Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-21

is occupied every period. and although the
school has the use of rooms at the Henry
School building nearby, a the Central High
school, and work rooms IN several dwelling
houses on . street. the overflow has to re-
cite in the corridors. This had been the
condition for four years, and still Congress
mas made no appropriation for addition
which will take year or more 70 build
What is to be done is the problem of The
director and the school board. which, It Is
said has only been able through the su-
perlntendent TO induce the pupils in the
grades not to elect the course. This has
required an active campaign of persuasion
and influence.
Down in the basement Is another hive OF
lndustry-three great shops and the fur
mace ana engine rooms. which are made
TO do service in the instruction of the en-
bryo mechanics and engineers.
Far at the end of a long locker-IIned
passage is the forge shop. where the smith
mighty man, or the smiths. two mighty
men, direct the work at n large array OF
up-to-date, under-draught FORCES Bolts
braces, long chains, nuts. hammers knives.
plnceTs, tools to be used In the machine
shop. ornamental lamp stands and and
irons, and all the exercises leading TO the
making of these special articles make I'D
the array to be examined. Here the boys
go TO work as II the lesson were sport and
from the making o. drawn point through
TO the carrying out of some design for a
bridge which has been modelled in CLAW ac-
corolng to original idea. all is of absorbing
permitted T.
slder to remain long the visitor would GER
talnly have had off his coat and have learn
ed the mysteries of starting and keening
ana banking the forge-fre, and experiment.
ed upon bolt or a brace in the hope that
he would succeed in not burning the IRON"
Over In the wood-turning shop much the
same enthusiasm prevails. Down the long
room the boys and some few special stu
dents among the girls are busy at the
lathes turning out the Fundamental exer-
clses But the work does not stop there
ana articles of actual utility are produced.
vase forms are studied in connection with
the design work of the drawing department.
The boys boast that they do not lust draw
vases. but make them. About the sides of
| the room are specimens of the bench work
| medicine cabinets, tables, shaving stands,
Morris chairs and settees which remind one
one or the art work of the best craftsmen's
shops In the country.
-.
Large commodious lavatories and bath
rooms separate the wood-turnIng shop from
the machine shop, which is the climax or
mechanical activity in the school. To one
who is not a machinist the idea one gets Is
of suddenly being taken out of a school
room where the three RS are taught and
plunged into the manufacturing rooms or
some company of expert machinists. II is
not to be supposed that they make big guns
| in the Mckinley basement. such as are
| yard methods are coming to prevail
Here all the ma thematics learned upstairs
| is given practical application and the idea
| that prevails throughout the institution OF
complete correlation of all activities is
| given the final proof. The student makes
his own cutting tools in the forge shop, and
his technique gained in the wood shop Is
| put to new uses and demands. Every meth
| cd of practical chipping and filing, center
| ing, drilling and countersinking, producing
| inside and outside planes, cylindrical and
confcal surfaces on the lathe and grinder.
cutting flutes, straight and spiral, all this
| is done. and through the two years which
given to the work-thOugh some stu
dents specialize in machine shop work-a
| degree of ability is gained that gives the
graduate an equipment which sends him out
into life with some assurance of finding his
place.
The citizen who visits the Mckinley
| Manual Training School perhaps will leave
| Ii rejecting on how the work of this in
| stitution might affect his own home. The
| more advanced boy in the institution can
| set in order his electric bell system and
| install electric lights; from the forge shop
| the citizen could get his andirons and ali
| the bars braces, nuts and bolts the need
of which is seen in every house; the wood
shop could supply him furniture of the
| latest mission or craftsmen design; the
copper and brass for den and dining-room
| would be original and unique. The curtains,
| portieres, cushions and table scarfs, the
| tapestries and weavings the girls trained
| at this seAool could supply, as well as fur
| nish any larder and make menus for ALL
| seasons: and half the expense which dis
| turbs mans annual calculations would be
! obviated. Besides, the girl graduates could
make their own gowns and hats and save
| large bills.