Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-01-16
Brain and Drawn.

Boys and young men who are look
ing lorward To tho time when school
days viii be over aAA real work viii
begin win BE Interested IN the follow
ing paper recently re,d before the
United BrotheIheods of the Highland
churches By q. L. R~crndston. material
supervisor for the Santa Fe railroad
In Albuquerque.
fhe difficulties encountered on the
santa Fe in obtaining labor qualified
with the skilland intelligence 10 make
efficient workmen under modern con-
ditions have brought about an entire
Is new and unfrfed method Of train
ing boys and young men in the differ
ent trades ana occupations employed
by railroad companies When J say
new and untricd ! mean new and un-
tried until this company inaugurated
rs .iresent system.
what we need today for the more
efficient n economical operation and
maintenance OF our railways is
trained. skilled and careful men. To
obtain them, this company has gone
70 q great deal Of expense and trouble
in establishing schools IN which 70
train and educate boys TO become such
men as we are ir need of.
y lAlit OAfI ANU NfAfH AEO lllt~t
schools were established at nine of the
principal shops ON the system. A SUI
pervisOr OF apprentices was appointed.
IS hose sole duty Hes in overseeing this
great work and IN organizing and
Keeping complet a staff Of competent
instructors for the shop work. as well
as the school rooms.
Each shop has its school room,
thoroughly equipped with desks.
drawing tables. blackboards, patterns.
models and other implements Of in
struction. Each apprentice is re-
ouircd TO attend school two hours u
day Two days a week. During this
time he Is paid Just tho same as
though he We're al work in the shop.
The Instructions involve such ele-
nentary topics az shop arithmetic,
practical problems in mechanics. me-
ehanical and free-hand drawing and
the working out Of such particular
problems as will arise from day to
day in the carrying out Of his regular
as q mechanic. The lessons in
drawing are selected from detail parts
a locomotive. car OF shop tool.
The instruction comprises two
phases-that In the school room. just
outlined, and that In the shop itself.
The obejct Of the school instruction
IS 90 enable a hey to read intclligently
the drawing from which ne must work
while in the shop, 10 make q working
sketch and 20 use his head in directing
the work OF his hands. Each appren-
tice Is given the use, without charge,
Of a set OF first-class drawing instru-
ments. drawing board and paper, and
when his time Is completed the com
presents him with this outfit.
All lessons, drawing sheets and
problems are made up in standard
form in the office OF the supervisor
of apprentices at Topeka and sent out
from there To the different schools at
points on the system, All schools
their local apprentice Instructors.
are practical men. first-claSs
With the shop methods of the com
panN.
Ia addition to The school Instructors
there are shop instructors. whose duty
is to look after the BOYS while they are
engaged INA shop work These men,
whose entire time is devoted 70 this
work. have been selected from the
regular shop working force. anu are
mon who have not only shown con-
spicuous ability in their particular
but h possess a knack OF
imrarting their knowledge and skill
and of stimulating a spirit of interest
IN the boys.
The greatest care is exercised IN SEE
boys for apprentices. With the
IN view of improving the per-
sonnet 04 the body by obtaining good,
strong and healthy boys. WHIT have at
"a common school education.
other things being equal, the sons OF
employees are given preference. The
sl perintendcnt of shops or master me-
chanic, as the case may be. personally
interviews each applicant, and if he
thinks him worthy supplies him with
necessary blanks 90 fin ~ formal
application papers, which are 50 ar
that the boys whereabouts and
occupation for the preceding five
YEARS must be fully stated. lie must
also give tho names ana addresses OF
several responsible parties who rave
known him for at least two years. Tn
this way the company ear learn Of the
applicants previous habits and form
idea ~ his general worthiness
After these formalities have been
complied with. the apprentice instruc-
examines the applicant as 10 his
education and other qualifications for
the trade he wishes TO enter.
Ia IS not necessary for the boy TO
any especial talent or leaning
the occupation he is about 10
pursue. for. after ail. II is the training
receives. the Willingness and appli-
of the boy himself which de-
his success on failure IN he
he takes un. The slow, n IN
some Instances the dull, hoy often
makes better main and "a better me-
than his brighter and better
endowed brother, simply because he
is more likely to apply himself 10 his
task tie is nearly always ensier to
handle, and nine times out OF ten ne
nam. ,,t ff his fgnr Naup2f Np-