The Ranger wrote:
The Daring Dufas wondered in message
...
[snip]
When I was a kid back in the middle of the last
century, "shop" was a class taught in the schools.
I wonder if there is anything like that in schools
today?

In the local districts to me the middle schools still have sewing, wood and
metal, cooking, and art classes. The local high school systems still offer
woods and metals but sewing and art (I believe) were removed because of
insurane issues -- needles can be used as weapons and someone might burn the
school down with the kiln or some such stupidity. Cooking is still offered,
too, but it's probably going to go the way of auto shop soon. Trade and
vocational schools just didn't make a large enough profit. The local
community college is having greater difficulty meeting OSHA regulations so
their nationally recognized (and hugely popular) auto shop is looking to get
closed down.

Vocational and trade schools just don't make a super-profit and we are a
white-collar society, truly afraid of any blue-collar work... shrug

The Ranger



It's a shame because kids are hungry for knowledge
despite what some pessimistic news reports may say.
I you feed them crap, well you are what you eat.
I'd like to see a good old apprenticeship program
added to the educational structure of the United
States. If a kid wants to learn, make it profitable
for private industry to help them do so. I know a
lot of guys like me who would be glad to pass on
our skill set to a younger generation but can not
afford to do so because we're too small as companies
and don't have the resources.

TDD