Maple Avenue Evening High School - Progress Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

Page 39 text:

A plan Reading By HOWARD B. BERRY Head of Architectural Drafting Dept. HE old system of apprenticeship has broken down and nothing has been evolved to take its place. Now-a-days, when a boy leaves school, systematic training in his daily task ceases. Under the apprentice system he was required to work to a standard set by the master Workman. The apprentice was taught the how and why of things. Youngimen who go out in search of employment now, bluff their way along until hiring and firing becomes a frequent occurence. ,Schools must be provided, if this problem is to be solved, where every man who wishes to learn a trade may continue systematic study and practice in his chosen work. Lack of confidence and technical skill soon lower the stand- ard of production. If part-time day schools and evening schools were provided for the boys of apprentice age, many would avail themselves of the opportunity thus afforded. One of the biggest handicaps confronting the average present day mechanic is his inability to read architect's drawings. Cannot Build Without Plans Every .building structure of any kind is evolved from a set of pre- arranged plans and drawings, detailed and dimensioned sufficiently to ex- press the ideas of the architect or' person who conceives them. A practical knowledge of architectural drafting is vitally essential to the builder or contractor who expects to win success in the building business. The builder who is able to interpret plans readily has a decided advantage over the one who does not know the architectural symbols on a drawing or the method of projecting intersecting areas. The men who actually do the- work of erecting a building but cannot read the plans from which they are supposed to work, may be numbered by the thousands. Schools must be provided for them where they can ifaga-Pfhmyiiae

Page 38 text:

one of the most admirable possible means of increasing the knowledge and power of those who use them and I can think of no advice I could give that would be more useful to the average man and woman of ambition and high purpose, than to gain all the benefit they can from this adult educational Work. It is not, of course, given to every man or woman to be great, in the sense that we ordinarily use that term but it is given to every man and Woman to become useful citizens through demonstrated character, ability and service and to become great in this respect, in the work that is allotted to them in life. ' It is the sum of the effort of citizenship of this character which lifts democracy to higher levels and makes a people, in the noblest sense, the leaders of an advancing civilization. .1 'W d'Jewelry'Class 'I H V E Page Thirty-four

Page 40 text:

learn to read plans. It is not essential for the men in the building trades to become accomplished draughtsmen but, if they can picture in their minds what the architect shows on a plan or an elevation, they can express in a concrete form to a better result than when they have to be told by some one else what the drawing means. Most hf us see objects in perspective, the designer shows objects in right lines at true lengths or to scale. The men in the trades can be easily taught to picture the object as it appears when assembled without spending years of study as draughtsmen. The blue print which the builder has on the job seldom shows the struc- ture in isometric projection. If it were so he would see the finished job beforehand because it would appear to him like other objects about him. It requires considerable training to become a skilled draughtsman but that is not necessary for the average builder. He should, however, study free- hand sketching which will enable him to express his ideas in such a way to the mechanic that there will be no doubt in the mechanic's mind. So much material is wasted and work bungled up through inability to interpret plans that, if the man-hours and man-days wasted daily on build- ing work from this cause could be counted, the sum would be appalling. - Many workmen who claim to be master workmen in their trade are inefficient because they cannot interpret blue prints. This is largely their own faultg it is comparatively easy to learn if one is willing to study along a definite line of endeavor. There are too many workmen today who content themselves with the idea that they know enough to get by , as the expression goes. The time is rapidly approaching when greater technical skill will be required. If higher pay is expected by the craftsman he must be able to deliver the goods and no one can do that without being prepared to the highest standard attainable. T To that end then, every artisan in any trade should be able to interpret plans of the work he is performing, learn the language of the designer and the result will be a better product, less waste, higher wages, lower cost to the buyer and satisfaction to all parties concerned. Page Thirty-six