Am in the UKand back in the 60-70`s we did as you say, have the domestic science, metalwork and woodwork classes. To see your `day in the life' is a reminder of how we should all keep an active lifestyle, and at 73 with arthritis, I am frustrated that I cannot do many of the things that I took for granted. So keep doing what you are doing and it keeps a smile on my face and hopefully yours when things work out well...Thank you Neil, keep warm and well!...XXX
Yep! Born in 1962 and I remember wood working, food making, and sewing as being part of primary school. And after school I had a little garden plot thanks to 4-H (head, heart, hands, and health), a youth organisation, where I grew carrots, radishes, beans, peas, etc.
I had welding fabrication , machine shop , and body shop classes in high school … thankful for each one of them … welding being the most useful … it seems trade classes should be required at some level to help promote DIY … as keyboards can’t fix everything … great channel sir !
I worked for an electric utility before I retired and most of the employees we were hiring before I retired were from the smaller farm communities because they knew trades like welding and machine shop. Most of the schools in the bigger cities have eliminated their shop classes. I think Mike Rowe is on the right path to wake people up to what is really needed in our work force.
Neil, I'm a self taught Machinist/Fabricator, mostly because both local high schools sold of their shop programs the year before I was old enough to attend. The town library luckily had enough books on hand for me to learn all the basics on my own and I was blessed to find a job at a local job shop where I have been working for most of the last 35 years. I'm now co-owner of the shop and one of the hardest things is finding young people with even basic skills. As a nation, we need to become builders again instead of just consumers.
Neil, what your firewood carrier needs is a backside or backstop. Weld some cattle panel onto the backside & that way once it’s loaded up…you simply tilt it back on your skidsteer forks & off you go! No chance of spilling the firewood!
Neil, I got to live the dream! After the military I went to college to become an IA teacher, graduated in 84 and all the shop teacher jobs disappeared overnight, computers… I ended up with a Masters in Special Educational and did classroom service for 16 years working with mild to severe disabilities. Ended up in a small special education school in upstate NY where at 16 years and a special set of circumstances I became the shop/technology instructor and had the most wonderful 16 years of teaching middle and high school students how to use hammers, screw drivers and everything I could think of. We built decks, sheds, rebuilt a classic VW with a complete overhaul of the engine frame and works. We did robotics and wind turbines with help from RPI and GE. If you are patient and prepare you will never be surprised by what life throws at you. I think that most schools have tech classes at some level and that most children thrive on those classes. I still do woodturning and small projects for our home and my wife is a willing participant in wood working. Thanks for your videos and always enjoy driving large farm trucks.
Enjoyed your day n the life of Neil. As a school teacher I was happy your school still has shop. My little school still has it to. The two best projects were Hog traps & bbq pits. As for them declining across rural schools in America you are right. To much emphasis is now placed on Exit testing rather than the basics. Reading, Math, Science & especially Civics has suffered. But worse of all in agriculture communities like mine & yours Ag, welding, carpentry & Home Economics have all been replaced with ‘ preparing for Exit test’. I believe the American Education system is waking up & things will go back to educating & training young people. As usual your show was top notch. I believe you under estimate your audience. Your video today fits in perfectly with what we love about DDD, A family oriented channel of good old fashion Americana. So thankful to you. PS checking out the interior of your truck . Low 19*F & high 34* F
I was mister shop in high school. We had wood shop in 7th, 8th and 9th grade. High school, I took Cabinet making I & II, Machine shop I & II, Welding and foundry, Electronics I & II, Upholstery and finishing, Auto Mechanics, Small engines I & II. Thank you Mr. Brudwick, Mr. Keefe, Mr. Stecker, and especially Mr Espeset. Yes, shop class needs to be brought back to high schools. Great video. Thanks for taking us along in your day. I didn't realize it was going to be a full moon tonight. 🤣
Neil this was so fascinating to follow you....all things you get done in a day with a mixture of work, family, community .. it is amazing! I would love to tag along one day just to watch you and observe you.... Great content and I love your style of leadership and the way you serve!
We had a wood, metal, and even a printing shop in my school and I ended up as a tradesman for the past 40 odd years. I've been watching the trends in the past few years and we are facing huge shortages in skilled tradesmen when the current generation retires or just stops running the businesses they've built. People like Mike Rowe have been sounding the alarm on this issue for the past decade. I happen to enjoy his style of "video" and find your channel a bit like the old variety shows from the early days of TV, I never know what to expect. Have a Great weekend!
It’s almost criminal how they’ve pushed college down people’s throats including me. Getting to college was one of the only times up to that point that I had received any validation. Vocational school was always looked down on. But turns out those are the people doing pretty well for themselves since they actually offer a value to society. Pays well and is steady.
@@nicknuggets369 I've heard recently that the new millionaire class will be made up of plumbers, electricians, and HVAC Technicians. Truck drivers and auto mechanics are in such high demand they can just about name their price as well.
Good morning Neil like you I see great value in industrial arts classes I spent many an hour learning a lot. Some of my best memories were in those classes. take care of my friend.
Greetings from the southern shore of the great swamp Erie in NE Ohio. This day in the life vlog was a terrific change of pace. Thanks for taking us along on your day. Back in the late 60's our high school had three groups of students; jocks, collegiate s and greasers. The jocks had their sports and the greasers metal shop, the remaining group studied marketing, business economics and an emerging field called computing. Vietnam was looming in our future with its draft lottery and mandatory call up. I enlisted to avoid the draft ( my lottery number was 40 in a year that took up to 256 ) and thankfully I survived. What you and others like you could never have been conceived in our time. I am glad that you and your children never had to face the terror of conscription and unjust wars. I deeply admire the young men and women who do enlist and serve our country. As a member of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation I also admire youth choosing agricultural pursuits. Wishing you, your immediate and extended family a blessed holiday season filled with gentle seasonally appropriate weather and restful evenings with family and friends. Peace Neil.
Hey Neil, recently college-graduated 21-yr-old. I had drafting and shop classes when I was in middle school in PA. In NC, neither of my high schools have had any kind of shop classes. I'm a software engineer living by a big city, and it has been so interesting to see a completely opposite side of life to mine for the last couple years. So thank you for your videos.
Enjoyed the video style. I didn't take wood shop because I took Engineering instead. Now I work in the office of a cabinet shop! It all comes full circle. Good work sir!
Anything you put out we all can't wait for? Nothing any better than Sunday morning, cup of coffee and one of your videos sir. Love the family life and content. Down to earth and not fake. thank you
I loved being in shop class during my high-school career. Our woods class teacher was mr.Weburg we all called him webbs .There was a clean up bell that rang 10 minutes before the end of class bell one time we set the clocks forward 10 minutes and left early and walked around the halls like we were kings . We gave webbs a hard time in a fun way. I graduated in 1989 and stayed in contact with him until he died in 2019 . Shop classes made high-school great for me. Good show today Neil !!!
