Soul Men
In a 2006 essay later expanded into a bestselling book, “Shop Class as Soulcraft,” Matthew Crawford wrote, “Anyone in the market for a good used machine tool should talk to Noel Dempsey, a dealer in Richmond, Virginia. Noel’s bustling warehouse is full of metal lathes, milling machines, and table saws, most of it from schools. It appears shop class is becoming a thing of the past, as educators prepare students to become ‘knowledge workers’.”
Crawford would be happy to know that shop, better known these days as Industrial Technology (IT), is alive and well at San Luis Obispo High School thanks to the talent, skill and commitment of three exceptional teachers: Jed Bruington, who teaches wood and metal classes; Tim Fay, who teaches drafting, welding and metal classes; and Jeff Lehmkuhl, who teaches auto classes.
During the second trimester alone students at SLOHS can choose from among the following offerings: Wood I, II/III; Metal I/III; Drafting I/II, Architectural Drafting, Computer Aided Drafting; Welding Technology, Regional Occupational Program (ROP) Welding; Auto I, Auto II and ROP Automotive Chassis and Drive Train Systems. The classes are immensely popular, with thirty to thirty-five students in all of the introductory classes and twenty to twenty-five or more in the advanced classes. Clearly shop is not a ‘thing of the past” at SLOHS. In addition to the skill of the teachers, what accounts for the continuing availability and popularity of these classes?
Bruington, Fay and Lehmkuhl, with a combined forty-six years in public education, shared their thoughts during a recent late-start Monday interview. All agreed that on a practical level students value the opportunity for hands-on learning experiences allowing them to explore real life career choices and develop skills that can lead to well-paid work immediately after graduating. The technical skills they learn provide a solid foundation for additional education leading to careers like engineering and architecture that require at least a bachelor’s degree. They also agreed that the classes teach respect and appreciation for hard work.
Whether anticipating a future as skilled blue collar or advanced degree workers, students in the IT classes develop a wide range of invaluable skills including planning, designing, diagnosing problems, and problem solving. Creativity also plays a large role, although Lehmkuhl admits there is less pure creativity in his auto classes. Students view their advanced shop classes as the place where they can apply the knowledge they’ve learned in other high school classes, particularly math and science. Fay remembers how much he valued what he learned in trigonometry as he progressed through the IT classes he took in high school and college.
Hunter Tasseff is a senior and award winning woodworker. He recently won Best in Show in the Morro Bay Art Contest and has won Best in Show at the Mid State Fair for the last two years. Hunter has taken classes from all of the IT teachers and has applied to Cal Poly in construction management, but also plans to take engineering classes.
“The IT classes reduce the stress of the competitive academic high school life. They allow for self-expression, creativity and the opportunity to make something beautiful. In auto classes I am helping the people who bring their cars in to be fixed. The stress relief and career exploration keeps a lot of students in school.”
Students in the IT programs have experienced success in local, state, national and international competitions, and they have earned scholarships to prestigious colleges and IT programs throughout the country. Jesse Castaneda, class of 2010, a state Skills USA champion in drafting who finished 3rd nationally, attends Cooper Union in New York on a full scholarship. Daniel Lehmkuhl, Jeff’s son, was a state and national Skills USA and Ford AAA Troubleshooting champion who has competed in South America and Europe, finishing in the top three both times.
Each of the teachers pointed to different challenges they face. Bruington said that while “the school district provides some basic funding for materials and supplies, when divided up by the number of students participating, it falls well short of meeting overall needs.” He also brought up the difficulty of maintaining up-to-date, state-of-the-art facilities. Fay mentioned the “ongoing fight against the perception that skilled labor is unimportant or not valued in contemporary culture.” Lehmkuhl noted that “students are sometimes put off by how hard they have to work in shop classes,” pointing out that so much is given to young people in our society without having been earned. They all agreed that a common goal is to prepare their students to be positive, confident, productive members of society.
All three were grateful for support received over the years at the district and site level, and from the community. They talked about the importance of grants available from service organizations like Rotary; the generosity of local businesses like, to name a few, Chicago Bridge and Iron, Seis Pure Gas, Pacific Access, Thoma Electric and Knecht Plumbing; and the internships provided by Villa Automotive, Continental Motor Works and others. As a result of the combined efforts of the district and the community, they feel as if they have weathered the storm of cutbacks that have affected other districts and feel positive about the future.
From personal experience I know how many hours Jed, Tim and Jay commit to their work, not just during the week, but on the weekends as well. I spoke to each of their wives, who perhaps have the best perspective on their dedication.
Dede Bruington, owner of Picking Daisies in The Creamery in downtown San Luis Obispo, said “Jed is amazingly generous with his time. He never puts himself first, loves doing things for others. It makes him happy.” Erin Fay, a teacher at Baywood Elementary School, wrote “Tim is always striving to better his program and help his students learn. He truly cares about his students and loves what he does. He radiates enthusiasm.” Nancy Lehmkuhl, an aide at Sinsheimer School, wrote “I have always been amazed to see Jeff’s care for the kids individually, his passion to teach, and his willingness to guide them to state and national competitons.”
Later in his essay, Crawford writes, “While manufacturing jobs have certainly left our shores to a disturbing degree, the manual trades have not. If you need a deck built or your car fixed, the Chinese are no help. Because they are in China. And in fact there are reported labor shortages in both construction and auto repair.”
Fortunately, there are three dedicated teachers in San Luis Obispo who are preparing young men and women to lead successful, productive lives providing exactly the services our society needs on a practical, day-to-day basis. So, if you know students taking a class from Mr. Bruington, Mr. Fay or Mr. Lehmkuhl, know they are in good hands, and might soon be tuning your engine, designing your new deck, or building that mahogany coffee table you’ve always wanted. Following the example of their mentors, their hearts and souls will be in their work.
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