Self adulation

Hi John,

Glue wasn't worth sniffin' when I was at school. I think the Woodwork teacher deliberately kept the animal glue pot on the boil to keep us all out of his workshop, and sniffin' that stuff wasn't to be recommended - it was the reason we used stink bombs - to improve the smell. .  No PVA until the last years of my schooling.

The best bit of science was when the teacher got out the jar of mercury, poured some out and let us roll the stuff about on the bench - we then went to eat our sandwiches without washing hands - it explains a lot. .

The gbh was official in our place as the Senior Prefects got to use the cane - bastards. It was posh but not a pleasant experience for a little kid from one of the roughest and poorest areas in the vicinity. I couldn't get away quick enough.

Off now as the missus just came in with the bacon and egg sandwiches mmmmmmmmmmmm

Best regards

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 21/10/2012 11:26:32

Hi Terry

I can appreciate what you say about scools, I went to a county primary school in the 50's, and if you did not pass the eleven plus you were a failure and not worth the effort to teach.

Never had a workshop in our school, had to walk 2 miles for an hour in a woodwork shop at another school, science was a few old bunsen burners and cracked test tubes.

I managed to get an appretiseship with the local electricity board (lord knows how) and when I went to the pre senior trades course at the technical college I was amazed by how much the other lad's knew.

Had to catch up fast, but the difference in lecturers and class size made all the difference.

My early apprenticeship spent 6 months at a R.O.F. filing and polishing calipers etc, not much use for an electrician, but it gave me a start in model engineering when I could afford the kit (many years later).

The tools are still in the grease and cloth I wrapped them in after I had finished, too many hours spent on them to get the finish the old instructors wanted to ever use them.

Taught me the value of a good machine and how much time and effort it can save you.

Still feel let down by my early education, but the one thing the teachers did instill was discipline, after all they had just beaten Hitler, and were not about to let a bunch of kid's run rings around them.

Regards

Ian

Gray

"After my headmaster experience the only ambition I had was to get out of school, looking back I wish I had paid more attention." ( How do I get that Quote Line thingy?)

Judging by your writings and the quality of your work I don't think you have been much disadvantaged by your experiences at school!

Many things in life affect the way we are - best if possible not to reflect too much on " How things might have been" and concentrate instead on " What can I do now to maximise the satsfaction I get from life."

( Good grief - philosophy on a Sunday morning whatever next!)

Regards

Norman

Hi Ian,

I know I'm not alone in my experiences but Like yourself being poor, I really did appreciate what I have and have achieved. Liek somone else in recent posting I built my own bike from bits from scrapyards and what I could scroungs dfrom neighbours, a crank here, a seat pillar there. I never had enough to buy stuff I wanted until I finished my apprenticeship.

That is why I wonder if this lad, pleasant and nice as he may be, who was the subject of the article really appreciates the value of what he has. Possibly he will, I hope so and does not become like the rich yobs who join drinklng clubs such as the Bullingdon and then go out and smash places up knowing that daddy will pay up. They have such little respect for us plebs who have to work hard for what we have.

Best regards

Terry.

Edited By Terryd on 21/10/2012 12:17:33

Religion?

Regards

T

Quite so, a very positive philosophy. Mind you it is interesting to speculate on how my career might have turned out if I'd chosen to do an apprenticeship with W. H. Allens in Bedford (steam turbines and diesel engines), rather than get involved with electronics.

The best thing we can say about school is that I survived, no thanks to some, but not all, of the teachers.

Regards,

Andrew

P.S. It was because of such experiences with teachers that I later thought I could do better and retrained. I think that I have been reasonably successful in that respect and I still get ex students stopping me in the street and thanking me for the help and inspiration I gave them. I find that experience as rewarding as anything in my previous Engineering career.

Regards

Terry

I'm amazed that you were still at grammar school last year Gray, I imagined you being almost as old as me and I was there in the early '50's.

Len. P.

P.S. Weren't those rubbers hard!!!

Edited By The Merry Miller on 21/10/2012 16:18:24

Ha Gray

Thanks - I had managed it before but like an increasing number of things these days I had forgotten!

I note too you say ..." there is just too much to do that is interesting and challenging, plus there are the Grandchildren."

Yep I agree - but surely you don't mean to imply that your grandchildren are  NOT interesting and challenging !!

My Grandson, for example, has just reached his teens and is as sharp as a bit of stainless swarf. What's more he has inherited his Grandad's rather off-beat sense of humour and regularly catches me out with some little leg-pull or another!

School days are a long way off for me now but I had the good fortune to opt for the then new idea of a "Technical School" ,rather than the Grammar, and it was just right for me. The Engineering ( note NOT Metalwork! ) workshop had brand new Colechester, Kerry and Harrison lathes, Tom Senior mill etc. I remember too plumbing exercises in the next room using Oxy torches with fine nozzles to practice lead burning. Plumbing making lead to lead and lead to copper pipe joints and a copper chimney flashing. I remember too being given a sheet of lead and a mallet and told to beat it up into a square box . All totally useless in my working life in electronics but jolly useful in my later DIY home improvements. I was fascinated by the machine shop then and, as you may judge, it has stayed a life-long interest. I rather liked my time at school!

