The Topeka state journal., 1916-12-28

system. our insurance scheme, IL Is
we'll that the young men sound in body
and mind be selected.
IF the doctors pass him he goes
to the office of the superintendent OF
shops, filling out the regular inden-
ture papers, minors release. and is
given a letter to the shop foreman,
who gives him a shop number. and is
told to be on hand by the time the
whistle blows in the morning. He en-
ters the shop the next morning he
is not left to wander around or to wait
for someone. or to be bewildered by
sea of strange faces or frightened by
the whirling belts, moving machines.
or unaccustomed noises. The shop in
structor meets him., kindly hand
grasps his. a kindly face is looking at
him. kindly voice is speaking to him.
I'VE now have an apprentice duly
examined and accepted and assigned
to work, the first step in the selection
of a boy whom four years later we
may train specifically for some respon-
sible position.
Special Apprentices.
This is the first source of supply
The second is from our special appren-
tees. who are graduates of engineer
ing schools. The latter are selected
only upon a personal interview. We
cannot put credence in letters of rec
ommendation from professors or in
fluential friends. 1 do not mean by
this that they attempt to deceive. for
who can deny a letter of introduction
for friend? The trouble is that they
withsthe young fellow. There is little
or no real effort made by our college
instructors to find out the real nat
ural qualification or talent of the stu
dent We require these specials to
work one year on machines, one year
on the erecting floor, and then we de-
eide whether or not they shall pur-
sue our course for development for
positions of responsibility.
'We now have the boy from the
public schools who has served his four
years journeyman apprenticeship and
has become a first class mechanic,
and the college man who has gaged
in practical shop work for two years.
The man must have, during his ap-
premiership, been quick to learn, in
| dustrious, prompt, honest, readily and
effectively amenabIe to discipline,
steady under fire and popular with
officers and associates. and must pos
sess some distinctive qualities of lead
ership."
Heavy Work Begins.
After the preliminary training ac-
cording to Mr.. Thomas's paper, the ap-
prentices are really only beginning
their work. They are then in for the
stiffest training period of all, when
they are given heavy work in several
different departments of the shop in
order to give them a working insight
of all the operations. as well as a GER
tain executive ability. After many
months of this, some of them are sent
to eastern plants to gather new ideas
and broadened conception of the work
done there. During the latter part OF
their training and during their stay IN
the eastern shops, they are required to
write regular reports of the work they
| are doing.
| Following their return, they are re-
! garded as eligible for the positions OF
trust and responsibility for which they
| have undergone several years of edu-
cation, and are usually promoted to
such places in a short time.
| OF the $50 graduate apprentices
| who have left the Santa Fe, there are
several in the navy, some in the Euro
pean armies, the majority are still ir
railroad work. on connecting or ada
cent lines to the Santa Fe. and all are
drawing good money!