-r 6 TT 167 .R6 fl4 1909 Copy 1 Nciv York State Education Department Division o£ Trades Schools DESCRIPTION OF ROCHESTER FACTORY SCHOOLS Albany, N. Y., April i, 1909 Purpose of the circular. This circular is issued in response to a general demand within the State for a description of the factory schools organized at Rochester. This was the first city \n the State to avail itself of the recent law providing for the establish- ment and maintenance of general industrial and trades schools. The circular attempts to answer some questions which have a-'isen ,n reference to the preliminary steps taken by this city looking towards the establishment of these schools, as well as some facts regarding their organization. ^ Investigation of industrial needs. During the ^mnr: ;■ of T908, the president of the Rochester Board of Education directed ihat an investigation be made to determine what form ol educ?'.' ^ vvould best fit boys and girls to enter the industries of the city, visit was made by the supervisor of manual training to a larg'e number of the local factories. The superintendents and forern^- were asked these questions : 1 What deficiencies do you find in the education of the boys and girls who come to work in your factories which prevent them from rapid advancement? 2 Can you suggest any form of manual or mental training which would increase their earning power and make their promo- 1'on more rapid? Answers to questions. Of many answers given to these ques- tions, the following are most typical : I St We want boys who can apply the mathematics they have learned in school to the actual problems which arise in shops. We -v.ant boys who can make accurate computations. 2d We want boys who can state their needs to the foreman clearly and concisely and get back to their work. T7r-Mv9-1600 (7-3530) '1 Vol NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT 3d Boys are needed who know something more than the one thing which they are doing; who know something of the sources of materials used and the processes of their preparation. We want boys who have enough general knowledge so that they can fit into different places in the factory as need arises. Boys who have adaptability are wanted. 4th We want boys who will take an interest in their work; who will not watch the clock ; who will do good work without constant supervision and who will believe that eventually they will get what they are worth. We want boys who will not quit when some grocer offers them 50 cents a week more for driving a delivery wagon — boys who will realize that small wages at the start and rapid advancement will pay best in the end. We want boys who are not afraid of work and are not afraid of g-etting dirty. In short, these men realize that our boys need to think accurately and comprehensively ; to express thought in talking and writing ; to work skilfully with the hands ; to take their places among men. General suggestions. In addition to the above answers, a great amount of detailed information was furnished as to the specific needs of instruction which would best prepare for various trades. Some of the employers and head workers in the industries made valuable suggestions. One stated that boys ought to be able to make free-hand sketches of machine parts. He stated that many boys who could readily make working drawings from models or sketches did not easily recognize similar forms when embodied in -.^^p or less complicated working drawings. He suggested a series of exercises and problems in prospective sketching of work- ing drawings without the use of models. Another emphasized the value of shop calculations and advo- cated that the boys be given only such rules- and calculations as have proved useful in the shop, because in his experience boys are otherwise confused and are rarely used to actual work in the shop, and at the same time, he suggested that the " why " of each step be taken so as to make the boys as independent as possible of having to remember rules. Nearly every employer emphasized strongly the value of training boys to appreciate work. One employer said, '' Give the theory underlying the various trades as much as possible. When a boy goes out as a helper he has an opportunity to learn the practical work, but little of the v/hy. If the mechanic under whom he is working takes a fancy lo him, he may teach him something of the theory (if he knows 0. Of 0. ;■ ROCHESTER FACTORY SCHOOLS r" it himself) but otherwise the boy must pick up the information usually by correspondence courses as best he can. This hit and '^-5^'miss system of training results in most poorly trained workmen." X A foreman said, " Let the boys learn the names of all the tools of the trade; the names of the various materials and fittings used. Let the boys learn the city ordinances relating to the trade and to read blue prints. A boy who can do these things can get a posi- tion at any time." The assistant city engineer said, " Let the