Back to school

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Al Meadows
Posts: 38
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 12:23 pm
First Name: Alfred
Last Name: Meadows
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1920 Touring
Location: Castro Valley, CA
MTFCA Number: 4796
MTFCA Life Member: YES
Board Member Since: 2017

Back to school

Post by Al Meadows » Wed Dec 18, 2019 11:52 pm

My niece, a 5th grade school teacher, saw our Model T at a doins' in San Jose in September and asked if I could bring it to her school to share with her class. They don't do field trips and she felt her students would really like it. How hard could it be? Drive the car there, let the kids see it and return home. Easy. Then I thought of all the information that they needed to hear about automobile history, Henry Ford and the Model T. How the Model T came to be and why it went away? So I prepared a half hour PowerPoint presentation on all that, a multiple choice 10 question quiz that they could take during the lecture where I indiscreetly provided the answers. Questions were things like "How many Model Ts did Henry Ford make?" I through in some humor, video clips, old time music and wore my fancy Model T outfit. I even promoted the MTFCA. By now, the word about the "old car" had spread and so five classes were attending, about 100 kids. We finished up with a question and answer session before heading out to see the car.

It was parked on the playground and with 100 kids surrounding it, there wasn't much I could do or say. I crank started the car. They loved that. Honked the horn. Waved a gas stick in the air asking, "What do you think this is?" A ruler. OK. With so many kids, nobody could hear me. The district wouldn't allow rides which was fine by me but the children paraded around the outside of the running car. With one side of the hood open, at least they could view the spinning fan. After all the other classes left, we took pictures with my niece's class, three at a time in the car. She'll send them out.

Aside from the threat of rain, putting together the talk beforehand and getting the car to the school and back, it was fun to talk to people under 60 years of age about Model Ts. I hear the class wants me to return and I have 29 thank you notes coming my way. In their world, I'm truly the "The Model T Expert". I just might try this again.

Al
Attachments
Picture time.  They never noticed no top.
Picture time. They never noticed no top.
Too many kids to do much of anything
Too many kids to do much of anything
Attentive listeners.  At least they're not on phones
Attentive listeners. At least they're not on phones
Dispensing info in my Model T attire
Dispensing info in my Model T attire

User avatar

Mark Gregush
Posts: 4956
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Back to school

Post by Mark Gregush » Thu Dec 19, 2019 12:04 am

Fantastic! :D
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup

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George House
Posts: 2270
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:25 pm
First Name: George
Last Name: House
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: ‘10 Maxwell AA, ‘11Hupp Model 20, Two 1914 Ford runabouts, 19 centerdoor, 25 C Cab,26 roadster
Location: Northern Caldwell County TX
MTFCA Number: 115
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Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Back to school

Post by George House » Thu Dec 19, 2019 7:36 am

Good for you Al !!...and for the rest of us too. We need to stir up some youthful interest in our cars so our widows and heirs can have an audience to receive close to fair market value when the time comes. And it sounds like you had fun developing some curriculum for the day’s event. One of our MTFCA directors-Gator Gould- has a pretty good ‘canned spiel’ designed for school kids that he’ll send to us.... Good job Al !!
I don’t know why I turned out this way. My parents were decent people 🤪

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Henry K. Lee
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Re: Back to school

Post by Henry K. Lee » Thu Dec 19, 2019 7:46 am

AL,

I APPLAUD YOU!!!! That is what we need more of!

All the Very Best,

Hank in Tin-A-See

PS, I am going back to school for spelling. Just can't get Tin-A-See write!


Bud Delong
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First Name: Kenneth
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 touring,1915 roadster
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Re: Back to school

Post by Bud Delong » Thu Dec 19, 2019 7:56 am

Good on ya!! :D Bud.

