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Things you made at school.

I was hopeless at woodwork, and could never make anything that was even remotely functional. But - I was always very good at making models. Don't know why, but that skill has stayed with me for 50+ years. Anyway, we had a "bring-and-show" day and I brought a solid balsa model of a Hawker Hunter, which was pretty good although I say so myself. Our woodwork teacher saw my model, and asked me how it was I couldn't do a dovetail joint but could produce a tiny precision thing like my Hunter. I couldn't think of anything to say other than, "It's because I'm a genius, sir!" He was a kindly bloke, and gave me a broad smile when I was expecting detention, and after that I really, really tried hard at woodwork...and still couldn't (and still can't) do it.

Big Gee
 
Bet you wish you could Big Gee only Pete does. He has got to box pipes in and said he wished he'd tried harder at school. Mind you the woodwork teacher and Pete clashed. Bye. Jean.
 
hi jean i think if you like your form teacher you do more for them ....i was very lucky with my teachers ..i liked french which stood me in good stead when i was a cook. .worst subject was history ..what was your worst one
 
Hi Jean,

I think the problem was that when I was at school in the Fifties our woodwork teacher wanted us to make things like clothes-horses and tool-boxes. My mom had a clothes-horse, and my dad had a tool-box. If he'd got us to make a Fender Stratocaster copy, I'd have been with him all the way!

A bit off-thread, but an illustration of how fairly useless the younger generation is today - I met someone recently who actually admitted that he didn't know how to check the oil in his car but was quite happy to pay a garage to do it for him..........

Big Gee
 
Sandra my worst subject in my last year at school was maths but then again I couldn't stand the teacher who was also our form teacher. She used to lecture us on the facts of life and how we should save ourselves and the rest. It was a bit late by then for most of them. She didn't inspire me in any way shape or form and nearly told her to go buy a bra. What a mess. I was going to offer to make her one. Big Gee I am lucky having a grandson who loves making things. He loves woodwork and has his own bench. The other grandson is severely autistic and whatever he does has to try extra hard and is so tidy it is unbelievable. He makes things at school like trimmings and cards etc. During exam times in the fifth year when we had free periods after studying I would go to the rest room and write an exam on the month of May. It was to do with nature animals plants etc and entered it in a TV competition with Grahamme Dangerfield. I collected plants and took photo's of pond life etc and sent it in. Guess what?. I won the girls section and still have the book I made. Jean.
 
big g. sounds about right for this generation..bring back national service .2 years straight out odf school.they will become men .....
 
sandracoley said:
big g. sounds about right for this generation..bring back national service .2 years straight out odf school.they will become men .....
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Sandra,

Last year my car's engine blew up on the M54. The AA bloke who came said that the majority of his 'emergency' calls were from people (men as well as women) who didn't know how to change a tyre...ye Gods...

Big Gee
 
Jean,

A Fender Stratocaster is a solid-body electric guitar which, in the late 1950's, was played by Hank B Marvin in The Shadows. Still manufactured, still great.

Big Gee
 
sandracoley said:
.bring back national service .....
Click to expand...

I was still at school at the age of 21, it was compulsory. The 'school' was the RAF's 12th School of Technical Training. We had an exam every week and the pass level was 70%. One failure was allowed, if more, then you were off the course and demoted. One test was to make a 1" metal cube - really useful - I didn't keep it
icon7.gif
 
Hi Jean, If I'd kept it and put it on the mantlepiece I'd have to polish it with Brasso and I used enough of that stuff in the RAF.
Phil
 
hi big g. i had 4 kids 2 boys and 2 girls .regardless of their sex they were all taught to sew cook and clean both boys were car mad the younger one became a paramedic after having a kidney transplant the older one is still working with cars .the two girls both drive and the young one is as good with car repairs as her brothers ..so i think it needs to be instilled in kids while young ..once they are out on the streets so to speak its too late.what sort of future for our grandchildren ??
 
Well said Sandra the encouragement comes from the home first and the school second. Too many parents blame the schools for the way their children turn out but but it is up to the parents to take the lead and encourage their children to follow their hobby's etc and not sit watching TV or going down the pub all night. Anthony used to bring his lathe round and make a heck of a mess cutting the wood when he was young but that didn't matter. He has made some lovely things at school but dropped the subject to take up music instead. I wish we had options when we were at school Sandra. Jean.
 
being at an all girls school sort of sheltered me and my 5 sisters but we were all given jobs to do after school and if it wasnt done right first time you did it again .my dad always said ..do it right the first time .its much easier. and ive always tried to install that with my children and they with their children .you are right it starts and home .many parents have children too young or out of wedlock and a lot of the trouble starts because theres no family unit. and kids get left to do as they like ..when we were at school we always knew our mom would be at home waiting for us and that dad was the breadwinner.good old days ..x
 
Yes all problems start at home in my opinion. Parent's are the blueprint. I think that far too many mum's these day's are pressured into going back to work whether they want to or not. Also, often they go so that they can buy luxuries that children just don't need. There must be a lot of keeping up the with Jones's these days, which is something that we didn't have in our growing up lives. Children need parents to bring them up, not nurseries. These are things that are causing today's anti social behaviour and and social ills. There is also far too much interference from the nanny state. Power has been taken from the parent and this has been going on so long now, it has become a way of life. Hence Parents, blaming schools etc for their children's behaviour. Well I had better get off my soapbox now.
 
very true maggs ...when i say to my kids and grandchildren ."we didnt have luxuries in our day" they say well they werent invented then .typical.kids today arent satisfied with a toy car or book or jigsaw puzzle .its playstation games and computers .my own included .too much too soon i think.and yes women do go out to work to provide extras.my neice wouldnt have trainers unless they were reebok.we had what we were given .sometimes stuff from jumble sales .....unheard of today.....
 
Back on topic [I hope] the other things we had to make were costumes for school plays or when we had to perform at the Town Hall and most of that was done after school in our own time. I put a photo on the Manor Park thread of the hareem dancers. We made those costumes ourselves. Jean.
 
Maggs yes and the other goes round if you put it out in the wind. They are going back in the dresser now. Jean.
 
Oh good Jean, glad I got it right. I bet you treasure those. I will get a pic of the paper knife my son made at school. (Woodwork).
 
I had a dolphin made in woodwork but my granddaughter had it and goodness knows what's happened to it. Jean.
 
I still have a miniature sword, I suppose it is a paper knife, that I made at school, possibly the first thing I ever made; one piece of thin wood nailed to a longer piece that has a point. I might look it out and start using it!
Ted
 
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