FWIW, IN 1970 I got a science teaching job in Wolverine,Mi. Small community, 109 kids, K-12. Few if any went on to college, so why physics, etc? So, I developed an Outdoor Education program that encompassed all the recreation activities of the north and taught them how to do it properly, lawfully, and safely. On the shooting end, we had the DCM stuff, about a dozen Win target 22 rifles, talked with Remington and they loaned us about 1/2 doz shotguns, in 12 and 20. 870's, 1100's and a 3200!!! yes a 3200. We reloaded ammo on 2 Mec reloaders. There was an 80 acre school forest about 3 miles from school and its there we developed a trap range and small bore range. Prior to the kids shooting the shotguns, they all went through the DAisy Quick Skill program. We had 3 Daisy's with no sights. Girls were the best in acquiring the shooting skill, cause they listened. After mastering the dot on the cardboard box they graduated to shooting marshmellows out of the air. Did our shooting on the baseball field. There were girls and guys who could shoot 8 out of 10 tossed marshmellows. We challenged other schools to a trap shoot at our forest. We mopped up. I can see it now, the office storeroom was converted to our store room. Guns in the rack, 2 kids reloading during study hall. In the storeroom was 2 chainsaws we used to clear wildlife habitat improvement projects we bid on from the DNR. During the second week of deer season, we'd take the kids deer hunting during the day. Organized deer drives. Parents would come along to help. Kids would get off the bus in the morning with their Win 94's,Savage 340's and whatever handmedown deerslayer was available. All the guns in a case and the kids dressed in their red plaid or orange jackets. During the deer season, the DNR would bring violated deer and elk to us to cut up for the lunch program. Nothing to see a couple deer and an elk hanging from the rafters of the science room waiting for class to begin to start butchering and grind up all for chili or burger. To earn money for supplies, we would sell raffle tickets at home basketball games and have the drawing the last home game before Christmas. Prizes were usually a Win 94 rifle, an 870 shotgun, and some accessory stuff like snowshoes , fishing poles, knives and anything else we could gather up. State Police would come to school forest and give handgun demonstration with all students shooting 22, 38 and one shot with my 4" SW 29. Wintertime, we would commandeer the sewing machines from the home ec. dept and kids would sew FrostLine kits.(remember them) (Down jackets and vests) down floated the hallways for weeks. First week in January was survival training with firebuilding, shelter building etc. Test was 3 days,2 nites in the Pigeon River forest with nothing but a candy bar, some jerky, knife,tea bags, a tin can, 4 matches, handsaw, home made snares( DNR gave us permission)and sleeping bag. Rarely temps at night reached above 0 degrees. Porcupines really took a hit, easy catch. Spring was canoeing, mushroom picking, rappelling and camping. Rapelling off the gym roof and graduate to going off the I-75 interstate overpasses. That stops the traffic. Ever hear the ruckus made by 15 boys and girls when a black bear runs for its life through these young mushroom pickers. A three day canoe trip down the Black River till it flowed into the Straits of Mackinac. All the fun and frolic and tipped canoes came to a halt when we went over the Kleeber dam and onto the sturgeon spanning grounds. Looking down on a 6 foot sturgeon stopped all the silliness. I run into some of these kids now and then and we immediately talk outdoor education tales. The stories have become legends now. Sorry for all the random thoughts and comments, Went down memory lane and couldn't stop it. Program lasted till 1979 when the school couldn't afford one full time science teacher(took my place) and the guy who spent all day playing with the kids at the school forest. I left with all the memories. Never in my life during those days did I feel a kid would break my trust and take,damage or do injury to anyone with the OE equipment. Where did it all make the wrong turn. Randy
