David wrote:

> "... better linkages between the people who know and the people who want 
> to learn."

In ][<en's response he said:

> My perspective, which I suspect is pragmatic, is that despite any 
> objective knowledge, here we have the guy that is actually going about 
> repairing gravestones. You can talk with him.

At the very first PTN IPTW ten years ago in Frederick (for those of you who 
missed it we're having the 10th anniversary IPTW in Frederick in October 
www.IPTW.org ) I met a young tradesperson, who has grown to be an important 
part of our histo presto community, who had agreed to demonstrate hewing 
timber. Since this is a part of my trade I decided to visit his 
demonstration. He was wielding a very poorly hafted broad ax in a manner 
that as ineffective and ill-informed. After his demonstration I chose to 
talk to him (I could have walked away and just talked about him.) and asked 
him who he had learned his technique from. I could have told him he was 
doing it wrong but instead I asked him to tell me who he had learned from. 
He is now a good friend and has learned to use the tool more effectively.

When I was teaching at the Mt lebanon field school last year I had the 
opportunity to use the approach of getting into the "boots of the builder" 
to help the students understand the building we were working on by learnig 
to see the way the building was built through the builders eyes. I think 
that's why a lot a joy comes from working on old buildings; it's easier to 
relate to the "who' as well as the what. Kind of like why working on old 
cars is more fun than working on new ones only different. The ability to 
extend the "linkages between people" beyond those of us who are alive today. 
The time machine.

What gap?

Rudy

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