All images by Grey Villet
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Thank you to LIFE Archive
Gun Safety Class at an Indiana School, 1956
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Programs like this would certainly cut down on “accidents” and probably lead to a reduction in violence. Teach the kids to respect firearms and teach their proper use. Drill the safety rules into them, even if they come from a home where the parents don’t own guns.
I also like how the officer pictured looks like a policeman, and not para-military goon.
They were still doing this in Indiana at least as late as the early ’90s, just without the hands-on part. Still taught by a conservation officer, only it was in the gym so he could teach the whole 7th grade at once. There was also a written test at the end.
This is great.
Nowadays, the only gun “safety” training you get is the gun-equivalent of “abstinence”, which we all know is a philosophy that fails spectacularly with children. “If you see a gun, don’t touch it! Run and tell an adult!” Yeah right. That might be the reaction of 1/10 boys and maybe most girls. Others are gonna pick it up and look at it. Better to teach everyone how a gun works and how to be safe with them. Sort of like how it’s better to teach teens how sex works and how to be safe with it.
You can’t prevent them from messing around with it, you can only teach them how to not be stupid.
I love teaching safety classes to kids!
Yes, I wish it were more common, maybe as a choice in phys ed (do they even still do _that_ anymore?), & yes, I know it would reduce unintentional discharges (…of the firearm).
There are very few true firearm accidents.
Gee, back when this sort of thing was common, back when people thought nothing of kids bringing a rifle to school in order to do some hunting or plinking on the way home, how often were there school massacres? (It’s a serious question, ’cause I wasn’t alive back in the 50′s.) I think the answer is close to “zero”.
Compare that to our “(legal) gun-free school zones” today, & I think there’s a pattern, probably even cause & effect.
I learned to shoot very young. Got my first gun when I was twelve. Raised my son the same way. Can’t understand parents that teach their children to fear and avoid guns. Do they do the same for other dangerous situations, like crossing the street?
Re: School massacres, does anyone know how many of these kids were on Ritalin or similar drugs? I know at least a few were and I’m willing to bet the dirty little secret is that most of them were. Why bother making an effort with kids when you can just drug’em.
I completely agree that classes like this would benefit kids today. We have guns in our house (locked in a safe) and have already started teaching gun safety to our 5 year old grandson. He just got a BB gun for Christmas and with the correct supervision I believe that it will teach him to respect guns and how they are to be properly used.
“This is the end you point at the communists.”
When I was about 12 we had an after school class on gun safety and use, we only handled/fired BB guns but were taught to treat all guns with respect. The liberals would have a field day if you tried this now.
Where are all the girls?