Last Class (for Now) –
If you donated tools, time or money to our hand tool immersion class at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking, I have two things to tell you:
- Every one of the 17 students walked away with a tool chest that was stocked with tuned-up hand tools – thanks to you.
- It was an awesome experience, both for the students and myself. Thank you.
This week-long class affirmed my undying optimism that the craft has a great future. I’ve always told pessimists that woodworking is written in our blood and that it doesn’t take much to awaken that primal connection we share with the forest and all it gives us.
For the last five days we lived in the forest behind the school. We took our meals there. And during the day we worked like dogs to build a tool chest and the skills that ensure that the craft won’t stop with this generation.
Yeah, I know all that sounds hokey. But the truth is that governments, corporations or institutions won’t raise a finger to sustain the craft. It’s up to you. And it’s do-able.
This fact lays a little heavy on me tonight because this class is the last one I’ll be teaching for several years. I need to edit and write some books, build a lot of stuff in my sketchbook and restore a building.
So go to it.
— Christopher Schwarz