I had wood shop and metal shop back in the 70's. Still have the bowl set and table lamp along with a knurled punch and metal funnel,. Your high school visit brought back fond memories. Thx .
BEST VIDEO EVER! Love the blog style. And yes, even though I was on a college track in HS, I was able to take Home Economics, Woodworking, Electronics, and Typing. The skills learned has served me well for the last 35 years, and saved thousands of dollars in costs in labor. As a teenager I was able to paint houses one summer, concrete another summer, and finally roof another summer. Quickly I learned that I wasn’t “cut out” for a lifetime of manual work.
I think I was one of the few that took my shop class seriously. At least based on the students I was in there with. I loved wood working and it became a hobby of mine after I graduated. My parents owned a machine shop and I did all my night schooling after an 8/10 hr day at work to receive my journeyman card. So glad I learned the trades. I don’t call for much help these days in my life.
Those new lights worked excellent!! I graduated in 74. We had wood shop,mechanics shop,and ag shop which was my favorite…..we were very fortunate for a small town school. Probably smaller than Harlen. Always enjoy your videos 👍
Thanks for sharing, Neil...it's always fun to follow you around regardless of your activity!!! Now I'd better start my day . I pray you and your family have a safe week.
Nice video Neil. Nothing wrong with a day in the life doc. You had fun, met with friends and accomplished some tasks as well. I’d say that was a great day. See ya next Sunday.
Great Video, Neil. You're right about diners in small towns and meeting for friends for breakfast. I did the same thing Saturday morning. For me it's a group of friends that are all members of a large scale model railroad, and we meet for breakfast before we head over to the railroad to work on track for for the day.
Another great video! I’ve always wondered how you do so much; now I know, you simply never stop moving. I grew up in a small NE town and Mr. Beaver was my shop teacher. He was such a wonderful teacher, and “Shop” was my favorite class. The memories came rushing back when I saw all the different shop stations at your old high school. I built one of those tool boxes too 😂. Thanks for the content…I can’t wait till the next one 👍🏻.
Hi Neil, love your what you do in a day video. Here in Australia between 1969 - 1972 we had Woodwork, Metalwork and Agriculture.1971 I was able to do cooking as a elective.
My high school had shop classes, never took one shop class, interested in computers, then fortunately, I discovered quickly that I had the ladder of success leaning against the wrong occupational wall, ended up going to several years of tech school for welding, machining, and metallurgy, and through out my career in the repair and restoration field I took every course I could find in the field related to my profession, no regrets. Breakfast with the guys, happens two or more times a week now that I’m retired, enjoy every minute, the BS is almost overwhelming at times, 😮😊😂, I like the day in the life videos, feels kind of homey. Thanks, enjoyed
Hi Neil, Paul from Bristol England here again, like you did we did Metal Work, Woodwork, Home Economics and Design at Senior School, probably one of the reasons I then did an Engineering Apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce Aero Engines. As a result I have lived and worked overseas in over 10 countries including Indiana in the US. There I made a great friend who lives in Greensburg Indiana, and I have spent many a great weekend on his Dad’s farm, cutting wood, driving the tractor, 4 wheeling, having a group breakfast, great times that I remember very fondly. I am still in touch and every year send 7 Christmas Cards to his family members, all posted at the same time but some arrive weeks after the first, it’s now become a game 😁. Great video, my sort of day 👍
Neil, so happy to see the content again this week. Having graduated from public school way back in 1977 I can attest to the fact that shop class taught me many skills that I have summoned from the deep recesses of my brain many times since… It’s funny that all these years later it still is so easy to recall what I learned; from metal shop to wood working and everything between. While today’s kids are learning many valuable skills relevant to today, I hope they are learning the lost art of doing it for yourself by figuring out how to make something work. I’m confident your girls will grow up knowing many of these “lost” skills… Congratulations on another fantastic Vlog this week!
What!! I haven't been watching a video blog every Sunday for the past 2 years? 😄 Neil thanks for tenasity and discipline to put this video together. Love watching your videos that always provide me with one if not all three of entertainment, inspiration or education. My God bless you and your family today.
I took general shop, wood shop, metal shop auto shop plus three years of drafting. Also took typing. Got a degree in history and education ended up not teaching but went into transportation for 38 years retired got bored went to work for a school bus company as a driver now dispatcher. All of those vocational classes have been a God send, side hussles, charity personal projects and quick repairs to get to work or finish a project. We were having a discussion at work a few months back about what classes from high had benefited us most. I realized that typing and English composition are used more than anything. Technology has sure changed in the past 54 years.
The new lights make such a big difference! I had wood shop in junior high about 58 years ago. I still have a foot stool which was our first project. As I’m watching all you did I’m thinking you are such a blessed man. You are a great (I know, not perfect) example of husband, father, friend, neighbor and hard working man!
When I was in high school and that was 57 years ago since I graduated, we had all the classes. My senior year I got to help set up the auto mechanic's shop. We scrounged to get tools and engines donated. Chevy and Ford both donated new v8 engines for us to play with. The class is still going from freshman to senior and they have turned out a lot of gear heads and good mechanics. We had and they still have a great ag shop because it was a farming community. The town i live in now has one of the top ag shops, auto mechanic shops and wood shops in the state. They go to national almost every year and place in the top 3. I did also have wood shop 3 years in high school and because of that I can still do some reasonably good woodworking and still do some of my automotive work although I'm beginning to get a little stove up and can't crawl under the outfits as good as I used to. Great video and good memories. Thanks.
Class of ‘98, Liberty High School in Liberty SC! We had two iterations of Shop Technologies class! I loved them so much and learned so much that I wanted to take it another two years! I talked my principal into letting me take it two more years where my shop teacher and I started building and selling porch swings where I got to design and make the cut list and the profits after buying the wood were mine! We only made one swing where actually bought wood! The other 35+ swings we built and sold I sourced from all sorts of “free” scavenged wood sources like old barns, old 53’ tractor trailer boxes and things like that. It taught me so much about how to find a purpose for things others thought was junk!
We had Industrial Arts when I was in high school, but soon after in the 80's, the counties in Ohio went with Joint Vocational Schools. All the schools in each area pooled their resources in central locations. Kids spend half a day in regular classes and half a day in trade-type classes. These days, some kids are spending half days in classes for college credit. Always entertaining, Neil. Keep it up.
I admire how you made time to sit with friends for breakfast then stop to eat lunch with family. I tend to fill rushed to just finish my chores instead of slowing down to enjoy what matters in life. Great job😇🙏🏻
Totally agree about IA and home Ec in high school. My senior year I made a redwood table in shop class. I still have that table. Years later (30 ish) the shop is now closed and the school removed the shop tools. Luckily I was able to buy the jointer, surface planer and wood lathe I was in shop to build that table in my shop….
