The Topeka state journal., 1913-07-19

and the strength of materials. Every
day during their apprenticeship they
see in the shop practical ILLUSTRATIONS
of what they are learning in scnool'
This is done to some extent In colleges'
but it is not nearly so practical nor
thorough, because here the boy reallzeS
that every piece of work on Which ne
is engaged will be put into actual use
and must be done right. Before recelV-
ing his diploma as a graduate appren-
tice, he must pass rigid examination
covering practically every branch OF
his trade.
Both the shop and school room in
structors must have unlimited patience;
frequently it is necessary that they
show and explain the same thing sew
eral times. They must also be enthuS1-
astic about the work. 1t is this en-
thusiasm which the instructor inst1lls
that keeps up the fighting spirit OF the
boys and makes them determined 10
master the hard tasks. 1t Is an in
spiration to the boy, once acqulreo
he seldom loses it.
Develop the Boys Character.
The apprentice instructors have great
opportunities to develop the character
of the boy. No boy will be employed
or retained who smokes cigarettes or
uses intoxicating liquors The santa
Fe wants men with steady nerves ana
clear brains, so it begins with the
boys. While a thorough knowledge of
his trade is necessary, if the boy IS
morally clean, is honest, truthful ana
loyal to his employer, if he has conh-
dence in his ability and determination
to do right, he will learn to do his
work much better and without ques-
ton will be of more service to the COM
pany. Apprentice instructors have
made excellent wOrkmen out of boys
that some foremen had discouraged
and were ready to dismiss. By patient
encouragement. the instructors gained
their confidence and interested them IN
a determination to succeed.
The healthy amusements encouraged
by the apprentice schools are of great
benefit. Every year the boys have
their local football and baseball teams,
and play with each other in their own
parks, provided by the road. Trips
are often made to decide the cham
pionship between rival schools. This
affords lively competition and real
sport. The apprentice bands offer op-
portunity to the boys to acquire
considerabl amount of musical skill
under intelligent supervision The
road is taking cognizance of the fact
that 'all work and no play makes
Jack a dull boy" 1t has come to real
ize that boy is not a man, that he
cannot be expected to stand all day
under a steady grind without the
stimulus of school work and healthy,
interesting and elevating recreation.
1t Was John PurceIl's Idea.
The Santa Fe officials have given
the apprentice schools their endorse
ment. and have been interested in the
development Of the work. John Pur-
cell, assistant to the vice president.
was the originator of the idea and has
given the present school his help and
| loyal support. Years ago, while he
was master mechanic, he organized a
school for the instruction of appren-
| tices in his shop, paying the instruc-
! tor from his own pocket. 1t must be
| a source of qualification to him that
seven of the boys who profited
| through his personal interest and gen.
| erosity now occupy official positions in
| the mechanical department of the
| road.
! Necessarily, such ar organization as
| the Santa Fe apprenticeship system
requires at it's head man who COM
| bines all the qualities enumerated, to-
| gether with that quality of general
! ship and intense sympathy with the
! movement which is Indispensable in
| bringing all its phases into strong CO.
ordination.
More Than 22O in Topeka.
Beginning at Topeka in 1907, Frank
| w. Thomas, supervisor of appren-
! tees. organized and extended the ap-
prentice school system until there are
now "a shops and roundhouses where
apprentices receive instruction under
!
| 1913, there were 77S boys working at
various shops and roundhouses; 223
of these were at the Topeka shops,
| the largest on the system. Mr.. Thomas
| is a man who has the welfare of ev-
| cry boy at heart, and is constantly
| striving to devise new methods to i'm
prove his practical and theoretical ed
| ucation. The success of his efforts is
| proved by the large number of grad
uate appretices who have become
| foremen and who have filled other
positions more important that that of
! regular journeymen.
| AS a graduate apprentice of the
| Santa Fe apprentice system, and one
| who appreciates the benefits derived
| from it, / believe I am competent to
! say that the natural outcome of this
! training is a spirit of loyalty to the
school and road that can be engen-
| dered in no other way. The value of
| the side issues is at once apparent
| when we consider that band and ath-
| letic practice and performances take
| up g large part of the boys time out
| side of working hours, furnishing
them companions of their own age
and kind, with similar ambitions, and
giving them less time to develop de-
grading habits and associations, all
tending to supply the road with work
men. competent. highly trained and
| to maintain the road on the highest
plane.
TTCrrrS ESOD cUV DArr