GRALAND'S EARLY YEARS: SHOP/PART TWO

Philip William Hickey
Mr. Preisser shares more memories of his beloved shop.
“Students remember making a round table and a throne for King Arthur to sit on and preside over the Knights of the Round Table. They surely remember the swords they made, some with jeweled handles, and the shields gayly painted with a lion, dragon, or a coat of arms. . . Miss Nelson started the study of the Knights of the Round Table. . . At present, (this study) has reached its peak through Mrs. Priest’s efforts. . . Her classes built such things as model towns, homes, ships, war weapons, shield, metal armor. The fifth graders will never forget this period of their schooling.

“Who could possibly forget the Viking boats made in the shop?  They were displayed on the tops of lockers. . . Surely, many will remember riding in the Sicilian cart, made in the shop and drawn by Jennie, Buttercup, or Popsicle, the school donkeys. . . Making chariots with bike wheels, tin, and wood was not the easiest thing to do. . . During the fourth grade Olympic games, the chariot race was exciting.

“In 1951 we moved out of our cozy little shop in the basement to a much larger room located where the junior high History Center is today. . . in 1961, the Gates Science Building was constructed with a planned shop and handicraft rooms in the lower level.

“The shop is a busy, interesting place. The children learn what fun it is to make things with their hands and to use skillfully the various tools, as to feel the accomplishment when something worthwhile has been achieved.”
 
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Graland Country Day School

Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.