Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades - Mechanic Yearbook (Media, PA)

Page 28 text:

In the Senior year the entire day is spent on the farm. Each Senior has charge of a different department cov- ering a period of four weeks. The posi- tions are as follows: Inspector, farm mechanic, teamster, poultryman, dairy- man, assistant dairyman, creainery man, swine herdsman, gardener and green-house man. Classes are held two nights a week and lectures are given by Mr. Burr on the subjects of farm management, parliamentary practice and rural law. Two nights a month are given to the members of the class, who talk on the subjects of farm tractors, draft horses, Creamery machinery, farm buildings, drainage, dairy equip- ment, artificial incubation, gardening and water-power on the farm. One night each month is given to the work of the 'Williamson School Agricultural Society, the members being the grad- uates of agriculture and the members of the Senior Class. . . Several trips were made to neighboring farmers during our Senior year. VV e also attended fairs, live stock, grain and poultry shows, institutes and plowing demonstrations with gas tractors: l ,The success of the graduates has proven to the members of the present Senior Class that if we shall have made the best use of our time while here we shall have no difficulty meeting the demands in the agricultural field. In behalf of the Class of Agriculture of 1917 I wish to thank Mr. I-Iarvey R. Burr, our instructor, and Mr. john Sheerin, the Farm Superintendent, for the interest that they have shown in our development during our apprenticeship at Williamson. VV- EARL ENGLAID JUDGING TEAM 22

Page 27 text:

Kate's Grandson, No. 16821, is the head of the Ayrshire herd and is a very promising young sire. With these three great sires to lead the way we expect in a few years the herd to be one of the best in the country. I w The swine department consists of two breeds of swine, the Berkshire and Duroc jersey. This department is gaining very rapidly in popularity. The horse department consists of nine work horses, three of which are brood mares, four Colts and a saddle pony. All the horses are of grade Percheron breeding and they meet the requirement of farm-very well. The poultry department is already well known for the quality of its breeding stock. The department has a large collection of prizes won at the various shows. In the spring of 1916 a graduate of '15 was selected to assist in the poultry department and a '16 graduate to assist in the dairy department. These men meet the demands, 'as they have had a good academic course in con- nection with the practical training required to teach agriculture. ' Last fall an opportunity was offered to the students to take a trip to Springfield, Mass., where the National Dairy Show was held. WVhile there we had the privilege of seeing the best dairy cattle of all breeds in the World and the most modern creamery machinery, also of observing ways of handling milk in the most sanitary manner. This year we had the first live stock judging team to represent the school since the course of agriculture was started. They had a very success- ful season, always' bringing home their share of the prizes. At the Devon Horse Show they made their first appearance, where they were in com- petition with Pennsylvania State College, Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, Rutgers and Deleware Col- lege, and succeeded in capturing the second place trophy, a silver cup and two medals. The course has been carefully outlined, cover- ing a period of three years. During the Freshman year the regular academic work, which is given to all trades, is covered and also the studies of botany, agronomy and soils, The mornings are spent in the class rooms and the afternoons are spent on general farm work. The Junior year is devoted to the regular aca- demic work and the study of feeds, breeds of live stock, veterinary science and farm machinery and motors. The mornings are spent on the farm and the afternoons in class work. K , i ' SENIOR AGRICULTURISTSI 2I

Page 29 text:

igritklaping Eepartment T is thought by many that bricklaying is a trade which cannot be taught in a school. It is, therefore, my aim to give a short account of the way it is taught here at Williamson. Upon entering the school few of us had a very clear con- ception of what is required of a bricklayer and of the opportunities of the trade. ' From the beginning it was the purpose of our instructor to create in us an interest in our work. To do this it was only necessary for him to tell us of the success of many of the graduates and it was not long before we partially realized the desirability of the trade. The first few weeks were occupied in learning the uses of the trowel, spreading mortar, slaking lime, and making mortar. After learning the use of the trowel fairly well we started to build four-inch walls in stretch- ing bond, after which we were advanced step by step to thicker and higher walls built in the various bonds. These exercises, called bond exercises, varied in thickness from SZ inches to 252 inches. Following the bond exercises were the formation of flues by corbeling, the buiding of several kinds of chimney tops, also SM-inch and 13-inch house walls with window frames for practice in building them in properly and bringing full course of bricks level with tops. The next step in the course was the introduction of arch building, starting with simple segmental rollocks, having a small span, and followed by heavy arches with larger spans. Various kinds of cornices were then Josepn H. ELLIS built with interlacing, Gothic and semi-circular arches. From time to time Insffumf in Chef-se Of Department of throughout the course we built walls 50 feet long and longer, to acquire B ' kl ' . . nc aymg speed and to become accustomed to working with a gauge. In our Senior year we received considerable practical experience in house Work as we built several single and double dwellings one story high. These exercises involved the locating of plumber's chases, placing of furring strips, jamb blocks, washboard blocks, window frames, etc, Sev- eral designs of fireplaces were built, using red. Pompeian, and red rough-texture bricks. Exercises involving the setting of boilers were built in red and fire brick. ln addition to this we received considerable practice in repairing the furnaces under the boilers in the heating plant in use by the school. Much time and attention was . 23