Tanged from floating a share issue to a loosely-organized co-
operative workshop. But there was no answer to the basic
questions: Who would be in charge, who would do the work, who
would be financially responsible ? It became clear that there
would be no spontaneous action. Everyone wanted to continue
with pottery, but unless someone took hold, and quickly, nothing
whatever would happen.

Hilda Ross had been in charge of the University Extension course,
and I had been teaching, for the past three years. A business
venture seemed the dest approach, but the word "subsidy" had
been muttered rather often in reference to this course. If the
University with all its tax exemptions and other advantages could
not make it pay, why did we think we could? Well, there were
schools of music and dancing and karate, and they seemed to co-
exist, but there was no well-organized school of pottery of any
size, so we would not be entering a crowded market. We turned
a deaf ear to the words "deficit operation" and a blind eye to the
news item that appears with depressing monotony: "Small
businesses accounted for the greatest number of failures in
Canada ..."

Recklessly we incorporated ourselves as a company and applied for
a bank loan, squeezing in just before money tightened and interest
rates began to rise. The University sold us equipment not needed
elsewhere. Then we set about looking for premises, and got more
unnerved with every cavernous warehouse we saw. Commercial
zoning was necessary and shops too expensive. Finally a word
from a student made us look at 4430 West 10th Avenue, a tiny shop,
but the back part developed all the way to the lane, There were
two small rooms, kitchen, bathroom, and a vast dark area cluttered
with furniture and junk. All tne windows were boarded up, a single
25-watt lamp hung from the 11° high ceiling and we groped in the
gloom. A long ramp and a large platform at the back door took care
of the beer bottle business. In the floor were two large pits three
feet deep, full of old cans and cartons. College Printers had
occupied the place at one time and this was where the presses had
been. No water, no heating, and tennites chewing at the two-by-
fours in the corner (they still are), I thought the place ideal
everyone thought I was mad. But failing all else we went and