Head of the Class

 

This past weekend, I went to a surplus auction held by the local university.  Most of what I saw inside the large warehouse where the auction took place was either stuff that students leave behind when they vacate their dorm rooms, or extra equipment the university no longer needs-from kitchenware to spare pieces of pipe to office chairs.  I was heart broken to see many doors and windows salvaged from yet another grand old home in town that had been demolished.  I’m not sure why the doors and windows were at the auction-but the university must have owned the home and wanted the land for something else.

Anyway, I’m off track.  There was a collection of items outside the warehouse that were available for purchase-and so I grabbed one of these old school desks.  It only cost $1!   Long ago, there was an elementary school located on campus where education majors could get practical teaching experience.  I can almost see Beaver Cleaver sitting at this desk!

I put my new school desk on my front porch as a little table.  I like that I can eat lunch out there (on one of my vintage school lunch trays)  and store my books or magazines underneath on the lower shelf-just like a school kid would.

I like the fact that this little desk is living a useful life beyond what it was made for.  And I like the fact that even though it’s a bit rough around the edges, it is still a well made piece of furniture-as sturdy as the day it first graced a classroom in the 1960’s or so. 

If and when I “graduate” to something else in the way of a porch table-I will pass this on to someone else-for free this time.  I think I will have easily gotten my money’s worth out of it!