Most of the woodworkers I know personally, got their first taste of it in school, and were pretty much hooked from the start. While others excelled at math or science, some of us just couldn't wait for shop class, where we'd be taught something interesting. And those that had a natural ability, were often given free run of choosing the woodworking projects they would like to do.
        Through the course of my interactions at woodworking shows, through this site and through the Ezee-Feed business, it amazes me just how many people are not only interested in woodworking, but are passionate about it. Just the thought of taking a piece of rough lumber, and turning into a smooth piece of wood, suitable of making something with it is very compelling. Creating a woodworking project is just an extension of this process.
        The reason for it remaining a hobby through a person's lifetime, (and I really hate that label, "hobby" as it's much more than that to most of us), is it's diversity in the projects that can be made, to the huge variety of tools / toys available to us. This prevents us from getting bored with it, and provides plenty of opportunity to make compulsive purchases, whenever the need to do so arises. Imagine if there were only twenty possible tools to buy. This would become quite boring rather quickly. Lets face it, we all need to have the ability to buy something we can feel guilty about later! And after that phase passes, we still have the tool. It's a beautiful thing, I tell you!
        The abundance of woodworking plans many of which are available for free, make it literally impossible to run out of interesting projects to build in your own woodshop.
        It saddens me that our children aren't as likely to have a woodshop in their schools, due to many reasons. From a liability standpoint, to wasteful spending on the parts of the school boards, and God only knows what else, it is actually depriving our children of experiences that are as important as many of the subjects taught today. It's boils down to the cost of such a program makes it an easy target for those looking to show a better financial report at the end of the year.
        These classes teach more than just making a bird house. They also teach caution, planning, patience, and a number of other life lessons that need to be learned, while still providing an interesting and fun venue.
        I'm beginning to believe that anyone wishing to become an administrator of a school district, or for that matter all politicians, be required to have a masters degree in business management. Maybe then, things would be run a little more from a practical standpoint.
        (From Schnell)