Had my 1st year (senior) metalwork and woodwork classes at school in '61 in the UK. My 1st completed project was an wooden egg stand (9 eggs) that my mum treasured. My favourite project was a hammer planished copper shoe horn that I made in my last year at school in '65, that was used whenever we had new shoes :) Love the day in the life format, and ALL your other formats.
Good morning, I had shop and drafting in my high school, I think we should offer free vocational training in the industrial arts if not trade schools than at least in high school. or maybe send AP industrial arts exchanges with Trade schools. Happy Sunday everyone.
Great video, love it! I had home economics in junior high and shop class in high school. I loved shop class. Neil, thank you so much for sharing your videos with us. They bring back so many fond memories when I was a young boy living in Wisconsin.
Not only did I have those classes in high school, I am a high school principal and we still offer those classes. They are extremely popular. Love the show!
I made a tool box like that in shop in the 80's; thanks for bringing back some memories! I was also a 4H kid and learned so much in my woodworking courses. Despite being a behind-a-desk-all-day banker, I'm also a DIY guy with rental properties (and now a truck!) so your videos have inspired a few projects - the Menard's shelving in the garage made my wife very happy :) - appreciate your hard work and real-life content!
In 71 & 72 I had wood shop and metal shop in high school. I still remember making a set of dice made of polished solid aluminum (2” x 2” x 2”) that I still have today. Keep these great videos coming Neil, really enjoying them.
I’m 42 and have always enjoyed cooking and I think it started in my 8th grade home-ec class. Probably some of my best memories. I remember sewing a ski bag too and I still have it. Good times.
I have been in the US for the past 25 years but went to school in England and in what you would call high school we had a broad curriculum. As well as the standard English (Language and lit) Math, world history, world geography, biology, physics, art (drawing, painting, ceramics and pottery) we also had both woodworking and metalworking shops where basic safety, lathe work, hot work and joinery was all taught by a team of enthusiastic teachers. A high proportion of them were Welsh and therefore made up the bulk of the local rugby team, believe me, there were no disciplinary issues!!!! Now mostly retired but still teaching nautical studies after a lifetime floating around the world DRIVING boats and finding that DIY was an essential in mid ocean. Now I am land based I can get my DIGGING in tending my small lakeside plot in Florida. Doesn't really matter what you do Neil, it's all good and I'll be tuning in from London next week as I get to spend this Christmas with my family in England. Cheers.
Neil you are the one that I look forward to each Sunday morning to start my week off. Keep up the good work that I have come to enjoy every Sunday morning.
Neil I definitely enjoyed watching your busy day. I too had a high school auto/wood shop back in the early 90s. It’s still the same looking place years later just a new batch of kids! Your buds remind me of mine always cutting up lmao!
I had Home Economics class. We made a blouse, apron, and a dress. We learned to knit, use a sewing machine, and general cooking skills. It was fun tagging along. Thanks for sharing. 👍😁
Jeff is a National Treasure - many thanks to him and the other shop teachers still providing educational opportunities in our schools!! Recently our local area voted on a millage/property tax dedicated to the Career and Technical Education (CTE) area to help increase the skilled trades programs available. While I know many do not like to see taxes increase this was one that I was happy to vote for and see pass - it will provide $1,000,000 annually for the next 10 years to the CTE program in our small county. Last night I used the small hammer I fabricated years ago back in high school during shop class - including a knurled handle! Was the perfect size to tap some plugs in on PVC trim I had installed!
We love your Sunday morning posts. I'm usually scanning your equipment and surroundings. I'm a 68 year old fabricator / mechanic from Indiana. The wood rack that you built, though a huge asset compared to the way you were delivering wood , I thought could be improved if you ever decide to build another. Make it half the height but twice as deep. Put sheet metal skin on each side and on the back side. You should get about the same amount of wood. Your center of gravity will change but I think your skid steer will still handle the load or your loader. Plus you wouldn't need to strap the wood and you would be able to see driving forward. Only thing you might not want is the fact it would take up more floor space when you park it. Keep up the good work. And yes my wife and I both had shop class and home economics in school. Mine was in junior high school. Don in Indiana.
I constantly look back at how those shop classes shaped my life and I'm sure you feel the same. Just imagine how much different your life would have been had you not had that high school shop experience. After all it's your abilities and skills that draw viewers to your channel. Hopefully too many didn't take your offer and tune out. This is one of your best videos and your friend the shop teacher would do well to show some of these to the students. Just so they learn the value of these skills. What a mistake our school systems made eliminating the shop classes.
Your old High School in the back looked a lot like mine ....Back by the Vocational Agricultural door wow 😳 !! The metals shop was right next door ...we had a welding room complete with 5 welding areas . All stick welders except the one had a wire welder set up in it, and one Anvil in there . The other room they had 4 Metal lathe's and one Horazontial mill ,one Vertical Mill, one surface grinder, and a small Metal Melting furnace and 2 drill presses. This is where I developed my love for working with Metal. I had a great shop teacher he made it easy to learn. Thank you for the great video brought back some great memories for me !!
We got those same lights for our barn. Seems to work good, glad to see Joe having breakfast with you! Nice to see my Alma mater and yes I went there too and had home economics, and printed my own wedding invitations with Mr Measle, and was in FFA. Wish they brought it all back. Great video, keep em coming!
I graduated in 85. Back then we had small engine mechanic, metal and wood shop classes. When I returned after 25 years for a HS function at the school, all the shop class space was turned into a culinary academy. No more shop classes. The culinary did host our event and cooked food for the guests.. It was very nice. I missed the old shop classes.
Industrial Arts: l am an 83yo 'girl' who majored in 'shop' - 1955-1958 at Hamburg High School (NY). History said, 'only boys could take shop.' My Dad said 'l pay my taxes , my daughter can take shop if she wants to.' So I was the first girl in shop class. Our teacher was Mr. Scruton. I graduated with 4 years of shop: General, Wood, Metal & Print Shop, plus Home-Ec. I had my own woodshop. Speaking of love: your channel is so very interesting, entertaining & perfectly produced & edited. l have been a subscriber for years. I admire you in every aspect of your life. Take care. ❤
Your video brought back a lot of memories from having wood and welding shop. And yes even took home economics. Don't believe enough kids this this knowledge today
Who wouldn't want to watch this?! We had shop class and Home-Ed class. My school hired a new home-ed teacher and she was very nice looking! All the boys took home-ed that year and the girls were not happy. Off site at a neighboring school was offered Mechanics courses and welding courses. They were great! All this needs to be put back in today.
I am very lucky because I am a machine shop teacher. I love it when former students of mine come back to visit. The school we have is an arts school, but we are also the largest tech school in our region. We need these schools to survive, because when they are gone, they will never come back. Glad to see you were able to visit your old high school, brings back great memories!
