Seneca Vocational School - Chieftain Yearbook (Buffalo, NY)

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MR. McDOWELL Melvin McDowell, who had completed 25 years of service as a teacher at Seneca, retired from active service last june. Mac, as he was called by all who knew him, will long be remembered by those with whom he was associated and by those for whom he worked. He was courteous, not as a mere gesture of respect, but rather because of an outflowing heart and a mind at peace with all. He was faithful in whatever it was his to perform and painstakingly he gave each problem his best thought. He was sincere and all trusted him, for they sensed his genuineness and sincerity. He despised shows and sham. His life here lay open to every student. Their problems were his, and now that he has retired from professional life, the faculty and students hope he may live long and prosper. nL':LA4Af'-A G ' .'7'54'c ' MR. HARRY C. THoMPsoN Harry C. Thompson was one of the first electrical instructors connected with Seneca Vocational High School. He entered the school department in june, 1917, and was a regular instructor for day and evening school until june, 1935, when he retired because of his health. During his years of service at Seneca, Mr. Thompson was instrumental in securing the new building and new equipment. He is a resident of the City of Buffalo and an active member of his community. During the experimental years of the use of radio for police work, Mr. Thompson made many tests and was actively engaged with a radio class in maintenance work on the police cars. MR. CARL SCHMIDLIN VVe are happy to report that Mr. Schmidlin, who has been on sick leave for the past two years, is showing steady improvement. We know that this will be welcomed news to all those who have been associated with him at Seneca. For the benefit of the Sophomores and Freshmen who have entered Seneca since Mr. Schmidlin has been ill we are offering a brief history of his case. Mr. Schmidlin was assigned to Seneca as physical director in 1928. Early in 1931 he suffered an attack of encephalites fsleepiing sicknessj. He was able to return to school in Septem- ber, 1931 but a gradual relapse forced him to take sick leave in September, 1935. During the past four years, Mr. Schmidlin has undergone treatments at Stormy Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York and in the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in addition he has been under observation of various local physicians. At the present time he is being cared for at a clinic in Kenmore. His improvement during the past few weeks has been remarkable. We all extend to Mr. Schmidlin our sincere wishes for a complete recovery and for his return to Seneca in the near future. page 'lwenfy-seven

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Looking Back When looking back again, I shall remember, In latter years, before the dying ember, These thoughts, I have, and fondly carry now, With eyes half closed, I shall remember how- Our school, upon the salient ground reclines, Among the emerald lawns, and flowing vines, The inscriptions carved, proclaim its objects high, Just like its towers, stretching to the sky. They both reflect the rising, morning sun, And shadows, tall, they east, when day is done, At night, the giant's eyes shine ruby red, O'er the city from the towers over head. To classes in the morn, we hurried, none, When home time came, we hurried, all and one, Our school, with calm demeanor, does not confide, To stranger, the secrets of its inner side. Ah, but those fond secrets we all know so well, As like our learning, too much on deaf ears fell, And I hear again the motor's steady whine, Amidst the machinery's fitful grind. Imagination upward, outward, swells, I hear again the metallic, ringing bells, Halls still and dead, the moment just foregone, Now, teem with life, and now all are alone. The fire burns low, my reverie is stirred, The lost, sweet memory, lingers and then is blurred, And, like the fire's last symbolic burst of light, The Huttering Hag makes a final, nervous jerk, And points to outward, forward, and life's workg Yet saying, Onward, Boys of Seneca! page 'I'wen'ry-six

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Vocational Training ENECA offers three distinct courses in vocational training. These are electricity, machine shop practice, and photography. This school like all other vocational schools, prepares young men for industry. All courses require four years of training. The students have a half day of shop each day of the four years, or the equivalent of two full years of shop practice. The electrical course is divided into two periods of two years each. The first two years are devoted to acquiring a general idea of all the phases of electricity. During the last two years of the course the young men may specialize in either of two general branches of electricity-communication or power. After given a very sound foundation during the first two years, the future elec- tricians then decide whether they want to study communication or power work. The communication branch is divided into three phases-telephony, telegraphy, and radio. A thorough knowledge of the different telephony systems, including the modern auto- matic system, is acquired in the telephony shops. The telegraphy phase consists of practice in both sending and receiving. Seneca has the distinction of being the only vocational school in this part of the country to own and operate its own broadcasting station, WSVS. This is a great advantage to the radio students as they can get actual experience in station management and control. Besides this experience with the broad- casting stations, the students also are taught the theory of many radio circuits, both transmitting and receiving. The power course is divided into four general branches: the generation of power, the distribution of power, the maintenance of electrical equip- ment, and the repair of electric motors. In power generation the students learn how to manage and operate a steam-electric plant. They are taught how to distribute power economically, methods of measuring power, including a thorough knowledge of switch board, and the automatic control of electric .motors in the power distribution shop. Many experiments are performed on various electrical machinery to determine their operating characteristics in the maintenance of electrical equipment shop. The motor repair shop gives the electricians practice in armature winding and general motor repairing. The course in machine shop practice also includes tool and die making. The machinists receive experience in the operation of machines by working on modern equipment such as the boys will find in industrial shops. This course, like the elec- trical course, is divided into 'two periods of two years each, the first two years being used for a firm foundation in machine shop work, the last two years for specializing in tool and die making. Some of the machines that the boys Work on include lathes, planers, drill presses, and grinders. Among the tools made in machine shop are ham- mers, punches, chisels, scribers, screw drivers, and vises. In addition to being able to make their own tools, these young machinists also learn how to care for their tools and how to keep them in workable condition. Among other distinctions, Seneca is unique in being the only vocational school in this country to offer a course in photography as a definite trade. This course includes both portrait and commercial photography. The department is equipped to carry on all of the activities involved in photography. Instruction is given in taking pictures, developing, printing, enlarging, copying, coloring, and a general theory of motion pictures. Most of the pictures in this yearbook were taken by seniors who will soon find employment in their field. All the above courses are as complete as possible for a school of this kind. Many of the graduates have been very successful in securing and retaining excellent positions in their respective fields. page twenty-eight