The Detroit times., 1915-03-05
NEWS AND VIEWS
OF NIGHT SCHOOLS
ny uERMAN sARCrs

evening high school a course was
started which II Is believed has new
er been given In any public or pri-
yate school in Detroit. and but few
courses OF the same nature have
been given anywhere. This Was a
course In steam engineering and was
not really a surety until the begin
ming Of the term. when many stu
dents signined their intention OF en-
rolling in such q class. II one could
be arranged for.
As this subject Is one which has
not been greatly used as study.
either In a technical school. an en-
cheering college or st high school
no teIt books could be gotten for
the class And so. not to inconvent
ence the students. the instructor OF
the course. Mr. p. W. Thompson.
would prepare the lessons and have
typewriter copies made, which were
distributed each evening 10 the stu
dents. These sheets covered the
work Of the entire evening. giving
all the information necessary on the
work which had already been ex.
planned. The students could save
these sheets and at the END Of the
term would have certain part OF
the steam engineering course com
piled and couched In such language
and explained so carefully that II
the student hadn't had any previous
experience in the same line OF work
he still could understand IL.
These sheets were also prinisd
with the problems for the next even
ing and helped out as much as any
text book on the subject would when
the time came TO refer back to- one
OF the old sheets. In this way the
student did not have TO reply en-
tirely on his own memory.
In order TO understand the steam
engineering course fully and e
grasp its every meaning. II is essen
tial that the student should not neg
lect such fundamental studies as
mathematics. physics and chemistry
and should remember that in order
to make success Of such an i'm
portant subject other subjects must
be conquered
Many students do not appreciate
this. and when the time OF the class
was given to the subjects which ar
actually parts OF the steam engineer
ing course. and without which a mar
in this field cannot be a success
some Of the students thought the
time was being wasted. or that they
did not need the subject.
The class was taught how TO az
ure the helical spring. which Is
spiral-shaped spring and winds some
what like the threads OF a screw
or how much pressure II would take
TO move a safety valve from III
seat: and what size spring to us'
for certain pressures. Also how q
make a sketch describing minutell
the same things. Inspection law
were used by the class. with al
formulas on boiler joints. such Al
single. double. triple and quadruple
and how to determine the eflcienc,
for same. The classes were ais,
taught about corrugated fues, which
are grooved or wrinkled pipes o.
passages TO convey smoke. hot al
and other such substances, and IN,
working pressures for same. Dc
noting just how much the pipe
could hold safely.
There are so many branches o
steam engineering. and so many di
visions TO each branch. that Il wa
Of course impossible to take up tn,
whole course, or even one-half, bu
for the benefit OF those who ma,
wish to enroll in this course mex
term. the following will give an ide,
OF what was taken up and what vii
be taken up next term: Arithmetic
including all parts up to squar'
root; thermal expansion and con
traction; strength OF materials II
tension and compression hydro
states: absolute pressure. work. en-
ergy. power. including method o
determining horsepower OF engines
from diagrams and other subjects.
There win OF course be a distlnc
ton made between students who ar