Hi, saw your message and would like to give my opinion---
 LG> I see how some schools (on the news, mind you) are 
 LG> pushing the Internet, and I was wondering if there 
 LG> are schools out there that also give BBSing a place 
 LG> in the computer curriculum.
 LG> Also, I'd like to know how would I go about 
 LG> contacting school officials (location not 
 LG> important, just a general idea) on how to volunteer 
 LG> my services to teach a one-day class regarding 
 LG> BBSs and FidoNet communications.
There are some of us (teachers) that know what BBSs are, but generally most 
teachers do not know much about computing in any form.  Part of this is the 
average age of teachers, the other is a lack of commitment to train teachers 
about computers by district officials, and finally-the lack of access to 
computers - most schools do not have access to the number of computers to 
make mass training practical.  Many of the computers are old and 
outdated--got any modems for APPLE IIs?
 
Then there is the problem of phone lines--schools usually have a very limited 
number of phone lines that are very busy.  Our district took 5 years to put a 
fax line and I had them put it in my lab so I could get my BBS up and 
connected to the outside world.  I have a proboard 5 node running on my lab's 
net and I am picking up my modem next week.  We plan to allow access to 
newsgroups, E-Mail, and Fido.  Our school district's tech person says that we 
will have our own server by the end of the year--I am betting that they won't 
due to the cost.
 
How can you help?  I think that if you could find a school that wants 
computer use to develop--you will have it made as a volunteer.  You have a 
good solid idea. 
 
Perhaps you could also help the school adopt surplus computers that are being 
donated by government agencies.  Right now they are mostly 286s, some 386s, 
and rarely a 486.  These are excellent for use with Bannana Com.  Often there 
are modems for adoption.  If you need more info, I could do some research for 
you and see where you might be able to get a lead on these computers.
--- Maximus 2.02
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