Burgard Vocational High School - Craftsman Yearbook (Buffalo, NY)

Page 15 text:

SILVER ANNIVERSARY . . . . THE SCHOOL OF PRINTING on the opening day. No time was lost, however, in devis- ing plans to recruit a sufficient number of boys to B11 the classes. A contest was started, and a small hand-lever printing press was offered as a prize to the boy who brought in the greatest number of new students. This method of recruiting may have had its faults but it was highly successful, for it was not long until all the classes had their full quota of embryo printers. The School of Printing went along serenely for two years offering courses in typesetting and presswork as well as the customary bookwork. Both day and evening classes were conducted and some of Buifalo's successful master printers and many of her capable journeymen got their start in this institution. lt is interesting to note that the first part-time class in the State of New York was begun in this school. A class of printers, apprentices receiving instruction in hand composition, presswork, English and Mathematics met one afternoon a week. A number of employers permitted their apprentices to attend this class with no loss of pay. Another interesting bit of history which had its origin in the School of Printing was the organization of the Ben Franklin Club. This Club is still in existence but oper- ates under a different name. The Club is now known as the Junior Craftsmen's Club and is affiliated with the Buffalo Club of Printing House Craftsmen. Membership is confined to Fourth Year Printing Students of Burgard, and it is considered a distinct honor to claim member- ship in this club. ln two year's time we had completely outgrown the Michigan and Tupper building. The popularity of voca- tional education warranted the expanding of our print- ing courses and the introduction of additional types of work. To do this the School of Printing must find larger quarters. About this time the new Technical High School at Bennett Park and Clinton Street was opened and the School of Printing inherited the building on Elm Street made vacant by the removal of Tech. The School of Printing, as a name, then passed from the picture for in the new building we became Elm Vocational School. New and greater things were done here, the story of which is told on an accompanying page.

Page 14 text:

H E C R A F T s M A N THE SCHOOL OF PRINTING .... A short time after the basement experiment which was known as the Broadway Vocational School began, there was a concerted movement started to lift this struggling infant from the cradle of its birth and place it in an environment which would be more conducive to its growth. Sponsoring this movement were some of the leading employing printers of the city as well as representatives of the printers' union. The interest shown by these two groups culminated in a meeting at which all present were agreed on the advisability of moving the school to a point nearer the heart of the printing industry. After the facts were presented, resolutions were adopted requesting the city officials to acquiesce in the proposal, and a committee was appointed to present the proposi- tion to the proper authorities. Fortunately for the future of the school the authorities saw the wisdom in the request and approval was immedif ately granted. Now that the first step in our desire to get closer to the heart of the printing industry was accomplished, the next move was to find a building suitable for school purposes. After a time a store, located at Michigan and Tupper Streets, which seemed to have the floor space needed for our enterprise, was rented by the City, and we were delighted with the prospects of setting up shop in the new quarters. There were two large rooms on the first floor and several smaller ones on the second floor. The first floor rooms were chosen for the shops, and the rooms on the second floor for bookwork. During the summer vacation of 1912 the trek from Broadway and Krupp Street was begun, and by the time school opened in September we were moved in and rarin' to go. At the time the Broadway School equipment was being moved another exodus was taking place. Seneca, which began a year before the Broadway School, also had a printing department. This was moved from Seneca to the Michigan and Tupper building and combined with the Broadway unit. Thus the union of these two units formed the School of Printing. Like most new ventures, the start of the School of Printing was small. .lust a handful of pupils showed up

Page 16 text:

-:-rw . v-rn 2 --qw-yrw mga mam! ,vmzgnm .cfm gafyqz-ggP-:fE'ffi:g.a1f 5 V .1 V 1,,v,.-sf., we ny ffflif'-'i?'gi4!S.w5-1,1,fQ5e H- 2 . .-fwwsvfff T9 414 f.. 'A as ' - .. Hn, 32 gy :fm :ft-ws' in-611.4 All u. ,1-tg. . E121 1 THECRAFTSMA 1 ,. 1- ...L , LM UC TIONAL HIGH CHOOL .... The School of Printing, which was located in a rented building at Michigan and Tupper Streets, became the Elm Vocational School on its removal in September, 19141, to the old Technical High School building on Elm near Eagle. Elm started with just the printing courses. ln 1915, a course in carpentry was started. This only lasted one year and was then superseded by a pattern- making course. At this same time two other courses were inaugurated: machine shop practice and auto- mobile mechanics. ln November, 1916, the first CRAFTSMAN was pub- lished. This was not like our CRAFTSMAN of today but was a quarterly school journal. The year 1917 saw many new happenings for the school. The first four-color process printing was done in our school print shop. The first linotype came to Elm, being loaned by the Mergenthaler Linotype Co. The first vulcanizing machine was purchased, as well as the first oxy-acetylene torch. Special evening courses for drafted men, prior to their induction into service, were started. The annual custom of Open House and Exhibi- tion Night was begun. This year also saw the purchase of the first piano for the school. ln 1918, the War Department commandeered Elm Vocational School, during the summer, for the training of Fighting Mechanics. During all of the years of war, Elm went L'0ver the Top on every Liberty Loan drive, Red Cross drive, etc. The rehabilitation courses for wounded and disabled soldiers started at Elm in 1919 under the supervision of the Federal government. It was in this year that the Elm Tribune made its appearance as the school paper in place of the CRAFTSMAN. This year also saw the first Alumni reunion of Elm graduates. The real beginning of Elm's expansion came in 1920 with the rental of Annex No. 1. This was a three-story brick building at 111 Clinton Street. Storage battery work was begun in this year. All through these years the night school was becoming more and more crowded, until in 1921, it was necessary to establish a waiting list. The annual school play found its beginning in this year, the first production being Dicken's '4Christmas Carol.'7