boys who wish to be plumbers, for example, have such practical information as the names of all fittings ; how to make bills of quantities ; the sys- tematic methods of estimating cost; the difference in the handling and cutting of brass and iron pipe; the lubricants which work best with different metals. Let the boys know something of hydraulics, and something of metallurgy." Problem of the schools. The next step was a study of the boy problem. An investigation showed that there were in the gram- mar schools 842 boys who had reached the age of 14. The prin- cipals of the grammar schools estimated that 542 of this number would probably never enter high school and stated that while many of these boys did excellent work in the manual training shop, they were able to do little or nothing in their " book " subjects. The manual training teachers also said that many of the boys who were such " problems " for the grade teachers were most interested and most capable in the hand work, and that the only possibility of education for many boys was along manual lines with simple theory closely correlated with it. Li addition to the above there were many boys who had left school to go to work who were out of employment, and several boys of this class applied for admission to the factory school. The principals of the grammar schools were asked first to inter- view the parents of the boys in the 8th A grade to ascertain just how many of them wished their sons to enter the factory school. Later data were obtained regarding the boys of the 6th, 7th and 8th B grades. Notices were also sent out by the superintendent of the schools describing the proposed plan of work of the factory school. As a result of this efifort there were sent in the names of 23,3 boys who wished to enter the scliool. Some wished to complete their grammar school course before taking up the new work. Seeking cooperation. The tentative course of study was sub- mitted to the Central Trades and Labor Council for their approval. It was presented to them by President Forbes of the local board 4 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT of education, and was discussed at length by the delegates. The Central Trade and Labor Council referred the plan back to the various trade unions with a request that the delegates report in one month and be prepared to vote for or against the plan. On Thanksgiving night the delegates to the Central Trades and Labor Council again discussed the matter and a vote was taken of four to one in favor of the establishment of a factory school. Equipment. In the meantime, the board had arranged to set apart for the new work an elementary school building of eight rooms which was no longer needed for grade work. The building Vv^as a substantial one and well fitted for the purpose. It was planned to fit the entire lower floor for shopwork, making two large shops out of the four rooms. The second floor was planned for drawing and study rooms. Two of the rooms on the first floor were fitted up as bench shops with 25 6-foot cabinetmakers benches. Each bench was equipped with planes, chisels, try squares, etc., and other tools not constantly in use were placed on tool boards around the room. A machine room was fitted up with planer, jointer, variety saw and band saw. Teachers. The board of education then appointed the follow- ing teachers : Mr Lewis A. Wilson, instructor in drawing and histor}'- Mr Frederick O. E. Raab, instructor in woodworking And later other appointments were made of Mr Henry C. Fellman, instructor in mechanical and electrical shopwork. Mr Oakley Furney, instructor in mathematics and English Mr Wilson is a graduate of the Brockport High School, has taken shop courses for two years in the Rochester Mechanics In- stitute ; has been a teacher of industrial hand work in the Rochester Evening Schools for two years and has had some experience as a carpenter. Mr Frederick O. E. Raab is a cabinetmaker of 10 years' ex- perience and a graduate of several of the industrial courses of the Mechanics Institute. Mr Henry C. Fellman is a graduate of the University of Illinois in the electrical engineering course, and has had practical experience as inspector in the New York Central Electrical Equipment Depart- ment. Mr Oakley Furney is a graduate of the Brockport Normal School, has taken a two year course at the University of Michigan, and has had a practical factory experience of one and a half years. ROCHESTER FACTORY SCHOOLS 5 Mr Alfred P. Fletcher, supervisor of manual training was made director of industrial education. Opening of the school. On December i, 1908, the Rochester Factory School was opened, admission being offered to all gram- mar school graduates and to all boys in the 8th A grade. Forty boys applied for admission and the school continued with this number until February i, 1909. Two instructors were em- ployed. On February i, admission was granted to 60 more boys from the 8th A and 8th B grades. Two more instructors were appointed. These 100 boys are enrolled in the four classes, 25 boys in each class, as follows : Class A — advanced woodworking Class B — elementary woodworking Class A — advanced mechanical and electrical work Class B — elementary mechanical and electrical work Course of study. The tentative course of study in book work which is being followed at present is as follows : FIRST YEAR Hours Hours a week a week Mathematics 4 Spelhng. i j4 Drawing- 5 Industrial history ...."