I remember sitting in Art class with Ish Humber. We would draw the most ornate floral designs and then refine our plans for the cutlery tray, the lamp or the magazine rack. I must have drawn my plans for the cutlery tray about 100 times before it was passed and I could get to choose the wood.
Do any of you guys have memories of Industrial Arts with Mr. Humber?
4 comments:
I too remember going to Industrial Arts and being completely disappointed in Mr. Humber in that it became clear very quickly that the only students who had a hope of producing an item to take home were the ones who has a natural propensity toward drawing of the architectural type. His sending the students back to "correct" their drawings, as you say, 100 times meant he could select the few who would go on to build anything. I went on to be a fairly good woodworker, no thanks to that class. It may have been the huge class sizes of the times or the favouritism of the teacher but the whole thing was a waste of time to me.
Sorry to be negative about the ole school but that's the memory.
Paul Charles
I am surprised by Paul Charles memory of Mr. Humber as mine are completely different in that it was because of him that I got my first job. It was in the architectural office of Fred Colbourne,who was an Old Feildian, but in addition another Old Feildian Frank Noseworthy was also working there. I have never forgotten Ish for that as the type of career I was introduced to there became my life's work and has been very good to me...thank you Isn.
Dick Cook - Class of '56
MR. Humber had to be the most talented person that I have ever had the pleasure to meet, although I didn't realize it at the time. He made me draw my project, figure the cost and when he was satisfied he would give you the o k. I hated wood work because of all the splinters in that lousy plywood, but I managed to cut out a plywood anchor with two little shelves on it, my Mom thought that it was great...
When class started in Sept. MR. Humber brought in a log that was three or four feet long, when we asked what it was for he only gave a grin. Week after week the log started to change shape, until somebody said that it looked like a fish. To our surprise it was a Salmon. Then when he was satisfied with the shape the paints appeared and when he was finished it looked like it just came from the Humber river. A work of beauty.
The salmon then ended up in the Sport Shop on Water St. hung from the ceiling.
I now do a lot of work with pine and when I finish each project I utter the words..".Ish would be proud of me."
He was truly a great person and artist.
I remember Mr.Humber. In 1954 or 55 he almost lost his hand in an industrial arts class accident. However I was able to build boats while in his classes. There is a nice picture of him teaching Donald Downer and Ian Tulk in the 1954 or 55 yearbook. I should also mention that of all the teachers who strapped me his gave me the most pain.
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