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aDave
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Re: Back to school

Post by aDave » Thu Dec 19, 2019 8:26 am

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Rich Eagle
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Contact:

Re: Back to school

Post by Rich Eagle » Thu Dec 19, 2019 8:28 am

What a great thing to do!
Rich
When did I do that?


tdump
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Re: Back to school

Post by tdump » Thu Dec 19, 2019 9:03 am

That is the best way to generate interst in the old stuff.The youngans don't see it in everyday life until someone like you shows it to them.
If you can't help em, don't hinder em'

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TRDxB2
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Re: Back to school

Post by TRDxB2 » Thu Dec 19, 2019 9:40 am

Thank you for what you did! I'm sure the feelings you have inside after doing it weren't anticipated and you can't wait to do i t again. And I thank your niece for initiating the "show-and -tell".
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger


Dallas Landers
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Re: Back to school

Post by Dallas Landers » Thu Dec 19, 2019 9:47 am

Screenshot_20181228-221823_Samsung Internet.jpg


Scott_Conger
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Re: Back to school

Post by Scott_Conger » Thu Dec 19, 2019 11:46 am

Al

that was great of you to do! You never know how one small thing you say or do will spark a notion in a child which alters their future to be richer or brighter.

a good friend in FL, who was a teacher, used to have antique-auto club members bring his extensive car collection to school once a year, after his class had studied up on manufacturing in the US. The school board eventually threw up so many stumbling blocks to that including extensive backround investigations and bonding procedures of adult participants that they all eventually said "the heck with this" and the many-year event came to a close. I doubt it was ever about children's safety, and more about disruption to established routines.
Scott Conger

Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny

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Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured

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Ruxstel24
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Re: Back to school

Post by Ruxstel24 » Thu Dec 19, 2019 12:41 pm

Great stuff, it is a shame that you can’t take the kids for a ride.... :roll:
It’s good to pass on as much history as we can. :D


Topic author
Al Meadows
Posts: 38
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 12:23 pm
First Name: Alfred
Last Name: Meadows
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1920 Touring
Location: Castro Valley, CA
MTFCA Number: 4796
MTFCA Life Member: YES
Board Member Since: 2017

Re: Back to school

Post by Al Meadows » Fri Dec 20, 2019 1:58 pm

Thank you fellow Model Trs for all your support. If the opportunity ever comes your way, take it if possible. Just not 100 kids! I will check out the kid program offered by the club.

Thanks,
Al


Original Smith
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Re: Back to school

Post by Original Smith » Sat Dec 21, 2019 9:49 am

I used to teach high school. I took my T to school many times for demonstrations.

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Oldav8tor
Posts: 1928
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Re: Back to school

Post by Oldav8tor » Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:04 am

The Casual T's (Michigan MTFCI club) has a school outreach program where they take Model T's to various elementary schools and put on a program about Henry Ford and the how the automotive age came about. As a retired teacher I can tell you that there are big payoffs from such activities...you just never know where they will lead.
1917 Touring
1946 Aeronca Champ
1952 Willys M38a1 Jeep (sold 2023)
1953 Ford Jubilee Tractor


rosenkranswa
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Re: Back to school

Post by rosenkranswa » Sat Dec 21, 2019 3:34 pm

We take our '26 T and two Model A's to the local Middle School to do a program for the 5th grade class each Fall when they're studying Innovation. My wife also brings along several of her accessories; picnic boxes, dog and cat carriers, etc. We both dress period and I do a quick introduction to Henry Ford and the rise of the auto industry and road system. Usually there are over 150 students who are always well behaved and most are interested. They all love hearing the car horns, watching me crank start the T, and watching their choice of car start and run. After the talk, they're all invited to see the cars up close while we field questions - things like, you drove it here?, where's the radio? what do you do when it rains?

In the Spring when they're studying WWII we bring our Willy's Jeep, '42 Ford Sedan, and our displays on the Red Cross Motor Corps and Soldier Pigeons. Again we both dress period along with a buddy of ours who does a program on infantry weapons. Can't think of a better way to spend a couple afternoons during the year.


Topic author
Al Meadows
Posts: 38
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 12:23 pm
First Name: Alfred
Last Name: Meadows
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1920 Touring
Location: Castro Valley, CA
MTFCA Number: 4796
MTFCA Life Member: YES
Board Member Since: 2017

Re: Back to school

Post by Al Meadows » Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:36 pm

In closing this thread out, my niece presented me with the thank you letters from the kids. It was optional but they all chose to do it. 29 of 'em. It seems they talked about what they liked most during the presentation and then many asked a question. I just sampled three letters here. I'll answer their questions and send my reply for them to discuss after the New Year. Makes it all worthwhile.

Happy New Year to all,

Al
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