The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-07-16
Industrial Schools.

N2To show that where there is a will
there is way and what small beginnings
may bring about. we give the following
Statement ofMr. II. e. Roffe, Superinten.
dentef the Georgia Machinery Co.. At
slanta. here are very few communities
where similar enterprise could not be
started. This movement at Atlanta is
destined to develop into a good school OF
technology, the Kind of education SO essen.
tial to the advancement of the South.
-Mr-Rntfffe writes to the 1mericaaa Maclas,..
ist, and to what he says, we invite the
attention of our readers, and especially
the prominent citizens of ourown. city and
State gnrY 5a3rF7F vfsFss . RI,
''You will, no doubt, be pleased to hear
of our efforts to start an industrial school
in this city, and of our complete success.
Last January a few gentlemen, at the re.
quest of DR.. G. L. CLANCY and Mr.. Elias
Haiman, met together and proposed to
to- open a might school for the benefit of
the working lads in this city. 1t was de-
cided that the school be opened in Febru-
airy and continued until the end of April.
UulCO u1Outu6 do dill CAQcllmcub. duu IL
successful to reopen again next October.
Mr.. S. M. Inman, Mr.. w. c. Morrill, and
other gentlemen subscribed $1,000, and I
offered my services to take charge Of the
school with Mr.. F. I4edule and Mr.. VIM.
F. OFT as assistants.
We. bought lathe, drill press, wise. car
pantbrS' and pattern makers tools, draw
ing Instruments, smiths forge and other
tools. We hired room with steam
power and light and started work in Feb
.ruary. Our school nights were Monday,
Wednesday and Friday in each week. We
had room for 20 boys, but so many apply
ing, we increased the number to Is. Mon
day and Wednesday nights we had gen.
eral work, and on Friday nights, we rig
ged up some SHELTON desks on the work
benches, and gave instruction in drawing
and geometry. Most of our lads were
apprentices in shops. railroad and private
some had been in the trade three and four
years, and some as many months, conse-
quently we had to find out what boy
could do, and guage the work to suit.
We had one on a valve seat had an old
steam pump sent up to practice on) we
had three of our best lads on surface
plates, some filing and chipping one on
the drill another on the lathe; one or
two. at the forge. and some on patterns
and core boxes. The boys stuck to work
in splendid style, and / would like you to
see some of the nice little jobs they turned
out.
1t is almost impossible to find first
class American wise hand one that can
use a hammer and chisel and file properly.
They can all run lathe, planer and mill
ing machine, but put them on the wise and
they get left, therefore we made wise work
take the first place. We gave boy cast
iron cube about Il inches he had to take
q hammer and chisel and take a light chip
off each side, making the cube as perfect
as he could. No choking" hammers
were allowed. We then give him IL
inch fiat bastard file, and taught him how
TO hold it. and also to file properly. No
forefnger on the top of the handle was
allowed, neither was the point of the file
centre of each face on the cube. 1t made
me tired to see how some Of the lads 20
years old. who had been at the trade 3 or
four years lin good shop, too picked up
! file, hand on the top of the handle, and |
watch them seesaw up and down with |
elbows about foot away from their |
bodies. They thought they could file, too,
out they don t think SO any more. Any. |
low, We taught them all we could in the |
lime allotted until the end of April, and |
IAN assure you the lads thoroughly appre-
dated our earnest endeavOrs
i The noble hearted gentlemen that gave
he money desired to run the school an
'theF month. We did 50, and finished up
asst week. @ When we had the school thor
'ughly on it's way, we invited the leading
men in this city to come out and see us.
several of them came, amongst whom was
Mr.. Henry Grady, OF the Constitution, who
will through his paper, make great effort
o increase our facilities next fall. so that
We can accommodate 100 boys. There is
10 doubt that our little attempt will result
n first class technical and industrial
chool in this city. When the people OF
ktlanta make up their minds to have any