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

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SENIOR YEAR The work at our trade during our Senior Year included construction of arches. This embraced common rollock and 8-inch gauged segmental over short spans, followed by heavier thicker segmental over longer spaces, semi-circular, circular or bull's-eye, semi-elliptical, flat or jack and inverted seg- mental. ' Our house work included single and double construction built to full height of first story for placing of window and door frames, joists, panel and wash-board blocks, furring strips, wall plugs, and chasesg also chimney construction of two or more flues by corbeling from straight and intersecting walls. This year's work also included hollow tile construction with stucco finish, steel structural work, fire-place construction, veneered work in enamel, red and Pompeian brick, and tile setting of bath- room iioor and side walls. During the last few weeks we received work on modern operation construction work to accustom us to outside working conditions for both speed and quality. We received some fire brick experience, also considerable repair work, due to the keeping of brick work of school boilers in condition. Our outside work consisted chiefly in making repairs. During our three years, lectures were given, covering the entire course mentioned, and lime and its slaking and uses, cement and cement sand, mor tar, estimating materials, brick stone, hollow tile, plastering, and stucco and steel construction work. In behalf of the bricklayers of 1920, I wish to extend to Mr. Shisler our sincere thanks and deep appreciation for his thorough instruction and the interest he has shown in us. DAVID B. BACHMAN. 22

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igrirklzxging Bricklaying as taught at WILLIAMSON involves more than the 1 use of the trowel and hammer. It is a trade devoted to teaching young 1 men to become skillful, intelligent mechanics. It is my desire to ac- quaint you with a brief outline of the course as presented to the Brick- layers' Class of 1920. FRESHMAN YEAR On May 10, we met our instructor for the first time. His Hrst efforts were to inspire in us an interest toward the trade we were about to start and to acquaint us with the elementary steps, including the use and care of the tools. Our first lesson was the spreading and stringing of mortar on 4-inch walls raised five courses high. After mastering this fairly well, we built a number of short walls ranging from 4 inches to 2515 inches in thickness, for the purpose of gaining knowledge in bonding. Our next step was the building of long walls to give us practice in laying to a line and the use of a trig. Following this, we built chim- neys consisting of plain shafts at first, for the practice of plumbing and keeping courses level, afterwards chimneys with fancy tops, such as base, beehive, and panel, all of them containing work in receding and corbeling. The Greek Cross was given for practice in corners and angles. We had considerable experience in concrete, consisting of laying the curb and gutter to the station and the floor of No. 3 Pump House, JOSEPH 51-HSLER while our reinforced concrete work consisted of casting fence, wash line, and bull-pen posts, and telephone poles. JUNIOR YEAR During our Junior Year, our brickwork consisted of 8-inch and 13-inch walls with window frames set in, also work on pilasters and fancy corbeled cornices, followed by bond walls in English, Flemish and Garden Wall Bonds.. The. last brick work of our Junior Year was the construction of octagonal stacks and octagonal bay windows. We had considerable outside work consisting chiefly of plastering in two and three coats and the laying of terra cotta drain tile, also numerous repair jobs. Instructor 21

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Glarpenirg Carpentry, as you may know, plays a very important part in the construction of any building. It is a very broad subject, but no part is slighted in the course at WILLIAMSON. When the student first enters as a Freshman, he is taught how to use the various tools and to become accustomed to them. He is required to make a series of fifty-seven exercises which include all the joints a carpenter needs to know. Along with the practical work, the student is given the theory and takes notes from the instructor's daily talks. In the latter part of the Freshman Year, the time is used in making small articles of furniture, such as desks, chairs, and seats, and in doing the smaller repair jobs around the school. In the Junior Year the student does the larger repair work of the school and in this way obtains practice in applying his notes. He also is taught stair building, and is required to build a set of stairs in order to be able to construct them in the most practical manner. In the notes the following subjects are covered: the setting of hard- Ware, construction of frame structures, and regular roof framing. For the commencement exercises, the Juniors usually erect a full size hip and valley roof. All the rafters are laid out with the aid of the steel square. This is the quickest and most accurate method, as all rafters are cut on the ground and slipped into place as the work progresses. The construction and erection of cornices, gutter poles and dormer windows, also shingling were encountered in this exercise. In the Senior Year, the work becomes more interesting. The student learns to construct windows, also irregular roofs and stairs, by erecting them in the shop. He is taught the use of the architect's level. Porch construction, brick veneer and brick building construction, concrete work and estimating are thoroughly covered. For commencement the Seniors built a section of a modern dwelling, includ- ing fireplace, bookcases. and French windows. All the mill work, such as making moulding, baseboards, balustrades, trim, etc., is done by the student, as he has access to the machinery in the shop, which consists of a planer, circular saw, two jointers, two lathes, one electric and one belt-driven, and an upright moulder. Mr. C. R. Miller, our instructor, deserves much credit for the capable manner in which he has extended to us his knowledge in the various branches of carpentry. I wish, on behalf of the members of our section, to thank him for his personal interest in our future welfare. RONALD M. HEEBNER. CHARLES R. MILLER Instructor