I played a concert at a school a couple of weeks ago to about 120 kids and was amazed at how knowledgeable they were about folk music. Their teacher had worked out a deal with a local music store to supply at very reduced rates : fiddles, guitars, and PENNYWHISTLES!! (not one dreaded recorder in sight) Between my sets, groups of kids entertained ME with Carolan tunes, fiddle tunes and some pretty good pennywhistling. Two young girls took turns on the teacher's very valuable Gibson F2 mandolin (which he lets them take home occasionally...what trust!) and played some bluegrass tunes! Wow, when real folkies infiltrate the school systems...magic can happen.