spoons

Today the first, second and third grade classes worked on spoon carving in the CSS wood shop. It is a practice beyond their strength, beyond their vision, and beyond their skill. Grades 1-6, are going camping next week, so this was an opportunity to discuss knife safety and to practice their skills. Even adults may find the use of a spoon carving knife beyond their strength... unless they discover the subtleties of its use. (You take very small shavings, rather than try to carve deep)

I explained to the kids before starting, that they would not make the perfect spoons today, but would learn some of the techniques required that will allow them to do better work as their strength, understanding and skill may grow. They loved the project and were very proud of their work, but knew they were building skill for later expression, too.

When we build
Therefore, when we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight, nor for present use alone; let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say as they look upon the labor and wrought substance of them, "See! this our fathers did for us."