Friday, June 09, 2017

even to stand slack jawed, open mouthed and dumfounded.

William James had come up with the maxims, “No reception without reaction” and “No impression without expression” in his discourse supporting the manual arts in school. Even for a child to stand stack jawed, open mouthed and dumfounded indicates some level of response. But then I'm not sure that's what William James had in mind.

Today I hope to get the bandsaws wired and ready at the Eureka Springs School of the Arts and begin installing the pipes and hoses for the dust collection. I will also pack my truck for travel to Marc Adams School of Woodworking for six days of making boxes.

I searched through my files of photos for one that shows students in a classroom. You may not need one to be reminded of what it's like. Kids slouch at desks, bored and disinterested as if they've already seen it all. To sit bored and unresponsive is great preparation for a life of idle consumption of products and ideas. Being bored and unresponsive in the classroom trains students to do nothing about the stupidity and insensitivity  encroaching on our humanity.  Assured that students (and adults) will not rise up in response, corporations that care nothing for the environment, can trash it and leave what had been communities as wasteland.

Make, fix, and create...


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