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

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l MISS ABBIE A. EYRlE Head of Academic Departinent 4 carhcmic gdepariincnt Although the teaching of the trades is of major importance at Williamson, the academic work is a prime necessity to the training of good mechanics. Any man may become an ordinary mechanic without requiring book learning, but it is certain he will never become anything more than one of the hands. It is readily seen that one who has a thorough knowledge of the common school branches and some advanced mathematics as geometry, trigonometry, chemistry, etc., has a much better chance of advancement to higher positions than the one who does not, and it is to this end that the course at Williamson is planned. During the Freshman and Junior and first half of the Senior year, four hours a day are given to academic work and mechan- ical drawing and four hours to shop practice. From September until graduation the Senior apprentice spends eight hours each day in the shop, and on two evenings a Week from 8 to 9.30, courses in strength of materials and steam are given, the former of which is taken up by all the trades and the latter by ma- chinists and patternmakers only. The branches taken up in the Freshman year are arith- metic. physiology, English, spelling, civil government, algebra, American literature, physics, and music. At the beginning of the Junior year mensuration is substituted for arithmetic, chem- istry for civil government, and English literature for American literature. Geometry is taken up in the second half of the Junior rear. mensuration having been dropped at this time. The only studies taken up in the Senior year are geometry, trigonometry, physics, chemistry, and elementary bookkeeping. The faculty, having ecided that it is not possible to give credits to graduates who wish to enter higher schools, have arranged a program showing the subjects covered and the time spent on each subject by the Williarnsoii graduate. To Miss Eyre and her corps of teachers, we, the Class of 1920, extend our most sincere gratitude for the patience and diligence they have shown us in our academic work.

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Cliileizlyzrniral gliinpzxrixnent N important branch of the Academic Department is Mechanical Drawing. The good mechanic is recognized at once by the manner in which he interprets his blueprints and drawings. The course in Mechanical Drawing at Williamson is not given with the idea of producing skilled draftsmen, but is planned to develop in the student the ability to make and read draw- ings and blue prints intelligently. The machinists, engineers, and patternmakers form one class, while the carpenters, bricklayers, and agriculturists form the other. ' Six hours a week are spent in the drawing room during the Freshman and Junior years and eight hours a week in the Senior year for all trades, except the agriculturists who spend six hours a week in the Freshman year, three in the Junior, and four in the Senior year. The first few sheets are taken up by all the trades. They are ten in number and besides covering all the elementary principles of drawing such as lettering, connecting straight and curved lines, exer- cises in measurement and projections and development, they give the student the necessary practice in handling the tee square, angles, scale, ruling pen, compass, etc. These elementary sheets cover prac- tically all of the Freshman year. 1 The work done in the Junior year deals more directly with the trade. Among the first sheets which the carpenters attempted were, Details of Window Sash, Door and Transom, and Window in Brick Wall. The bricklayers' sheets included Different Thicknesses of Walls, Chimney Tops, and Construction Details. The patternmakers, machinists, and engineers were given the same course which covered sheets on Development of Screw Threads, Cams and Curves, and Bevel and Worm Gears. In this year all classes spend part of their time on tracings and blueprint work. The work done in the Junior year was completed by making ten free-hand sketches from grouped objects. In the Senior year part of the time is devoted to finishing the trade sheets, and then parallel and angular perspective and truss and arch analyses are taken up. The carpenters and bricklayers have a course of sheets in dwelling plans which finishes their course. The machinists, engineers, and pattern- makers finish their course with sheets on the Admiralty and True Screw Propellorf' What knowledge we possess of Mechanical Drawing we owe to the untiring efforts of Mr. Van Stan, to whom we extend our most sincere thanks, J 1 R. F. HAINES.

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