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ALL-ROUND TRAINING
Many inquiries reach this office as to the extent of the training given, whether
our boys are being developed as all-round' machinists or simply as experts
on one or two machines. Are we training the hands, planer hands, drill hands,
etc, or boys who shall be competent to fill any of these places? For several
years I have kept exact record of the progress of each boy on the: machine
tools and operations so that we can speak intelligently on this point. I have
reduced this to a percentage basis.
It will be of interest to compare our distribution of time with that suggested
by representatives of nine schools offering machinist. training courses which
were represented at the State Vocational Conference at Hyannis in July, 1913.
This table has not been published heretofore, and will show that our practice
is 'excellent.,
DISTRIBUTION OF SHOP HOURS, 1913-1914
The necessary
time for training on each machine tool has not. been slighted, although an
increased amount of time has been given to some machines. I am preparing tables
which will show the nature of the operations performed on each machine and
the time given to each of these operations. Even this will not show the skilled
exactness required in our work. Criticism has been made that the pieces on
which our boys work are small; we have no intention of measuring skill or
workmanship by the ton weight of the pieces: worked on. There is little doubt
that the workman who has become expert in doing the kind of work demanded
of our boys will have little difficulty in adapting himself to more massive
ieces where less exactness is insisted on. In fact, he will have less trouble
than the workman who has been used to the large work and is compelled to adapt
himself to the fine work we do.
Expert workmen will differ as to the distribution of time. Their opinion,
in many cases, is based by their present specialized occupation or by their
early training. .
Our distribution of hours must be interpreted in the light of the fact that
this distribution is developing all-round workmen. Improvements will come,
and these facts will assist in developing an ideal course. Data are given
for each Division of the school to show the uniformity of practice, although
undesigned.
ALL-THE-YEAR-ROUND SESSIONS
Since its opening, August 2, 1909, the school has been in continuous session,
excepting on regular legal holidays and a two-weeks' recess each July. It
has been a serious question whether a school boy could do efficient work in
an all-the-year- round school. Our experience has shown that the long session
works no physical nor mental detriment to the average normal boy.
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