[TheForge] test?

[Dave Brown]

At 07:21 02/05/02 -0700, you wrote:
>It is awful quiet.  Maybe someone should bring up a controversial topic?

I'll bite:
Just a little while ago a bunch of listers were crying and bemoaning the 
demise of the classes in industrial arts and other arts.  For the most part 
the cry was "how terrible...what a waste of potential... etc....  Now comes 
Dan Armstrong asking for suggestions for developing just those things that 
were so lamented lately.  And what does he get for an answer?  With the 
exception of a good comment from Bruce Freeman about tool making, he got 
zilch, zero, nada, nothing.

I sent Dan a note on the side suggestion that he cross post to the artmetal 
list since his query covered more than just blacksmithing.  So, here's your 
chance.  Instead of p..sing and moaning about what's wrong with the 
education system, put up some good suggestions.  They'll help Dan, and cure 
the ills that some claim are befalling the education system.

So, for the benefit of those who may have missed the question, I will 
repost it for Dan ...

Dave Brown

>     I don't know if this is entirely appropriate for the Forum, but I'm
>constantly amazed at the range of knowledge and experience this group
>represents, so here goes.
>     I've been teaching blacksmithing for five years at an art school in
>western Canada. Our metal studio, as it has existed, has combined forge
>work with courses in aluminum and bronze casting and welded sculpture.
>     Recently, due to funding cutbacks by gov't, an effort is being made
>to combine the Metal and Jewellry studios and to devise a workable
>curriculum. Jewellry has offered Casting and Construction, Surface
>Treatments, Gemology, Small Object Design, etc. Both Studio curricula
>were developed to provide students with a 3 year diploma and the
>skills/knowledge to start their own studios or find related work.
>     So the question is, given that we want students to have marketable
>skills at graduation, how might Jewellry and Metal combine, overlap,
>sequence learning, etc. and yet provide students with useful skills
>sufficiently developed?
>     Meaty question no doubt, but if anyone can provide me with or direct
>me to information that may be useful in researching possibilities, I
>would appreciate it --- existing programs, ideas, angles of approach,
>whatever.
>     Thanks.
>
>
>     Dan A.            asterwhistle@netidea.com