
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 26, 1993                   TAG: 9306280257
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TEACHING LESSONS AND SAVING MONEY

A FRIEND of mine recently attended an auction sponsored by Roanoke city. He bought a complete set of crate furniture - couch, coffee table, two end tables and two chairs - for the total sum of $10! He was ecstatic about his good deal, as well he should be. The furniture was covered with graffiti and had numerous scratches, initials, etc. From the graffiti written and/or scratched on the furniture, it was assumed it was taken from a detention home. This may or may not be the case, but from whatever facility it was taken, had been badly abused.

Upon taking home the furniture, he spent about half a day sanding and staining it. His wife made new cushion covers to replace the torn and worn covers. They now have a room full of "like new" furniture of which they are understandably proud.

Roanoke must buy a new set of furniture to replace the set my friend bought. What if inmates of a detention home, jail or other facility, who might have abused the furniture, had to spend time sanding, staining and otherwise getting it back into condition the very same way my friend did? They would appreciate it much more and would likely take better care of it. By doing the work themselves, they would be learning several things:

The value of hard work. Appreciation for work well done. That work is a valuable use of time.

New skills would be learned, skills that could be used upon returning to society.

They would be saving the city the added expense of buying new furniture periodically. In the long run, the skills taught might also give these children or adults a feeling of self-worth that they may have been missing previously. NORCE LOWE SALEM

by CNB