View of young men learning woodworking as part of the Mayor’s youth employment program, Summer ’70. August 11, 1970.
Young men learning woodworking as part of the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program Summer ’70, August 11, 1970: A2012-005
Mayor’s Youth Employment Program, 1970
Vintage Portland 
Just as in the photo that was presented back on the 6th of March, these kids don’t show any real signs of enjoying themselves very much! Not much enthusiasm!
And, by the looks of that wiring on the wall, maybe they should have been teaching something regarding electricity, safety and proper installation techniques!
I would like one of those heavy work benches though…nice and sturdy and ready to go!
There was no doubt some well meaning noble purpose in designing a summer activity to occupy some young peoples spare summer hours and keep them out of trouble. I applaud that. But seriously.
The activity depicted here is teaching woodworking in the same way operating a cutting torch in a wrecking yard teaches automotive engineering.
They have been charged with dis-assembling some panels, lots and lots of them apparently. The original purpose to which these panels were constructed is unknowable from the photo. What can be ascertained is that these young men are engaged in exactly the sort of mindless gerbil like activity that is guaranteed to make a adult crazy with boredom, never mind a healthy normal teenager confined to a dreary shop on a summer day when he is aware that his contemporaries are no doubt in full frolic enjoying the remainder of their summer break.
They are in fact being taught some lessons here but I shudder to contemplate what they might be.
For the benefit of those not conversant with hand tools. The young man in the foreground is demonstrating the use and operation of a nail puller. Once the nail has been sufficiently exposed he has a crow bar handy. There is a second nail puller lying on the bench near the card board box which is the likely depository for the nails being pulled. These are not the tools of precision woodworking and these kids know it. I can only hope that they were in someway compensated financially because there certainly was no intellectual stimulation available here.
Just saying.
And I thought,,,, Burglars in training…
Poor kids..
The young men are breaking down wooden crates which is far from learning woodworking. That is more of a juvenile punishment than a learning opportunity. A very clueless person came up with the caption for this photo. Or someone was attempting to make the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program seem worthwhile when actually covering up to real exercise.