... 1 14 English' 3^ Shopv/ork 15 Mathematics 1 Review of four fundamental operations. 2 Drill on tables. 3 Rapid calculations, oral and written. -4 Practice in use of practical short methods. 5 Measurements of all kinds, length, surfaces, volumes, time, and all possible computations based on them. 6 Percentage in connection with measurements and com- parisons of areas, columns, weights etc. 7 Percentage as used in business. Interest, bank accounts,^ discounts, partnership, taxes and insurance, 8 Powers and roots as used in common shop formulae. 9 Fundamental operations of algebra as employed in common shop formulae. 6 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT Spelling. 25 words daily, taken from industrial reports, articles in trade magazines, etc. English grammar. Thorough review of the work in grammar out- lined for the grammar schools. English 1 Business and legal English. Letter writing of all kinds. Statements.. Invoices. Checks. Drafts. Bills of lading. Notes. 2 Oral discourses. Five minute talks given by boys on industrial topics previously studied up. 3 Compositions and short themes on industrial subjects. Drazving. Mechanical 1 Correct use of materials and instruments. 2 Lettering. 3 Simple working drawings, 4 Geometrical problems. 5 Developments. 6 Working drawings and details. Drazving. Free-hand 1 Principles of free-hand perspective. 2 Model drawing. 3 Elements of mechanical perspective. Shopzi'ork. In the woodworking shop the boys will review the principles of joinery which they have previously covered in the manual training classes. They will begin the construction of simple articles of furniture. The line of models to be turned out by the woodworking department and on which the boys are now working is as follows : Small looms, 10" x 12" for primary weaving. Pillow looms, 24" X 24" for raffia work. Drawing boards. Drawing tables. Bookcases with sliding doors (to be used in the grade rooms of the public schools). Sewing boxes (to be used in the grade rooms of the schools). ROCHESTER FACTORY SCHOOLS 7 Other models will be added to this line as other articles of furniture are needed in grade rooms, in the manual training shops and in other factory schools. The drawing boards and drawing tables now in process of construction will take the place in the factory school of the ordinary desks now in use. Mechanics and electricity The mechanical and electrical shop has just been opened and the entire course of study is not yet ready to announce. At present the boys are performing simple experiments and are doing bench work as follows : 1 Experiments in the working of the lever with appara- atus made by the students. 2 Chipping, filing and beading of small parts needed for the bookcases. 3 Finishing the tempering of small tools. 4 Making of batteries. 5 Making of magnets and coils. 6 Construction of door and signal bells and the wiring up of same. 7 Simple plumbing work, including simple piping, thread- ing and the repairs of faucets and valves. Working in groups. In the shops the boys work in groups, being advanced from the simpler to more difficult work as skill is acquired. The groups of the woodworking shops are — 1 Stock cutting — getting out rough stock. 2 Rough finishing — working stock down to finished sizes. 3 Fine finishing — cutting of joints, boring for dowel, etc. 4 Assembling — glueing and clamping up the furniture. 5 Cleaning up — sandpapering and cleaning off the glue. The articles then go to the finishing room where they are filled, stained and varnished. Notes. The factory school opens at 8.30 a. m. every school day and runs until 3 p. m., with a half hour's intermission for luncheon. On Saturday the shops run from 8.30 to 12 noon. The school does not conform to the schedule of the grammar schools with respect to holidays and vacations, but will remain in session during a large part of the summer vacation. ) LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 8 NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTME] 013 973 435 fl | It is probable that during the present month another factory school will be started to accommodate some of the 133 boys now on the waiting list. Any further information regarding these schools will be furnished • by Alfred P. Fletcher, Director of Industrial Training, Rochester, N. Y. U^^^i>h^^^ J. /U Chief, Division of Trades School Conservation Resources Lig-Free® Type I Ph 8.5, Buffered UBBABYOFCONGBESS 013 973 435 A •