Yep! I had home economics and was in shop and Industrial Cooperative Training where I worked and got school credits. I learned to do electrical work, plumbing, welding, and construction. It along with my Army experience prepared me for a lifetime of work and running my homestead. 😊
I love how you have your family so close together and you are always interacting and helping each other! I have to drive 45 minutes to an hour and a half to see any of mine. But my daughter and grandkids are the closest and they come by often and will be here in a few hours to help finish decorating the Christmas tree. I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ❤
It's great when the older ones teach you things you can use in life ...and the older you get the more you appreciate that they took time to teach you ....
Had a good ole boy as a welding teaching. Didn’t teach a lot about school but taught us about life which I got more benefits from that! Still got my Reese hitch step I made for good memories!
Industrial Arts and Home Economics were pivotal for me. I was always naturally curious and industrious, but the exposure to deeper understanding of designing, building, fabricating, and even marketing finished skills or goods was defining for me on a personal level.
Hey Neil, I enjoyed my industrial arts classes growing up in Huntington. I then went to Ball Sate to become an Industrial Arts teacher. I enjoyed teaching these classes and continue to make sure we keep these classes in place. I’m now a Middle School Principal in Avon, IN. We are building a new middle school and the new school and our existing middle schools are keeping these classes. One big reason these classes close is very few people want to be teachers for these classes. Sadly, Ball State no longer trains industrial arts teachers. I think they closed the program due to lack of interest from incoming students. Purdue and Indiana State only graduate a few teachers each year. More industrial arts teachers retire each year than students graduate from college ready to teach. I agree with you that these classes are important for our current students. Our high school has a great program and they are working hard to grow the program. They just started a building trades class. Thanks for bringing up this topic. If you agree these programs are important, please tell your local school board members your thoughts and encourage high school students you know to become a shop teacher.
I grew up in northeastern Colorado. It reminds me where you're at. There were 20 students in my graduating class. And yes, I took woods, metals, and even home economics (food is what attracted me to that class). I currently work at a school that is public charter school, and we don't have anything like this.. In fact, the school district where I live has about 30 schools from elementary to high school, and only two of them have wood working, metals (Ag Shop i.e), but not sure on home economics classes. Sad but true, schools are slowing going away from them, which is greatly needed for everyday life. I learned so much from them, and I'm grateful how and where I was raised.
Neil, your videos are always fun to watch! I had home ech in Jr High, and took wood shop in high school. Our High school had auto shop and a few other industrial style classes as well. Found out for my 20th reunion, they don't have them anymore. ive heard cursive isn't taught in schools anymore as well. All stuff I wish would still be taught. I didn't go to college until after my military service. I went to Collumbia College Chicago, majored in film and video. Some corses were learning to make sets, and it blew my mind on how many kids had no clue how to build basic stuff or even how to handle house hold tools. I was a smart ass one day in class, watching a group build 3 walls. I told them they were doing things wrong, and our teacher said if I could do it better, I'd have an A+ for the rest of the semester. I ended up building 3 walls for a set perfectly. The only time I needed help was to stand them and connect them. The teacher asked where i learned how to build walls. Told him I not only had shop classes in high school, but worked many construction jobs with my step dad growing up. Had my A+ for the semester after that. I even went the next step to dry wall the walls and finish everything. The teacher even allowed me to teach a day on how to properly build a 3 wall set. It's skills that are needed and aren't being taught or learned.
I graduate high school in 1976. In seventh and eighth grade I had industrial arts (wood shop primarily, with a little drafting) and then in high school I had; electrical, drafting, wood shop and metal shop. Then when I was a sophomore I had metal shop for the year and then when I was a junior and senior, I took welding (I wanted Auto Mechanics, but the class was full) and worked at our local grocery store (IGA) the other half. It was called C.V.E. (Cooperative Vocational Education) The classroom portion taught us the responsibilities and requirements of how to work at a job. The class was daily, 45 minutes, then I worked six hours every day Monday through Friday, with an occasional day off during the week, but I had to work a Saturday or Sunday. I joined the Air Force in 1977 after attending college for one semester, but when I got back home in 1981 all the vocational classes were gone. They even tore down the building and turned it into a parking lot! I graduated college with a B.S. Degree in Business Administration. Meanwhile, those vocational classes have served me well in life. It is sad they mostly are gone at all schools.
Neil, I am a High School Shop Teacher, I am in year 23, and my school actually has 2 of us. Agree, there are fewer of these programs, I’m glad my school district supports it.
I had shop class in Tasmania Australia back in the mid 80’s. Made some very cool projects, even the same one as you did with a punch. The high school I send my kids to is now finally building a shop class, so it’s good to see it coming back. It’s an important part of education in my opinion.
I had 2 years of auto shop (junior & senior) but today, all shop classes were eliminated from high school and moved to vocational schools, cooking soup in your fireplace is so cool...👍😃
Yes, I now live in a different state from my high school days. Last time I drove by my school the Ag building looked the same. Seeing the red Arc welder and the band saw reminded me of one of our tests. We welded rows and layers on a plate of steel and cut it in half to see the quality of the welds. It was an example of repairing a plow blade that needed to be built back up. The old days you needed to fabricate or repair implements vs just swapping out parts. I’m glad to see schools teaching those skills to young people.
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Every Sunday morning I make coffee and turn on Neil Kock: Dig, Drive, DIY
I could watch hours of this content.
Am in the UKand back in the 60-70`s we did as you say, have the domestic science, metalwork and woodwork classes. To see your `day in the life' is a reminder of how we should all keep an active lifestyle, and at 73 with arthritis, I am frustrated that I cannot do many of the things that I took for granted. So keep doing what you are doing and it keeps a smile on my face and hopefully yours when things work out well...Thank you Neil, keep warm and well!...XXX
Yep! Born in 1962 and I remember wood working, food making, and sewing as being part of primary school. And after school I had a little garden plot thanks to 4-H (head, heart, hands, and health), a youth organisation, where I grew carrots, radishes, beans, peas, etc.
Good morning! Absolutely nothing wrong with your video today. I appreciate what you do and allowing us to see your day-to-day. Take care. God bless
Neil, it doesn’t matter what you do I will still watch your videos. Love your content!
I had welding fabrication , machine shop , and body shop classes in high school … thankful for each one of them … welding being the most useful … it seems trade classes should be required at some level to help promote DIY … as keyboards can’t fix everything … great channel sir !
I worked for an electric utility before I retired and most of the employees we were hiring before I retired were from the smaller farm communities because they knew trades like welding and machine shop. Most of the schools in the bigger cities have eliminated their shop classes. I think Mike Rowe is on the right path to wake people up to what is really needed in our work force.
Neil you dont change a Thing it very good love the video .
Neil, I'm a self taught Machinist/Fabricator, mostly because both local high schools sold of their shop programs the year before I was old enough to attend. The town library luckily had enough books on hand for me to learn all the basics on my own and I was blessed to find a job at a local job shop where I have been working for most of the last 35 years. I'm now co-owner of the shop and one of the hardest things is finding young people with even basic skills. As a nation, we need to become builders again instead of just consumers.
