Tosu Kogyo has the largest furnace for melting iron outside of industry on the island of Kyushu. Twice a year they melt iron and have the students (so far as I could tell all boys) take turns getting the iron, preparing the molds, pouring the iron into the molds, breaking the molds, and in general trying to learn how to make cool things out of metal (specifically in this case barbells and paperweights, but the idea was sound). There's something seriously cool about molten metal, and the kids and teachers watched with a certain sense of awe as the students progressed. The students, although only 17 or 18 years old, conducted themselves with a degree of professionalism I had not expected, especially from Kogyo students, who are usually very flighty when I see them (an admittedly one sided view, as Kogyo students are the least likely to use their English of any high schools). Having seen the students using what they _really_ learn, my opinion of Technical Schools has increased dramatically. In their field, these kids are second to none.

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