Joe Barry informed me that I'm not the first to urge the Ivies to develop affirmative action for hands-on education. Walker Weed, New Hampshire furniture maker, 1940 graduate of Dartmouth and long time director of an avocational furniture making program at Dartmouth proposed at the time of his retirement that every student be required to make a chair for their use during their time of attendance. What a great idea. Shown in the photo above is a chair made by Walker Weed and associate Gordon Keeler. Shown below is a hammer handle chair made by Wharton Esherick in the late 1930's. Its history is described in a wonderful article in this month's Woodwork Magazine.