To Sir with Love is the title of a 1967 British drama starring Sidney Poitier. The plot is simple, a stern teacher is tasked with educating a class on unruly students. The movie shares it’s title with a song in which the singer asks…”How do you thank someone who has taken you from crayons to perfume?” A better question for goldsmith William (Bill) Howard and his children is: “How do you thank someone who has taken you from clean hands to being covered in metal shavings, burn holes, and calluses.”
While it really doesn’t fit the melody the question is a fair one. In this Father’s Day episode of Radio Chipstone, contributor gianofer fields introduces us to Bill Howard and his definition of fatherhood.
About the Host:
gianofer (JON nah fer) fields is an Art Historian and Material Culture contributor and curates the Radio Chipstone series. The project is hosted by the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and funded by the Chipstone Foundation; a decorative arts foundation whose mission is preserving and interpreting their collection, as well as stimulating research and education in the decorative arts.
About the Guest:
William L. Howard, Bill for short, is a Master goldsmith and the lead instructor at the Howard Academy which offers career training for jewelers and metalsmiths. He has been a practicing metalsmith for the last 40 years.
Image: Howard’s work, courtesy of gianofer fields.
This segment partially comes from the Radio Chipstone Archives of WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio. See here.