That was great, thanks for sharing your day in the life.
Neil, what your firewood carrier needs is a backside or backstop. Weld some cattle panel onto the backside & that way once it’s loaded up…you simply tilt it back on your skidsteer forks & off you go! No chance of spilling the firewood!
I think the way he tucked it in next to the barn the backer would block him from accessing the wood
Neil, I got to live the dream! After the military I went to college to become an IA teacher, graduated in 84 and all the shop teacher jobs disappeared overnight, computers… I ended up with a Masters in Special Educational and did classroom service for 16 years working with mild to severe disabilities. Ended up in a small special education school in upstate NY where at 16 years and a special set of circumstances I became the shop/technology instructor and had the most wonderful 16 years of teaching middle and high school students how to use hammers, screw drivers and everything I could think of. We built decks, sheds, rebuilt a classic VW with a complete overhaul of the engine frame and works. We did robotics and wind turbines with help from RPI and GE. If you are patient and prepare you will never be surprised by what life throws at you. I think that most schools have tech classes at some level and that most children thrive on those classes. I still do woodturning and small projects for our home and my wife is a willing participant in wood working. Thanks for your videos and always enjoy driving large farm trucks.
Thanks for sharing your story. You're an inspiration to all those that learned from you I’m sure.
Enjoyed your day n the life of Neil. As a school teacher I was happy your school still has shop. My little school still has it to. The two best projects were Hog traps & bbq pits. As for them declining across rural schools in America you are right. To much emphasis is now placed on Exit testing rather than the basics. Reading, Math, Science & especially Civics has suffered. But worse of all in agriculture communities like mine & yours Ag, welding, carpentry & Home Economics have all been replaced with ‘ preparing for Exit test’. I believe the American Education system is waking up & things will go back to educating & training young people.
As usual your show was top notch. I believe you under estimate your audience. Your video today fits in perfectly with what we love about DDD, A family oriented channel of good old fashion Americana. So thankful to you.
PS checking out the interior of your truck . Low 19*F & high 34* F
Thanks so much Tim! I’m grateful to have viewers like you willing to tune in every week!
I was mister shop in high school. We had wood shop in 7th, 8th and 9th grade. High school, I took Cabinet making I & II, Machine shop I & II, Welding and foundry, Electronics I & II, Upholstery and finishing, Auto Mechanics, Small engines I & II. Thank you Mr. Brudwick, Mr. Keefe, Mr. Stecker, and especially Mr Espeset. Yes, shop class needs to be brought back to high schools. Great video. Thanks for taking us along in your day. I didn't realize it was going to be a full moon tonight. 🤣
Really enjoyed the “day in the life” video. I would love to see these type videos more often!
Thanks!
Great work!!! Lights look great, rack of wood is awesome, family is the best
Neil this was so fascinating to follow you....all things you get done in a day with a mixture of work, family, community .. it is amazing! I would love to tag along one day just to watch you and observe you.... Great content and I love your style of leadership and the way you serve!
Much appreciated my friend. Thanks for following along Aaron!
We had a wood, metal, and even a printing shop in my school and I ended up as a tradesman for the past 40 odd years. I've been watching the trends in the past few years and we are facing huge shortages in skilled tradesmen when the current generation retires or just stops running the businesses they've built. People like Mike Rowe have been sounding the alarm on this issue for the past decade. I happen to enjoy his style of "video" and find your channel a bit like the old variety shows from the early days of TV, I never know what to expect. Have a Great weekend!
It’s almost criminal how they’ve pushed college down people’s throats including me. Getting to college was one of the only times up to that point that I had received any validation. Vocational school was always looked down on. But turns out those are the people doing pretty well for themselves since they actually offer a value to society. Pays well and is steady.
@@nicknuggets369 I've heard recently that the new millionaire class will be made up of plumbers, electricians, and HVAC Technicians. Truck drivers and auto mechanics are in such high demand they can just about name their price as well.
Because schools stop the shops for insurance costs. It's always about the money, not the kids.
Good morning Neil like you I see great value in industrial arts classes I spent many an hour learning a lot. Some of my best memories were in those classes. take care of my friend.
Thanks Mike!
Greetings from the southern shore of the great swamp Erie in NE Ohio. This day in the life vlog was a terrific change of pace. Thanks for taking us along on your day. Back in the late 60's our high school had three groups of students; jocks, collegiate s and greasers. The jocks had their sports and the greasers metal shop, the remaining group studied marketing, business economics and an emerging field called computing.
Vietnam was looming in our future with its draft lottery and mandatory call up. I enlisted to avoid the draft ( my lottery number was 40 in a year that took up to 256 ) and thankfully I survived.
What you and others like you could never have been conceived in our time. I am glad that you and your children never had to face the terror of conscription and unjust wars. I deeply admire the young men and women who do enlist and serve our country. As a member of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation I also admire youth choosing agricultural pursuits.
Wishing you, your immediate and extended family a blessed holiday season filled with gentle seasonally appropriate weather and restful evenings with family and friends. Peace Neil.
Hey Neil, recently college-graduated 21-yr-old. I had drafting and shop classes when I was in middle school in PA. In NC, neither of my high schools have had any kind of shop classes.
I'm a software engineer living by a big city, and it has been so interesting to see a completely opposite side of life to mine for the last couple years. So thank you for your videos.
Enjoyed the video style. I didn't take wood shop because I took Engineering instead. Now I work in the office of a cabinet shop! It all comes full circle. Good work sir!
Anything you put out we all can't wait for? Nothing any better than Sunday morning, cup of coffee and one of your videos sir. Love the family life and content. Down to earth and not fake. thank you
I loved being in shop class during my high-school career. Our woods class teacher was mr.Weburg we all called him webbs .There was a clean up bell that rang 10 minutes before the end of class bell one time we set the clocks forward 10 minutes and left early and walked around the halls like we were kings . We gave webbs a hard time in a fun way. I graduated in 1989 and stayed in
contact with him until he died in 2019 . Shop classes made high-school great for me. Good show today Neil !!!
Appreciate you sharing! Good times!
I had wood shop and metal shop back in the 70's. Still have the bowl set and table lamp along with a knurled punch and metal funnel,. Your high school visit brought back fond memories. Thx .
That's awesome! It's cool that you still have some of the things you made!
BEST VIDEO EVER! Love the blog style. And yes, even though I was on a college track in HS, I was able to take Home Economics, Woodworking, Electronics, and Typing. The skills learned has served me well for the last 35 years, and saved thousands of dollars in costs in labor. As a teenager I was able to paint houses one summer, concrete another summer, and finally roof another summer. Quickly I learned that I wasn’t “cut out” for a lifetime of manual work.
