Media Center
> July 10, 2003
Hammer In at Pressley Ridge Ohiopyle
OHIOPYLE--Students from Pressley Ridge’s Ohiopyle Wilderness School learned the rudimentary techniques of the blacksmith’s art in 5 days of “hands-on” instruction provided by blacksmiths Jymm Hoffman of Ambridge, Chris Holt of McKeesport and Robert Stone, II of Pittsburgh.
Fifty-eight boys from 11-16 years of age had the opportunity to work with the blacksmiths as part of the school’s art program. The students routinely engage in community service projects related to its curriculum.
Blacksmith Hoffman devised and built three traveling workstations, with two portable forges at each station. Blacksmiths Stone and Holt assisted Hoffman to provide instruction to as many as six boys at a time. Working from Sunday, June 22 until Thursday June 26, all six of the Ohiopyle treatment groups were able to visit the forge, and every youngster was able to make his own 18th century styled iron “S-hook” in the course of their instruction.
“Some of the boys show a natural ability,” said Hoffman at the close of the second day of hammering. “We’d like the opportunity to work on more advanced projects with some of these kids,” and the final two days were spent with 16 of the blacksmithing “all stars.” Key chains, decorative hooks and even a dinnerbell with a ringer and hanging hook were hammered out by students as they advanced their competence.
The experience was made available through a grant of the Pennsylvania Rural Arts Alliance, a re-grant program of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, office of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, administered by the Pennsylvania Rural Arts Alliance.
Pressley Ridge’ Ohiopyle School is a residential is a residential treatment facility for court-placed youth situated on a 1300-acre tract of woodlands in Fayette County.