Carlisle Events article featuring Alan Merklin

In my continuing search for cool stuff to read, I came across this, with quotes from our resident East Coast Wrench. It's from 2003, but it's a good read.
Good comments, Alan! (They're about your Bridges Program.)
http://www.carlislemediasite.com/content.asp?ArticleID=237

That's a cool project that I'd liked to see adopted elsewhere. A lot of kids are pushed through high school like so much fodder that few have the knowledge to do much more than work at McDonalds or Burger King. Auto shops, and other vocational studies seem to have be slowly eliminated from most schools in favor of College testing/entrance programs leaving many kids to forage for non-skilled jobs. Even now auto repair requires computer skills so future mechanics will be in demand. Just look at the cost of mechanical repairs; plumbers ($65+ per hour), auto repair ($70+ per hour) electricians and carpenters demand high wages. So if we can't train all our kids to be rocket scientists let's train some of them to handle the manual skills that will always be needed. This is going to be needed soon if they stop the hiring of illegals. Maybe we should start career training in high school, like Jr ROTC, and not wait until college.

This program was a blast to be involved in ! Never bothered to say much about the actual going's on there, but time has passed and
now the not so good news...
The Grants that funded the shop where I was at teaching mostly hands on experience dried up in '03 thanks to Maryland politics, a staff that felt that the shop program that was taking away their thunder and finally, less than truthful management
The complete shop with 4-5 speedsters and a few other vehicles on hand was put in place by the CEO as pure eye candy to impress others i.e judges, local politicians, State Police, County Sheriff's Office, clients parent(s)if there were any.
What they didn't realize is that, it worked as intended and worked well! This Co-Ed program provided a venue for solid direction to a number of At Risk Youth who otherwise, would still be bopping along to tunes and ducking from cops standing along side of the local Burger King.
Some of kids went to local GM Dealership Training Programs, one landed a management position at a NAPA Auto Parts Store and a young lady went on to become a LPN and now owns a new Town House ...a long way from her past occupation of stealing cars.
With this type of success, the plug was pulled on the Maryland based program." Hey, it's all numbers you know" There were dinners, RV's, cars, sail boat, a catamaran even a 70 ton tall sailing ship docked at a nearby tourist venue for all to see but was rarely use, all eye candy. One of the worst situations I witnessed was to see kids in a classroom setting being guided in filling out a practice job application, if they did well( how could they not with a case worker over their shoulder, they were given a $100 gift certificate to Wal-Mart!
Funding for this nonprofit facility was in fact, the main issue with a complete disregard for educating the less than 4.0 kids.
There are many occupations that are in big trouble as today's kids want a free ride, everything has been handed to them on silver platter and they want clean hands to boot. Nurses, truckers, plumbers, electricians, do I dare say mechanics w/o offending anyone...will be in such short supply that those individuals will soon be able to command an hourly rate of a Doctor.
Most kids are completely clueless in the most basic mechanical skills. So many kids have no parent(s) or know a responsible adult they can turn to in confidence.
On a positive note when I took on this position I had no idea as the education I would get.... in both today's kids and again BS politics.
However, it is self rewarding to be a positive role in a young person's life.

Good work Alan! I caught a glimpse of Jesse James on monster garage
and he said "I'm proud that I've helped the blue collar garage type
become cool again" or something similar. To work with your hands
hasn't gotten the respect it deserves in the past 15-20 years. Quite a few people are literally flabbergasted when I reply "I built that".
I don't know if I'm just getting older (crabby) or what but I meet fewer
and fewer professionals that I respect. It's nice to hear that someone
like yourself takes the time to share your experiences with others.
People today have forgotten the satisfaction and rewarding experience
of effort and toil. No matter what career path you choose. That feeling
exists in every aspect of life.

That's a real shame, I'm sure Vince and I could moderate a heated discussion on raising kids, silver platters and modern political correctness. I remember growing up respecting (fearfully) police, parents, teachers and most adults. Not that a good whack on the backside or shaking down was abusive it served as a preview of what could happen if we continued to screw up. A ruler across the palm of my hand, a hand across my butt or a quick slap never warped my personality or led me to become a serial killer. If I fell asleep in class I earned a trip to the football coach's office for some painful attitude adjustment and if I bad mouthed a cop or any adult and it got back to my parents there was no timeouts or grounding it would again be painful yet I still loved my parents, respected authority and my elders. Reform schools were often threatened and often some youthful offenders were offered a choice between military service or jail. It seems that some of our kids to day or more feared than loved and nobody wants to do anything about afarid of any warped legal action that they may incur. I don't have the answer to this problem nor one for the wars we get into, I'm glad I grew up back when I did and now pray for a new enlightenment before our country is run by a bunch of incompetents...Ooops

Whoa there, not everyone is like that. I give my kids a swift kick
once a week (needed or not). I like it.

I only kicked the dog and he'd still lick my hand afterwards.

Speaking of respect or lack of. I was called in for Jury selection today. Eighty people in the court room, besides council and the judge, I was the only one in a suit and tie.
-=theron

Clothes make the man or.....

Jury duty... I just got called to duty today too. Almost one year to the day after registering to vote in the state of south carolina. Nothing against respect, or a show of respect, but I am not strapping on a suit and tie for my CIVIC in 95 degree weather. Hell no! Representation of your peers in the summer in this town is shorts and flip-flops. Besides, I can tell if they are guilty just by looking at them!

Last time I got picked for jury duty I was in line for a capital murder case that was going to require jury sequestering. When the defense attorneys got to questioning me for jury selection they asked where I lived. I told them I lived in Collierville (a kinda upscale suburb of Memphis, TN, known for a low crime rate). When they asked what I liked about living there, I said "The low crime rate". I was then told that my services would not be needed. Heh Heh.

I' starting a new jury story thread