River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-01-14
ELEMENTARY
ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING
University Extension Division Aids
Unframed Workers in Plants
Using Electricity.

The development of practical WORK
with electricity during the past gen.
GRAFTON has been marvellous. In all
parts of the country manufacturing
plants and traction companies have
been demanding the services of men
who had knowledge of the methods
which this mysterious force follows
and the practical uses to which it may
be put.
SO few men have been trained in
electrical engineering, however, that
all these plants have found it neces
sary to employ many men who were
not fully prepared and educated fol
their work. These young men, drifting
into the establishments from the
smaller shops, from farms, and from
the schools, have been handicapped
by the lack of preparatory education
and training, and have not done the
service for themselves or for thei1
employers that was satisfactory and
desired. They have simply had te
commence at the simplest mechanical
work and to follow it day by day.
frequently until it became monotonous
and irksome, without the hope OF
promotion.
In order to aid young men of this
class, and to aid employers, the Uni
versity Extension Division of the Uni
versity of Wisconsin, is instructing
the workmen in electricity in Wiscon
sin by very practical methods. Its
course is based upon this thought
that if the fundamental processes
underlying manufacturing processes
are better understood, the work of the
employees ceases to be drudgery
That the workman who follows the
daily routine intelligently becomes an
educated man and is of much greater
service to his employer and to the
state. as we'll as to himself and to his
family.
In order to train the mechanic to
better work, the Correspondence Study
Department of the University EXten-
sion Division, gives the workman a
course of study adapted to his needs
by correspondence. 1t gives him the
privilege of an occasional personal
interview and class room work with
his instructor so that he may be in
spired to follow the course with inter.
est, and aided to pursue it without
being discouraged by the obstacles
which frequently delay the progress
of the student who is not trained to
technical study. In many cases the
work done in this course may be sup
planted by study at the University in
the shops and laboratories of the en-
cheering college. AS an illustration
of the methods which are used, the
course in Magnetic and Electric Cir
cults may be taken. This deals with
the principles of magnetism and cleo
tricity. The fundamental laws are
developed in their simplest form. The
course aims to give the student clear
conception of the physical properties
of these subjects, a conception which
is essential in any study of electrical
operations, or in the operation of any
electric machinery.
In this, as in all other courses, prac-
tical problems are given to fix princi-
pies effectively in mind. There are
thousands of young men in Wisconsin
whose earning capacity would be
greatly increased if they would take
this course in connection with their
daily work, giving to study but one
or two hours each day. The benefit
derived from this kind of work is ap.
preciated by many employers in the
state, and they are aiding the EXten-
sion Division in bringing the posi-
bilities of this system of education to
the attention of their workmen.