Defending the Darkroom in Education

[Drew Wiley]

Yep. That's progress. Everybody is going to become a programmer, software engineer, or video gaming designer. Back when I was in high school, the goal was to become a nuclear engineer, in other words, after Three Mile Island, a pizza delivery boy. But if you were a dunce, you were forced to take shop classes, like auto repair, electrical wiring, or woodworking; then you made a decent living. So not much has changed, except that in its infinite wisdom, our educational system has eliminated almost all shop classes. No problem. Self-driving cars are on the way, so it's probably just another hundred years until self-repairing cars show up too.

[Duolab123]

Well said

[Leszek Vogt]

Mark, I'm curious. Was the course considered as a "liability" or the principal took her fresh managerial duty....to higher powers (the board)....finding a program/something to chisel. I get it that none of it would change the history that took place. Hmm, have she eventually voiced the real reason ?

Either way, for her to say that analog photography lacks professionalism (excuse if not quoting correctly)....I truly find her to be totally ignorant of the medium.

Les

[Mark Sawyer]

To be honest, it was just the whim of a bad administrator. During her first year as principal, literally half the faculty left. She had 100% support from the school board and Superintendent. She disappeared overnight near the end of her second year, reappearing later as a Curriculum Designer for another school district, a giant step downward. It had nothing to do with me or the photography program, just the momentary whim of someone in power. Pretty much how reality works, don't try to make sense of it, and don't take it personally...

[Willie]

Does the school offer classes in lettuce picking and agricultural field work?

Seems the attitude of "prepare for jobs, not a life of higher expectations" is self defeating. A trade-tech self limiting approach to getting the kids out without pushing them to improve.

Did she really not think that preparing kids for College was worth it?

[Mark Sawyer]

Does the school offer classes in lettuce picking and agricultural field work?

Seems the attitude of "prepare for jobs, not a life of higher expectations" is self defeating. A trade-tech self limiting approach to getting the kids out without pushing them to improve.

Did she really not think that preparing kids for College was worth it?

Not lettuce-picking, but quite a few vocational programs, like Auto Shop, Welding, Culinary Arts, Multimedia, Agriculture, etc., all promising a professional career without all that expensive college. But even most areas of Universities are vocational, with students often complaining about unnecessary prerequisites like Humanities, Arts, or any Sciences not directly related to their major. The days of Universities developing "educated, well-rounded citizens" are largely gone, and most parents are happy to save the money if the high schools say the kids can just go straight to work...

[goamules]

My son's former girlfriend got a Machining degree of some kind. Never found a job in a machine shop (though we have a huge aerospace mfg company here), so just passed firefighter school. She's going to be a fireman. Automation and offshoring have (or will) removed 85% of the good jobs in America. If you are not a designer/engineer, you can cut grass, be a cop, manage a resturant, tire shop, or other business that has to remain. And they will all be chains, and pay bare minimum.

[David Karp]

My college (a community college) built a brand new darkroom and work area when they built a new building. The film photography program is strong. Classes are full every semester. It coexists with a vibrant digital photography program, which also has full classes. I see students on campus making photographs with film and ask them how they like it. I have not yet heard a student say that they regretted taking one of those courses.

[Duolab123]

My son's former girlfriend got a Machining degree of some kind. Never found a job in a machine shop (though we have a huge aerospace mfg company here), so just passed firefighter school. She's going to be a fireman. Automation and offshoring have (or will) removed 85% of the good jobs in America. If you are not a designer/engineer, you can cut grass, be a cop, manage a resturant, tire shop, or other business that has to remain. And they will all be chains, and pay bare minimum.

Forget Engineering, all the big companies moving tech centers to India. Writing software code is in demand right now, job security forget it. The age thing is critical, the people who are really successful are the 20% that are in the right field, are willing to relocate, repeatably, are beautiful, diverse, and YOUNG. I know so many people that have been sidelined in their late 40's early 50's. The loss of manufacturing in this country is the greatest screw up in history.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I am high school photography teacher. All 9 high schools in my district taught darkroom photography. Now only 3 do. Teachers retired and were replaced by young teachers who knew/know only digital. Even some of the teachers have no formal training in photography... My program is alive and well. I do 90% analogue, 5% digital, 5% hybrid alt (film scan to digital output, film scan to cyanotype or gum)... my seniors who have taken photo 11 with me, get more digital training. I know that when I retire (about 6 years from now), my colleague (young female and former student of mine) will slide in and shut down the darkroom. She's already told me that.