I think I was one of the few that took my shop class seriously. At least based on the students I was in there with. I loved wood working and it became a hobby of mine after I graduated. My parents owned a machine shop and I did all my night schooling after an 8/10 hr day at work to receive my journeyman card. So glad I learned the trades. I don’t call for much help these days in my life.
That’s awesome Doug. Yeah having some of that knowledge will serve you for life!
Those new lights worked excellent!! I graduated in 74. We had wood shop,mechanics shop,and ag shop which was my favorite…..we were very fortunate for a small town school. Probably smaller than Harlen. Always enjoy your videos 👍
I loved it! As always! Have a great week ahead! See y’all next Sunday!
Thanks for sharing, Neil...it's always fun to follow you around regardless of your activity!!! Now I'd better start my day . I pray you and your family have a safe week.
Nice video Neil. Nothing wrong with a day in the life doc. You had fun, met with friends and accomplished some tasks as well. I’d say that was a great day. See ya next Sunday.
Great Video, Neil. You're right about diners in small towns and meeting for friends for breakfast. I did the same thing Saturday morning. For me it's a group of friends that are all members of a large scale model railroad, and we meet for breakfast before we head over to the railroad to work on track for for the day.
Sounds like a great way to start the day!
Another great video! I’ve always wondered how you do so much; now I know, you simply never stop moving.
I grew up in a small NE town and Mr. Beaver was my shop teacher. He was such a wonderful teacher, and “Shop” was my favorite class. The memories came rushing back when I saw all the different shop stations at your old high school. I built one of those tool boxes too 😂. Thanks for the content…I can’t wait till the next one 👍🏻.
Thanks for the shout-out Neil. Joey was eating supper with me the night before. As always, enjoyed your video.
You bet buddy! Glad to have you watching. Was nice to catch up with Joe yesterday too.
Hi Neil, love your what you do in a day video. Here in Australia between 1969 - 1972 we had Woodwork, Metalwork and Agriculture.1971 I was able to do cooking as a elective.
My high school had shop classes, never took one shop class, interested in computers, then fortunately, I discovered quickly that I had the ladder of success leaning against the wrong occupational wall, ended up going to several years of tech school for welding, machining, and metallurgy, and through out my career in the repair and restoration field I took every course I could find in the field related to my profession, no regrets. Breakfast with the guys, happens two or more times a week now that I’m retired, enjoy every minute, the BS is almost overwhelming at times, 😮😊😂, I like the day in the life videos, feels kind of homey. Thanks, enjoyed
Hi Neil, Paul from Bristol England here again, like you did we did Metal Work, Woodwork, Home Economics and Design at Senior School, probably one of the reasons I then did an Engineering Apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce Aero Engines. As a result I have lived and worked overseas in over 10 countries including Indiana in the US. There I made a great friend who lives in Greensburg Indiana, and I have spent many a great weekend on his Dad’s farm, cutting wood, driving the tractor, 4 wheeling, having a group breakfast, great times that I remember very fondly. I am still in touch and every year send 7 Christmas Cards to his family members, all posted at the same time but some arrive weeks after the first, it’s now become a game 😁. Great video, my sort of day 👍
Neil, so happy to see the content again this week. Having graduated from public school way back in 1977 I can attest to the fact that shop class taught me many skills that I have summoned from the deep recesses of my brain many times since… It’s funny that all these years later it still is so easy to recall what I learned; from metal shop to wood working and everything between. While today’s kids are learning many valuable skills relevant to today, I hope they are learning the lost art of doing it for yourself by figuring out how to make something work. I’m confident your girls will grow up knowing many of these “lost” skills… Congratulations on another fantastic Vlog this week!
What!! I haven't been watching a video blog every Sunday for the past 2 years? 😄 Neil thanks for tenasity and discipline to put this video together. Love watching your videos that always provide me with one if not all three of entertainment, inspiration or education. My God bless you and your family today.
I took general shop, wood shop, metal shop auto shop plus three years of drafting. Also took typing. Got a degree in history and education ended up not teaching but went into transportation for 38 years retired got bored went to work for a school bus company as a driver now dispatcher. All of those vocational classes have been a God send, side hussles, charity personal projects and quick repairs to get to work or finish a project. We were having a discussion at work a few months back about what classes from high had benefited us most. I realized that typing and English composition are used more than anything. Technology has sure changed in the past 54 years.
For sure! I’m so thankful for typing too. My girls don’t take it and I’ll be able to type faster than them.
The new lights make such a big difference! I had wood shop in junior high about 58 years ago. I still have a foot stool which was our first project. As I’m watching all you did I’m thinking you are such a blessed man. You are a great (I know, not perfect) example of husband, father, friend, neighbor and hard working man!
When I was in high school and that was 57 years ago since I graduated, we had all the classes. My senior year I got to help set up the auto mechanic's shop. We scrounged to get tools and engines donated. Chevy and Ford both donated new v8 engines for us to play with. The class is still going from freshman to senior and they have turned out a lot of gear heads and good mechanics. We had and they still have a great ag shop because it was a farming community. The town i live in now has one of the top ag shops, auto mechanic shops and wood shops in the state. They go to national almost every year and place in the top 3. I did also have wood shop 3 years in high school and because of that I can still do some reasonably good woodworking and still do some of my automotive work although I'm beginning to get a little stove up and can't crawl under the outfits as good as I used to. Great video and good memories. Thanks.
4 years of woodshop in high school. Loved every class that I took. Thank you Lane Backus for teaching me those fundamentals.
Looks like it's time to put in a culvert pipe and a level entry across the road. Love the content.
Yeah that's a good idea!
Class of ‘98, Liberty High School in Liberty SC! We had two iterations of Shop Technologies class! I loved them so much and learned so much that I wanted to take it another two years! I talked my principal into letting me take it two more years where my shop teacher and I started building and selling porch swings where I got to design and make the cut list and the profits after buying the wood were mine! We only made one swing where actually bought wood! The other 35+ swings we built and sold I sourced from all sorts of “free” scavenged wood sources like old barns, old 53’ tractor trailer boxes and things like that. It taught me so much about how to find a purpose for things others thought was junk!
Your in laws have a beautiful home
We had Industrial Arts when I was in high school, but soon after in the 80's, the counties in Ohio went with Joint Vocational Schools. All the schools in each area pooled their resources in central locations. Kids spend half a day in regular classes and half a day in trade-type classes.
These days, some kids are spending half days in classes for college credit.
Always entertaining, Neil. Keep it up.
I admire how you made time to sit with friends for breakfast then stop to eat lunch with family. I tend to fill rushed to just finish my chores instead of slowing down to enjoy what matters in life. Great job😇🙏🏻
Totally agree about IA and home Ec in high school. My senior year I made a redwood table in shop class. I still have that table. Years later (30 ish) the shop is now closed and the school removed the shop tools. Luckily I was able to buy the jointer, surface planer and wood lathe I was in shop to build that table in my shop….
Thanks cool that you got that stuff but uncool for the circumstances!
