The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-07
PLANE SHAVIHGS WHILE
ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE
Students at NJ. T. II. s. Must
Pocket Pride When Entering
Workroom for First Time.
MIX BRAINS WITH TOLL.
Benefits of Course Are Recalled by
Reminder OF the Institution
Beginning.


at the Manual Training High School can be
found a soiled and musty programme of
classes in use during the first term of the
schools existence. Scattered across the
small leahet are the names Of some twenty
teachers, ten of whom still remain: Princi-
pal c. E. Emmerich. Violet A. Demree
Beatrice S. Foy. Kate a Thompson. Anna
j. Griffith, Helena G. Sturm. Kate Wentz
Arthur J. Bean, William ]. Thisselle and
james Yule. 1t is only necessary to COM
pare this list with the compact alphabetical
programme of to-day to learn that M. T.
H. S. is great SUCCESS
This high school. considered the finest of
its kind in the country. was built as an ex-
pertinent. Not until recent years has the
public become convinced of the value of
manual training. and at the time of its
erection no other school OF its kind was in
existence. Its origin, as is not generally
known, was due TO politics. The South
Siders, moved at what they termed poor
school service compared TO that in the
northern part of the city, demanded
South Side High School, Their efforts to
obtain one were futile unit! a measure
came up which needed their support Quick
to see their advantage. they gave the re-
quired aid only after the school had been
assured. Thus High School No ., on vir-
GINA avenue, was established.
MECHANICS AN EXPERIMENT.
AT this time work in manual training was
being carried on in the south basement of
Shortridge (then the Indianapolis High
SCHOOL, under the direction of Mr.. William
r. Bass. AS people saw the advantage of
this work, and as the number of students
taking the course increased, quarters be-
came inadequate
Near the county Jail there were also some
rooms In which mechanical drawing classes
were held at night under the supervisory of
a German society, which was afterward
merged into a Gewerbeschulverein. or
Mechanics Trade Union To John p.
frenzel Is due in a great measure the COM
binatlon of this society and the classes at
ShortridSe into a new institution compris-
ing both. Mr.. Merritt and Mr.. Hugh H.
Hanna also helped to finance the project.
Permission was obtained from the Iegis
lature to levy taxes for the erection of the
school and shortly after this the ground at
Meridian and Merrill streets was purchased
The cost of the building was s165,OOO.
As no one could foresee the outcome the
school was built to accommodate but zoo
students. but on it's opening day i'm Febru-
airy, 1895. more than this number were en-
rolled; in exact numbers, 27S boys and 24s
girls. a total of SIC. Since that birthday.
nine years ago, the enrolment has increased
from 90 TO l,526 The boys have always
led by slight majority, the present status
Se,he 1SS or the former to 100 of the gentler
sex Inc faculty now numbers over fifty
including a large body of assistants
BEGINNERS PLANE SHAVINGS.
"A student entering the school with the
intention OF pursuing the mechanical course
Is hrst set to work planning long, graceful
shavings off of some pine board When
ne has learned the use of the chisel and
buzz-saw without cutting himself, he is
made familiar with various points At the
end of the term, by which time he knows
that sawdust is good ingredient to fiji
up pad points, he crowns all former efforts
with large, finely polished handkerchief
pox or something similar In the second
term or the course. wood-turning he usually
stars, making everything from a tooth
PICK holder to wooden jardiniere stand
At the commencement of his second wear
the student enters the forging shop with
the grand air common to sophomore but
now the hrst two weeks of this work re-
duce his pomposity. for there is nothing
better as reducing agent than persistent
pounding of lead. and with hands covered
with blisters and back and shoulders ach-
ing, the poor 'soph" skulks around the
building.
The remainder of the course is taken nm
with year of foundry and pattern-mak-
ing work and a year of machine-ftting
Mechanical drawing goes with all of this
shop work.
SCIENTIFIC STUDIES PURSUED.
Adequate laboratories for scientific study
have also been installed at NJ T. III. S. The
chemical department, under the direction of
Prof. George A. Abbot. ranks as one OF the
finest in the country that is in it's class of
high schools. 1t is situated in a large we'll
lighted room on the third floor and contains
a complete set of apparatus. 1t is fitted
up with six hoods used for working
with poisonous gases, with large labora-
tory tables, each one of which has a sink
attached. An entire set of glass and pOrce-
lain ware has lately been received from
Germany. Some interesting experiments in
wireless telegraphy have attracted atten-
ton TO the physics room.
To receive the diploma of NJ T IL G a
student must have thirty-one credits This
diploma secures admission into the follow
ing universities with which the school is
affiliated. Purdue. Michigan. Chicago. Wis
cOnSin, Cornell and Wellesley
IL is not until the senior year that a
student really learns TO appreciate the ben
efits received at such school as NJ T. II
s., but at graduation especially a feeling
of love for the alma mater and its recollec-
lions comes that cannot be forgotten Ii
is this feeling that comes on an athletic
field or that brings back an old alufnnus
wherever he may be to shout M T H 8