Regards

Norman

Edited By NJH on 21/10/2012 16:39:39

Edited By NJH on 21/10/2012 16:41:58

I absolutely hated school, until sixth form when we were treated with more respect and I found myself in company where ability was valued by one's peers.

In March we decided to pull our daughter out of school and go for Elective Home Education. It is a challenge and puts many demands on us, especially Mom. The positive effect it has had is way beyond our expectations. Suffice to say I know wholeheartedly believe school is clearly not the best solution for some children.

Neil

P.S. I feel churlish to point it out, but given the rasberry, I felt I ought to. I hadn't seen it before, but I checked and the word is correct, a dyslectic is someone with dyslexia.

Hi Neil,

It is a simple variant of dyslexic, which is the root. The original is dyslexic of which the word in question is a derivative.

Best regars

T

My 1940s education was minimal and my dislike of the classroom situation lasted for many years after leaving, so I didn't do an apprenticeship of any sort and even now, at 77 I am not sure what I want to do for a living.

This topic is now off into the clouds with 'grammar Nazi's' (sic) and discussion about opening our workshops and 'constructive discussion on M.E.' Hitler hasn't actually been mentioned yet but might be called on yet.

If I have to struggle too much to understand a posting, I give up. I might have been able to help, or to learn something, but I give up. I feel too old and perhaps therefore deep down too short of time to re-read and re-read a posting that is difficult to understand. I don't care what sort of person the poster is, all I expect is plain English.

The cynicism on this forum takes my breath away. And, Springbok, why was it necessary to launch a tirade on another forum where Alistair makes regular contributions? He is well known for his generosity of spirit and general helpfulness. I have no idea what he or his father have done to you to deserve such a slating. It was an article with a different 'take' on model engineering. He's a very keen, apparently talented young man with a father who recognises his potential and chooses to help and encourage him all he can. Take it anyway you like but I fail to see anything wrong with that. You may not like his style of writing - that's another matter - but to criticise what they are doing is ridiculous and, frankly, says more about you than about them.

Diane

Diane
Think this says a bit more about you than me I was not lanching a tirade as you state but a analytical statement about the article. and am getting fed up with "how wonderful i am " articles
I do not undestand what a different "take" means is this advertising jargon. The father made no mention as far as I could spot about the lad's work. discovered that he is a budding engeneer and have apologised to him, he must be cringing by his dad's letter. I will let the rest of the postings say the everything.

Bob.

Hi Merlin,

That was my point exactly but some folk read what they want to see, rather than what is actually written. I didn't demand perfect spelling or absolutely accurate grammar. All I argued for was reasonably well spelled postings with punctuation - using full stops and commas in approximately the right places to make for easy reading and understanding. Not a lot to ask.

Of course the snipers see what they want to and and simply show their own lack of understanding. It rather reminds me of that line from Simon and Garfunkel:

"People hearing without listening"

Best regards

Terry

I do wonder how well you read the article Bob, as I replied on TT about the above statement

Again, did you read the article.

"To enable Alistair to form springs and bent metal for his traction wagon"

"The forge & Traction Waggon featured in an earlier article, the latter being the source of the two awards mentioned and two GCSEs"

These two sentances suggest to me that the Father did mention Alistairs work.

J

Hi Bob,

I'm with you on this one. That is how I read your initial posting. My point was that I don't really care about this lad, his dad or his money. That's the way of the world, but I don't want to spend my meagre pension to read about him in a magazine. If I want to read such articles I would buy one of those celeb magazines. It belonged more in 'Hello' magazine than one about practical model engineering.

Best regards

Terry

Why does this thread remind me of the Buster characters Ivor Lott and Tony Broke?

At least nobody here is TYPING ALL IN CAPITALS!!!!

One author says "I didn't demand perfect spelling or absolutely accurate grammar. All I argued for was reasonably well spelled postings with punctuation - using full stops and commas in approximately the right places to make for easy reading and understanding. Not a lot to ask."

Just as well , I see he can pop in the odd typo - as can just about everyone else in this fearsome thread.

Joey

(Who never makes a spelling mistake, has perfect grammar and faultless elocution; it's such a shame you are all denied the pleasure of hearing me speak).

Waht the splelnig Nizas mltosy fial to rseilae is taht as lnog as the frist and lsat letrtes in a wrod are crorcet, the oderr of the rmeaniing leettrs dsnoe't icapmt uastndernding...as can be seen if you try reading the previous sentence quickly.

Rgerads,

Tony

**LINK**

John S.

No problem with the article.

Other than all the exclamation marks!!!

Ian