The following excerpt is from the Superindentent's Report to the School Committee, which was printed in the School Committee Report for 1923 and reprinted in Beverly City Documents for 1923.
REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF MANUAL TRAINING
Beverly, Massachusetts,
December 18,1923.
MR. S. HOWARD CHACE,
Superintendent of Schools, Beverly, Massachusetts.
Dear Sir: The Manual Training work in the Grade Schools has been very carefully
thought out, in as much as, projects have been chosen which should hold the
boy's interest, as well as to be a benefit to him. This is not an easy thing
to do and requires a good deal of thought.
Now in the sixth grade, the usual run of projects are being made, namely,
rule, key tag, key rack, cake cooler, etc. Before making his project, each
boy must make a drawing of the same which he consults and uses as a plan during
the construction. Special emphasis is also laid upon the use of the various
tools, as this is the pupils first attempt at wood-working.
A slight change has been made in the plans for the wood-working classes in
the seventh grade this year. In previous years, in this grade the boy has
started work at once on the construction of the sailboat, but after much thought
I deemed it advisable to spend the first half of their time on smaller projects
such as neck tie racks and airplane windmills. By doing this the boat is started
in the last half of the year and completed in the eighth.
My reasons for doing this are as follows:
1. Not sufficient time in one school year devoted to wood-work to allow the
pupil to finish his boat.
2. To give the boy a little more work of an elementary nature before he tackles
so large a project.
3. So that the instructor will have the opportunity of being more thorough
in his explanations and teachings.
This may seem a long time to spend on one project but I feel the boat is worth
every minute of the time. Very few people realize the work in the construction
of a sailboat, or the various woodworking and metalworking tools used. The
following are some of the tools used.
Coping Saw; Draw Knife; Chisel
WOODWORKING TOOLS
Jack Plane; Bit Brace; Gouge;
Hammer; Wood Rasp; Auger Bits;
Rule. Wood File; Try Square;
Rip Saw; Smooth Plane; Marking Gauge ;
Back Saw; Sloyd Knife; Scissors;
Screw Driver; Spoke Shave; Counter Sink
METALWORKING TOOLS
Drills; Gas Torch; Hack Saw;
Clamp Vise; Soldering past;e Flat and Slim Taper File;
Hand Drill; Soldering outfit; Screw plates'
Pliers; Tinners' Snips