Springfield Trade High School - Beaver Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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Mr. Carl Johnson Stain must be applied evenly to insure an attractive color in the finish.

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This music stand and table are examples of the variety of pieces made here. CABINET MAKING “Everything, including the kitchen sink” could well be the slogan for this department, for everything from piano keyboards to kitchen cabinets is built by these prospective cabinet makers. Mr. John Stockman supervises the first-year students and Mr. Harold Sherwood directs the advanced boys. A project of great value to the school was the construction of twenty piano keyboards used by Mrs. Simes in her classes of piano instruction. Another example of the value of this department to the school was in the building of all the shelves and cabinets used in the recent reorganization of the radio and television departments. A wide variety of very fine articles of furniture, reproductions of antiques, have been turned out. Many of these pieces required the work of a skilled craftsman to reproduce the fine work and carving. Among these were two kneehole desks, a Governor Winthrop desk, a corner cupboard and several end tables. Red Cross also benefits from the work produced here; cribbage boards, floor lamps, hospital bedside tables, tilt-top bed trays, Morse keyboard sets, table lamps and chests have all been distributed to veterans’ hospitals. Jobs in this department are plentiful. All seniors have been placed and as many juniors as desire employment are at work. Boys who elect this trade are following in the footsteps of famous men, for Thomas Chippendale, George Heppelwhite, Thomas Sheraton, and the Adam Brothers, Robert and James, were all cabinet makers whose names are still retained to designate the furniture of their design and inspiration. ae

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FURNITURE REFINISHING Closely allied to Cabinet Making is the art of applying a finish to articles of furniture. Mr. Carl Johnson helps the boys become expert in this process of finishing new pieces and refinishing old ones. Sanding and scraping wood to the grain are the first steps learned by the new student. When a boy has learned this thoroughly, he then learns how to apply various stains and finishes. Repairing damaged surfaces, applying veneer and making over new parts for old furniture is learned in later lessons. A knowledge of various kinds of woods, the chemistry of stains and finishes and how to produce certain antique effects are all part of the knowledge an expert wood finisher must have. A project to be undertaken next year is the construction of a dust-proof varnish room at one corner of the shop. This will help the boys to turn out work of a quality | equal to that of commercial finishers. As expansion of this department takes place, it is also expected that a spray booth will be built. Since good craftsmen are always needed in this field of work, jobs are never lacking for the industrious student. The first step in applying a finish is the preparation of the ground. €. Pili: