a bird house, maybe a tool box. I think it was a tool box, one that actually came in handy on the farm to store some tools.
While I was subbing, one student was crafting a rocking chair. Another project appeared to be a bench with intricate curves. In another class the students were working on scale models of a home. Building trades students told me they expect to have the classroom across from the Tomah Veterans Medical Affairs Center done by the end of the school year.
Some very impressive work which fueled my envy. One of my biggest mistakes was never acquiring a skilled trade. My dad was a competent carpenter, as was my older brother. But like the famous line uttered by Fredo Corleone to his brother Michael Corleone in the original Godfather movie, when it came to knowledge of a skilled trade, I was passed over. To clarify for those who have not seen the Godfather, Fredo was not referring to a skilled trade.
As my family will attest, when it comes to even the smallest home repair projects I contact our handymen duo who we have on speed dial. There is no one to blame but myself. Not really sure why I did not put more focus on IA class in high school.
Hanging out in shop class was more laid back than say chilling in the biology lab. There were two IA teachers during my high school tenure and both seemed like cool instructors. They demanded accountability and safety, yet made the class fun and worthwhile.
I did not know them too well since I took primarily ag courses as electives, except for that fateful semester when I nearly became known as the “one thumb dufus.”
Our ag class was located directly above the IA shop and I would see how much fun my friends had while working on their projects. Plus the scent of sawdust in IA was easier to tolerate than manure during farm visits.
In case you are wondering, both thumbs are intact and I have no scar from my IA incident. I still get a little jumpy around a hand saw. I tip my hat to young craftsmen. Working with your hands is a lifelong skill that will come in handy in future years.
Who knows? With a few breaks, maybe one of Tomah’s young craftsmen can perfect their skills and find themselves opposite one of those carpenter babes on a TLC home improvement show in five or 10 years. I know one thing, if the IA teacher when I was in high school looked as good in a tool belt as some of those lady TLC contractors signing up for IA would have been a no brainer. Besides, do we really need two thumbs?
Bob Kliebenstein is a Tomah resident.
All stories copyright 2006 Tomah Journal and other attributed sources.