World renown wood lathe artisan demonstrates at CCHS
By Nicky Ledford
From the November 30, 1994 edition of The New Castle Record
A specialist in wood lathe working visited vocational education classes at Craig County high School recently giving students and teachers a demonstration in fine wood-working skills.
On October 18, Mark St. Leger, the building construction teacher at CCHS, allowed Bonnie Klein to present a demonstration. She is world renown for her skill with the wood lathe and travels extensively demonstrating the proper use of the machine, and the beauty which it can produce.
St. Leger heard that Klein was in Tennessee, so he contacted her to see if she could make an extra trip to Virginia. She responded enthusiastically, giving the demonstration free of charge.
A wood lathe holds a piece of wood by the ends and turns it rapidly as the operator applies a chisel to carves grooves and shapes.
During the first hour of the demonstration, Klein showed three projects to the students.She then assisted students the rest of the day on the six wood lathes the building construction classroom has.
By the end f the day, each student had completed at least one project of their own to take home.
St. Leger also enlisted the help of Alton Grey, a cabinet maker from Narrows, and Robert Vaughan, a contributing editor to “Fine Woodworking” magazine. Vaughan was writing an article for the magazine about Klein and used the classroom demonstration in Craig County as a setting.
St. Leger said the day was successful for all involved and hopes the school can continue to attract special guests to assist students by supplying expertise where possible.
-Prepared by Shelly Koon
From The New Castle Record archives
