David's Story Continues

[Baddad (Marty)]

Some of you may remember My Grandson David.
David has started at a private school. He was being bullied at the old school. His parents want the best for him as he now has started high school.

The new school has an Astronomy Club. He is one year too young to join yet. He has got over that. He joined the chess club and some sports clubs as well. The chess players are all yr 12's. The teacher is allowing David to attend because he is so far advanced. No one of his age presents any competition to him.

David and I are both now waiting for next year. In the mean time we will continue chess games and astronomy when conditions are good.

I may be calling on some forum members as I feel that I am basically a newbie to astronomy.

Cheers

[leon]

Hope the young fella dose well, and that next year comes quickly.

Leon

[ZeroID (Brent)]

"One year too young" !!!
What's that got to do with it ? I have a 9 year old Grand Daughter who has her own scope ( my old 114\f8 Newt) and loves it. I would have thought interest and commitment was far more important than age !

If I was a teacher and someone expressed and showed a high level of interst in a subject they'd be in, boots and all. You can't do enough to encourage kids these days into worthy interests.

Good luck to the young fellow, he'll be good to go soon enough.

[The_bluester (Paul)]

Yeah, that is a bit odd about a minimum age. I was allowed to take home the school 'scope when I was 14 in year 7. To my knowledge the only one ever allowed to take it home, which is a pity in itself.

While life got in the way and stopped my proper stargazing for many years, I am really glad I was allowed to take it home as it was my first, chance, glimpse of Saturn at 14 years old which really stirred the interest in astronomy that I still have at 42! If I never took that scope home it is very unlikely I would have the interest now nor the general knowledge and wonder at the universe I do. My life would be all the poorer for the lack.

The scope by the way was a 4.5" Meade Newt on a GEM with a rediculously heavy base. Somehow I managed to get my head around the concept and get it aligned well enough at 14 to make it not a complete frustration to use.

[pw (Peter)]

Too young sounds silly, surely individual maturity and interest would be better selection criteria.