Seneca Vocational School - Chieftain Yearbook (Buffalo, NY)

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SHOPS ALTERNATING CURRENT DIRECT CURRENT ARMATURE VVINDING POVVER DISTRIBUTION POXVER GENERATION RADIO TELEPHONY VVIRING MACHINE SHOPS PHOTOGRAPHY

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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

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The Alternating Current Laboratory MR. WILLIAM T. FISHER Besides the hard work and study involved in the alternating-current course, there are many humorous happenings that take place in the laboratory. John Clor appears to be the champion at blowing the circuit breakers, Roy Grimm, who is always looking for something to eat, has yet to sample a mite of alternating current, Bob Steiger tried to use a transformer on direct current and is wondering why he got no results, Frank hlorrow and Ed Beitz always seem to guess the wrong answers during the oral quizzes which take place after the well-known lectures. ivlr. Fisher our instructor, is trying to get Jack Tony Gehl a job at the Singer Sewing Nlachine Company as a reward for his delightful singing. In the picture the following students are included: E. Beitz, M' I' VV. Bender, E. Chapman, J. Clor, R. Collin, L. Gannon, J. Gehl, G. Grau, R. Grimm, VV. Hahn, J. Kohler, R. Lang, N. Liemherger, D. Mergler, O. Meyer, F. Morrow, E. Reichel, R. Sch-oening, G. Simons, R. Steiger, P. Unetich, E. VViechec. The instructor is Mr. VVilliam J. Fisher. All of these students are Juniors who are pursuing the power course. Direct Current Laboratory MR. DOBBINS The purpose of this shop is to explain how direct- current electricity is gener- ated, transmitted, and used, and to afford an adequate foundation for further study in the application of alter- nating-current electricity to modern practice. We are instructed in the simple but practical form, the operating characteristics of direct-current generators and motors, including the parallel operation of generators. Also we are given in a thorough manner, the most important principles of electrical science in language which the student can understand. A thorough knowledge and understanding of direct current is very essential, since most of the controls in steel mills and other large manufacturing establishments are now operated by direct current. page +l1ir+y