250 Words on Practical Education

I took the usual mix of science, math, art, English, and history classes in school, some of them excellent. But as I look back, it may have been two electives that made the largest lasting difference in my life.

I studied electronics in seventh grade. The class covered everything from wiring a doorbell to acid-etching our own copper circuit boards. I learned how electricity works, and to respect but not fear it.

As a result, I’ve always been adept at light electrical work: changing a switch or outlet, rewiring a lamp, soldering a splice, popping a new fuse into an appliance. I don’t mess with 220 volts, but I have a practical grasp of electricity that has served me well.

I also took typing in summer school following my sophomore year of high school. I didn’t want to dedicate an entire quarter to it, but thought I’d see what I could learn in six weeks. I’ll always remember typing a slow cadence in time to Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets.”

That class got me through a lot of papers in college and may have landed me my first job afterward. I suspect one reason I was hired to write for a newspaper was that I was a fast and accurate typist. Learning touch-typing changed my life.

As academically inclined as I was, I’ve always supported education in the trades and basic life skills. A diploma should certify that you have the tools to launch in whatever direction you choose.