Had my 1st year (senior) metalwork and woodwork classes at school in '61 in the UK. My 1st completed project was an wooden egg stand (9 eggs) that my mum treasured. My favourite project was a hammer planished copper shoe horn that I made in my last year at school in '65, that was used whenever we had new shoes :) Love the day in the life format, and ALL your other formats.
Good morning, I had shop and drafting in my high school, I think we should offer free vocational training in the industrial arts if not trade schools than at least in high school. or maybe send AP industrial arts exchanges with Trade schools. Happy Sunday everyone.
Agreed!
Great video, love it! I had home economics in junior high and shop class in high school. I loved shop class. Neil, thank you so much for sharing your videos with us. They bring back so many fond memories when I was a young boy living in Wisconsin.
Not only did I have those classes in high school, I am a high school principal and we still offer those classes. They are extremely popular. Love the show!
Neil, your videos are always great 🎉 Don’t ever stop being real. 🙌
I made a tool box like that in shop in the 80's; thanks for bringing back some memories! I was also a 4H kid and learned so much in my woodworking courses. Despite being a behind-a-desk-all-day banker, I'm also a DIY guy with rental properties (and now a truck!) so your videos have inspired a few projects - the Menard's shelving in the garage made my wife very happy :) - appreciate your hard work and real-life content!
In 71 & 72 I had wood shop and metal shop in high school. I still remember making a set of dice made of polished solid aluminum (2” x 2” x 2”) that I still have today. Keep these great videos coming Neil, really enjoying them.
I’m 42 and have always enjoyed cooking and I think it started in my 8th grade home-ec class. Probably some of my best memories. I remember sewing a ski bag too and I still have it. Good times.
Neil,excellent piece of work and video 👍😮😊❤
I have been in the US for the past 25 years but went to school in England and in what you would call high school we had a broad curriculum. As well as the standard English (Language and lit) Math, world history, world geography, biology, physics, art (drawing, painting, ceramics and pottery) we also had both woodworking and metalworking shops where basic safety, lathe work, hot work and joinery was all taught by a team of enthusiastic teachers. A high proportion of them were Welsh and therefore made up the bulk of the local rugby team, believe me, there were no disciplinary issues!!!! Now mostly retired but still teaching nautical studies after a lifetime floating around the world DRIVING boats and finding that DIY was an essential in mid ocean. Now I am land based I can get my DIGGING in tending my small lakeside plot in Florida. Doesn't really matter what you do Neil, it's all good and I'll be tuning in from London next week as I get to spend this Christmas with my family in England. Cheers.
Neil you are the one that I look forward to each Sunday morning to start my week off. Keep up the good work that I have come to enjoy every Sunday morning.
Neil I definitely enjoyed watching your busy day. I too had a high school auto/wood shop back in the early 90s. It’s still the same looking place years later just a new batch of kids! Your buds remind me of mine always cutting up lmao!
I had Home Economics class. We made a blouse, apron, and a dress. We learned to knit, use a sewing machine, and general cooking skills.
It was fun tagging along. Thanks for sharing. 👍😁
I had it as well and am grateful for it!
Jeff is a National Treasure - many thanks to him and the other shop teachers still providing educational opportunities in our schools!!
Recently our local area voted on a millage/property tax dedicated to the Career and Technical Education (CTE) area to help increase the skilled trades programs available. While I know many do not like to see taxes increase this was one that I was happy to vote for and see pass - it will provide $1,000,000 annually for the next 10 years to the CTE program in our small county.
Last night I used the small hammer I fabricated years ago back in high school during shop class - including a knurled handle! Was the perfect size to tap some plugs in on PVC trim I had installed!
We love your Sunday morning posts. I'm usually scanning your equipment and surroundings. I'm a 68 year old fabricator / mechanic from Indiana.
The wood rack that you built, though a huge asset compared to the way you were delivering wood , I thought could be improved if you ever decide to build another.
Make it half the height but twice as deep. Put sheet metal skin on each side and on the back side. You should get about the same amount of wood. Your center of gravity will change but I think your skid steer will still handle the load or your loader. Plus you wouldn't need to strap the wood and you would be able to see driving forward. Only thing you might not want is the fact it would take up more floor space when you park it.
Keep up the good work.
And yes my wife and I both had shop class and home economics in school. Mine was in junior high school. Don in Indiana.
I went to high school from 1962-1966 and we had both home economics wood shop and auto shop . It was the best of times ❤️❤️❤️
I constantly look back at how those shop classes shaped my life and I'm sure you feel the same. Just imagine how much different your life would have been had you not had that high school shop experience. After all it's your abilities and skills that draw viewers to your channel. Hopefully too many didn't take your offer and tune out. This is one of your best videos and your friend the shop teacher would do well to show some of these to the students. Just so they learn the value of these skills. What a mistake our school systems made eliminating the shop classes.
Your old High School in the back looked a lot like mine ....Back by the Vocational Agricultural door wow 😳 !! The metals shop was right next door ...we had a welding room complete with 5 welding areas . All stick welders except the one had a wire welder set up in it, and one Anvil in there . The other room they had 4 Metal lathe's and one Horazontial mill ,one Vertical Mill, one surface grinder, and a small Metal Melting furnace and 2 drill presses. This is where I developed my love for working with Metal. I had a great shop teacher he made it easy to learn. Thank you for the great video brought back some great memories for me !!
Great video Neil. I had shop class growing up and really enjoyed it! Thanks!
We got those same lights for our barn. Seems to work good, glad to see Joe having breakfast with you! Nice to see my Alma mater and yes I went there too and had home economics, and printed my own wedding invitations with Mr Measle, and was in FFA. Wish they brought it all back. Great video, keep em coming!
That's awesome they have a shop class with all that. We had small engines and welding when i was in school
I like these kind of videos. It’s a version of what a lot of us do on the weekends. A verity show.
I graduated in 85. Back then we had small engine mechanic, metal and wood shop classes. When I returned after 25 years for a HS function at the school, all the shop class space was turned into a culinary academy. No more shop classes. The culinary did host our event and cooked food for the guests.. It was very nice. I missed the old shop classes.
Industrial Arts: l am an 83yo 'girl' who majored in 'shop' - 1955-1958 at Hamburg High School (NY). History said, 'only boys could take shop.' My Dad said 'l pay my taxes , my daughter can take shop if she wants to.' So I was the first girl in shop class. Our teacher was Mr. Scruton. I graduated with 4 years of shop: General, Wood, Metal & Print Shop, plus Home-Ec. I had my own woodshop. Speaking of love: your channel is so very interesting, entertaining & perfectly produced & edited. l have been a subscriber for years. I admire you in every aspect of your life. Take care. ❤
Your video brought back a lot of memories from having wood and welding shop. And yes even took home economics. Don't believe enough kids this this knowledge today
Who wouldn't want to watch this?! We had shop class and Home-Ed class. My school hired a new home-ed teacher and she was very nice looking! All the boys took home-ed that year and the girls were not happy. Off site at a neighboring school was offered Mechanics courses and welding courses. They were great! All this needs to be put back in today.
