American Bladesmith Society Honors TC President with Highest Award for Service to Bladesmithing in Education
Texarkana College President Dr. Jason Smith was recently honored with the prestigious W.W. Scagel Award, presented by the American Bladesmith Society (ABS) at the 2022 International Blade Show held in Atlanta, Georgia June 3-5. The award is presented annually by the ABS Board of Directors for meritorious service to the craft of bladesmithing in education.
Dr. Smith was nominated for the prestigious award by longtime bladesmithing advocate B.R. Hughes, one of the founding fathers of the American Bladesmith Society and former dean of students at Texarkana College. Hughes helped establish the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing in 1987 as one of the only schools of its kind in the nation for many years. The school, which is run in connection with Texarkana College, was named after Bill Moran, the first smith of the twentieth century to successfully forge Damascus steel.
The school, now located on the campus of Texarkana College, teaches the craft of bladesmithing, and certifies knife makers at journeyman and master bladesmith levels. Don McIntosh, TC bladesmith instructor said “Thanks to Dr. Smith and the enduring vision of B.R. Hughes, the Texarkana College campus is now the permanent home of the most successful bladesmithing program in the world,” said McIntosh. “The curriculum is endorsed by the ABS—the leading authority on knives and blades—and the craft draws people from around the world who are looking to make their own knives, either as a hobby or to enhance their own profession.”
For more information about the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing, please visit www.learnbladesmithing.com or call the TC Community & Business Education Center at (903) 823-3270.
CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. SMITH for his dedication to the mission of ABS AND for giving Texarkanians another superlative to celebrate!