_ crafts —

:Craft workshops expand, improve

t

l

by Elaine Ashbaugh

Initial development of the Darby
gymnasium basement craft Works
shops in the (all of 1974 added
a new dimension to the already
formidable list of nonracademic
activities and presentations of the
Grinnell Experience. Expansion
since that time, especially In-
cluding current improvement, has
brought the craft workshops to the
fore.

Although the groundwork oi the
presently expanding workshops
was laid in 1974, insufficient
iacilities kept activites to a
minimum. The current, organized
program, with iormalized
registration but participation on a
nocredit basis, began in January
1975. The program appeared to
answer the demands at numerous
students [or such activities

The crait workshop rooms
themselves have seen substantial
improvement lrom the very

‘rpoorlyrlit, dungeon-like rooms they

I

once were. Costs for remodeling
and equipping the two major
rooms have been approximated at
$3.000 excluding expendable
supplies. This cost includes
such things as cabinets {or
storage. work tables, looms, a woo
kiln, and two 3300 potters‘ wheels.
The dark room, expected to be
completed in about a week and a
halt, will cost about $4000, This
includes $1500 worth oi equipment.
Although some oi the photo lab
equipment possibly will not be
highly sophisticated, this area can
accomodate from eight to ten
people at the same time while only
one person at a time can use the
other campus dark rooms in the
Forum and in Steiner,

Student cost lor the workshops
remains low, but student iees

’provide only 40 per cent of the total

craft workshop budget; the other
on per cent comes from the college

‘Thus, or this years $4,5m»plus

1

budget estimate, somewhat less
than $2000 came from student l‘ees
Fifty per cent oi the money goes to
instructors who receive $5 per
hour. Although this budget figure
does include payment tor some
major equipment which would not
need replacement {or years, Tom
Latimer, director of recreation
facilities and services. anticipates
no substantial decrease in the
budget in ensuing years. Speaking

i

lesser feesinormally $6, they all
required the purchase of supplies,
and sometimes tools. as the
workshop progressed.

Functioning on a “hobby,
recreation level, not an academic
level,” according to LatimEI”, the
area will ideally accomodate as
many people as possible Last
semester, approximately ninety
students made use of the facilities.
This semester, seventy enrolled in
workshops. Latimer stressed that
more students can be ac-
Comodated.

With the stipulation that at least
six people enroll in a particular
workshop in order tor the
workshop to held, seven dilterent
areas were offered at the begin-
ning at this semester Scheduled to
last for seven weeks. the
workshops were planned to end
about May 1, These included
pottery, photography,
silkscreening. weaving, painting
and drawing, knitting, and
leathercrait. So far, each
semester’s course offerings have
diiiered slightly from the previous
semester’s. The pottery and
photography workshops tilled to
capacity within a short time arter
registration began. However, not
one of the other ﬁve workshops
drew enough interest to warrant

their being held,

In addition to the time during
regularly scheduled workshops
sessions, the work area in Dar-
by basement will be open from 3:30
to 10:00 on Monday through
Thursday and lrom 1:00 to 5:00 on
Saturday and Sunday {or students
with user permit cards, These
cards, at a cost oi $15 per semester
tor photography laboratory users
and $10 lor potters, entitle more
experienced students, who need no
instruction, to take advantage of
the provided facilities and sup-
plies. Although other workshops
are not being held, students with $6
user cards can work in the craft
area and use such equipment as
the weaving looms. A student
supervisor will be present during
all free time.

Twentyone students enrolled in
the pottery workshops under the
instruction of Beth Christiansen,
an experienced potter whose own
wares sell throughout numerous
parts of the Midwest. The group is
divided into, three sections which
meet at differing times during the
week Photography. instructed by
Ned Landau, a Student at Grinnell
College, will have fliteen beginning
photographers as soon as the dark
room is completed Latimer calls
these and other potential ”1'

-Nlck Maiden
rhe Scarlet and
slack

structors “super people who do
super work" and feels satisfied
that they are qualitied to “implant
a seed of interest” in the students
involved. He sees this starting up
of new interests as the major
purpose of the Workshops.
Making “a sincere efiort to
provide a service to the students,"
Latimer, and others involved in the
workshops, would like to hear
student suggestions ior new
workshops, some ol which might
include such things as sewing and
gardening Since Latimer plans to
schedule a second series of
workshops tor the seven weeks
aiter spring break, any
suggestions should be proposed in

the iairly near future.
Photography and pottery,
however, will not he offered again
until next semester.

According to Latimer, Turner
and Dean Waldo Walker, along
with other members oi the ad-
ministration, have been strong in
their support of the program
Turner sees it as a needed response
to student pressure and also
acknowledges it as an admissions
tool, another plus in Grinnell's
lavor. But, even more than being
another of Grinnell's attractive
plus’, those involved feel it is a
great lringe benefit lor the in-
dividual. Latimer, expressed this
best, calling it “a hell of a deal” {or
any student,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

w Id;w'ondertu‘l.
Sinful. Laughing.

_ Explosive.

GRINNELL FURNITURE
1030 4th Ave.
Good Used Furniture and

All Manner of Trivia

of the College's subsidizing oi the
livorkshops, PreSldent A. Richard
Turner cited it as a “justiliable
expenditure," feeling that the

- program “ranks high in the ex-

‘Qt‘racurricular priority list."

‘ Fees (or a pottery workshop
were $15, students paid $20 to
enroll in a photography Workshop,
Both workshops proVided all
equipment and supplies at no extra

’~ cost On the other hand, while other
oiiered workshops stipulated much

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