I enjoy ALL of your videos. Sunday is not complete without your videos. Please continue with your EXCELLANT video compilation!
I am very lucky because I am a machine shop teacher. I love it when former students of mine come back to visit. The school we have is an arts school, but we are also the largest tech school in our region. We need these schools to survive, because when they are gone, they will never come back. Glad to see you were able to visit your old high school, brings back great memories!
Looks like my Saturday, split wood for the old wood master. Glad I did rain this morning. Just a little east of you. Great video.
Yep, me too. Rained all night.
Yep! I had home economics and was in shop and Industrial Cooperative Training where I worked and got school credits. I learned to do electrical work, plumbing, welding, and construction. It along with my Army experience prepared me for a lifetime of work and running my homestead. 😊
I love how you have your family so close together and you are always interacting and helping each other! I have to drive 45 minutes to an hour and a half to see any of mine. But my daughter and grandkids are the closest and they come by often and will be here in a few hours to help finish decorating the Christmas tree. I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ❤
Good morning Neil & God bless you all
It's great when the older ones teach you things you can use in life ...and the older you get the more you appreciate that they took time to teach you ....
Absolutely, I agree!
I took wood shop, drafting, AutoCAD, Auto Mechanics in high school in Western Colorado 20 years ago. Good memories and many skills I still use today!
A day in your life is a whole lot more interesting than a day in my life. Thanks for sharing.
Those lights look so much better Neil! Nice work.
Small town I grew up in had a big round table where the local farmers would sit. We called it the Coffee Congress.
Haha! We call it “The Liars Club” :)
Had a good ole boy as a welding teaching. Didn’t teach a lot about school but taught us about life which I got more benefits from that! Still got my Reese hitch step I made for good memories!
We had the same Metals teacher.
Industrial Arts and Home Economics were pivotal for me. I was always naturally curious and industrious, but the exposure to deeper understanding of designing, building, fabricating, and even marketing finished skills or goods was defining for me on a personal level.
Nice to have the high school shop possibly as another resource in a pinch.
Stay warm.
Hey Neil, I enjoyed my industrial arts classes growing up in Huntington. I then went to Ball Sate to become an Industrial Arts teacher. I enjoyed teaching these classes and continue to make sure we keep these classes in place. I’m now a Middle School Principal in Avon, IN. We are building a new middle school and the new school and our existing middle schools are keeping these classes. One big reason these classes close is very few people want to be teachers for these classes. Sadly, Ball State no longer trains industrial arts teachers. I think they closed the program due to lack of interest from incoming students. Purdue and Indiana State only graduate a few teachers each year. More industrial arts teachers retire each year than students graduate from college ready to teach. I agree with you that these classes are important for our current students. Our high school has a great program and they are working hard to grow the program. They just started a building trades class. Thanks for bringing up this topic. If you agree these programs are important, please tell your local school board members your thoughts and encourage high school students you know to become a shop teacher.
Great video, all good content. Meals cooked over a fire are always the best.
We had shop class when I was in high school. Loved them. Taught me things that kids nowadays need to learn
you are an inspiration when it comes to needing some motivation in these colder days!!!
I grew up in northeastern Colorado. It reminds me where you're at. There were 20 students in my graduating class. And yes, I took woods, metals, and even home economics (food is what attracted me to that class). I currently work at a school that is public charter school, and we don't have anything like this.. In fact, the school district where I live has about 30 schools from elementary to high school, and only two of them have wood working, metals (Ag Shop i.e), but not sure on home economics classes. Sad but true, schools are slowing going away from them, which is greatly needed for everyday life. I learned so much from them, and I'm grateful how and where I was raised.
Neil, your videos are always fun to watch!
I had home ech in Jr High, and took wood shop in high school. Our High school had auto shop and a few other industrial style classes as well. Found out for my 20th reunion, they don't have them anymore.
ive heard cursive isn't taught in schools anymore as well.
All stuff I wish would still be taught.
I didn't go to college until after my military service. I went to Collumbia College Chicago, majored in film and video. Some corses were learning to make sets, and it blew my mind on how many kids had no clue how to build basic stuff or even how to handle house hold tools.
I was a smart ass one day in class, watching a group build 3 walls.
I told them they were doing things wrong, and our teacher said if I could do it better, I'd have an A+ for the rest of the semester.
I ended up building 3 walls for a set perfectly. The only time I needed help was to stand them and connect them.
The teacher asked where i learned how to build walls. Told him I not only had shop classes in high school, but worked many construction jobs with my step dad growing up.
Had my A+ for the semester after that. I even went the next step to dry wall the walls and finish everything. The teacher even allowed me to teach a day on how to properly build a 3 wall set.
It's skills that are needed and aren't being taught or learned.
Really enjoy today’s style video.
I graduate high school in 1976. In seventh and eighth grade I had industrial arts (wood shop primarily, with a little drafting) and then in high school I had; electrical, drafting, wood shop and metal shop. Then when I was a sophomore I had metal shop for the year and then when I was a junior and senior, I took welding (I wanted Auto Mechanics, but the class was full) and worked at our local grocery store (IGA) the other half. It was called C.V.E. (Cooperative Vocational Education) The classroom portion taught us the responsibilities and requirements of how to work at a job. The class was daily, 45 minutes, then I worked six hours every day Monday through Friday, with an occasional day off during the week, but I had to work a Saturday or Sunday.
I joined the Air Force in 1977 after attending college for one semester, but when I got back home in 1981 all the vocational classes were gone. They even tore down the building and turned it into a parking lot!
I graduated college with a B.S. Degree in Business Administration. Meanwhile, those vocational classes have served me well in life. It is sad they mostly are gone at all schools.
Neil, I am a High School Shop Teacher, I am in year 23, and my school actually has 2 of us. Agree, there are fewer of these programs, I’m glad my school district supports it.
That’s fantastic! Thanks for doing what you do!
I had shop class in Tasmania Australia back in the mid 80’s. Made some very cool projects, even the same one as you did with a punch. The high school I send my kids to is now finally building a shop class, so it’s good to see it coming back. It’s an important part of education in my opinion.
I had 2 years of auto shop (junior & senior) but today, all shop classes were eliminated from high school and moved to vocational schools, cooking soup in your fireplace is so cool...👍😃
Yes, I now live in a different state from my high school days. Last time I drove by my school the Ag building looked the same. Seeing the red Arc welder and the band saw reminded me of one of our tests. We welded rows and layers on a plate of steel and cut it in half to see the quality of the welds. It was an example of repairing a plow blade that needed to be built back up. The old days you needed to fabricate or repair implements vs just swapping out parts. I’m glad to see schools teaching those skills to young people.
I’m glad to hear you had some great experiences in school!