Puget Sound Knappers

The PSK Goes Back to School II!

Puget Sound Knappers Demonstrate at Cedar Tree Montessori School

Bellingham, WA Dec 5, 2012

Master Flintknapper Dr. Joe Higgins and knappers Valli Eichstedt, Jim Smith and and Jim Keffer were invited to the Cedar Tree Montessori School in Bellingham, WA to talk about and demonstrate flintknapping to twenty-seven 1st - 3rd graders. These students had been studying Paleo-Indian history and were interested in learning more about stone tools and other artifacts.

This time Valli volunteered to be our photographer and Joe and the two Jims demeonstrated. And we brought LOTS of show and tell - display cases of replica (modern flintknapped points and blades), Native American/Paleo Indian artifacts points, blades and other tools, clubs, arrows, altals, drums leatherwork and even a feathered headdress!

Just like the week before we found these Montessori school students incredibly bright, enthusiastic and remarkably well informed. It was obvious from the outset that they'd done their schoolwork! Their knowledge on knappable stone, knapping concepts and tools was, to say the least, surprising!

For about an 1-1/2 hours we demonstrated percussion and pressure flaking using both 'Abo' and 'modern' tools.

As alway we left behind the points we made as souvenirs for the school - we know they'll be cherished for a long time!

This is the second knapping demo at a Montessori school in two weeks and the one thing that stood out to all of us, Joe, Jim K., Jim S. and Valli, was the exceptional interest and enthusiasm of the Montessori students. While we don't know a great deal about the Montessori method of teaching, its clear to us that they have it right!

Chief Joe enraptures the audience!