The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-11-16
VOCATIONAL TRAINING SCHOOL
PRESENTS LIVELY SCENES

! training 300 men from Idaho and
Wyoming, who have been regularly
enlisted in the army and are taking
vocational training with their military
instruction. The men are quartered
in barracks well arranged and COM
fortablly equipped in the Stewart
building on North Main street and
they work and eat at the harvester
plant The large building formerly
used for an assembly room where the
harvesters were assembled and put
together and painted, is used for a
dining room and the men file into
this, secure hearty meal and get
out in just 80 minutes. One hour is
allowed for each meal, but the men
! take just half that time. Frank
/, Conklen, of Spokane, is the chef and
| handles the work with the aid of a
| few assistants in dishing up the food
| for the men. The men have never
yet had to wait for a meal nor been
delayed in having it served.
H. w. McDermott, formerly of
| Spokane, who came here last sum-
mer and took charge of the mechani-
cal training of the first contingent of
100 men at the University of Idaho,
is in charge of the work He is being
| assisted by E. W. Miner, formerly
with the Yuba Manufacturing comp
any, of Spokane, who has charge of
the public service work; Guy Curtis
and Ed. Gruver, who were department
foremen of the harvester plant and
have been retained as instructors in
the mechanical work; G. A. Martin,
formerly of Puyallup, Wash, in
charge of general mechanics with G.
E. Craine, instructor in blacksmithing
Il
pentering. Sterling Oakley has
assisted by R. G. Kennedy.
The auto mechanics department is
the largest of all, with $50 men en-
rolled. There are 80 men in general
mechanics and 60 in radio work. A
number of men are out now on ac-
count of illness, but that is the way
the 300 students are divided. In the
auto mechanics work the beginners
start on rear axle work and as they
learn this they are promoted to
motors and then to electrical work.
Some of the men do not advance.
Some of them develop unusual talent
in rear axles and are retained in that
department. Others show adapta-
bility for motor work and stop there,
becoming assistant instructors The
men are placed where they accomp-
lish the most or show this greatest
talent. In the public service depart
ment more than 80 cars belonging to
different people were being repaired
when the reporter visited the plant.
Owners of cars are asked to bring
these in for repairs and they are
charged nothing for the work, but
are required to pay for any of the
extra parts that have to be bought.
The men are now making most of
these parts as the machine shop. is
equipped to turn out almost anything
that is made of STEEL copper or brass.
Men who have cars repaired have
been asked by a citizens committee
to donate at least part of. the price
of the work to the mess fund for the
soldiers. This is used by citizens
committee working under the Red
Cross, to buy delicacies for the table
that are not furnished with the regu-
lar army rations. Cars are taken in,
overhauled, repaired and turned out in
perfect order Messrs McDermott,
Cruver and. Curtis are expert auto
mechanics and no work is permitted
to go out until it is complete.
Forty men were working on motors.
Every kind of motor used in automo-
biles were there and were being work
ed over and repaired. Sixty men
were working on rear axles and other
work about the car and every kind of
rear axle used was represented in the
shop. In another room where classes
are assembled large class was being
given instruction by Mr.. Cruver with
the use of a blackboard. Each in
structor takes his class into the class
room once daily for lecture and black
board work, using from 80 minutes to
an hour for this class of work.
There are five large buildings de-
voted to this work and divided into
different departments. The blacksmith
and carpenter shops had to be equip
ped and the. men built their own forges
and installed complete blacksmith
shops with 16 fires. Adjoining this
is the carpenter shop which was built
and furnished by the men who are
now making a fine lot of furniture,
iesks, ETC., for the officers and in
structors. Then there is the electrical
plant where the men are being taught
electricity and its use in connection
With automobile and gas engine work
erected and fitted up with wireless
arge class is taking instruction in
sending and receiving messages
through the air Outside were num-
,er of men engaged in "wig-wag'
signalling with flags. Every one was
,usy. The men, drawn from every
walk of life, from the farms, the lum-
,er camps, the cattle and sheep
anches, the mercantile stores, pro
essions and every vocation, are all
together and taking deep
interest in the work.
Certain periods of each day are
slven over to military instruction.
,ruits, wholly unaccustomed to the
inc of work thew are now doing, and,
CONTINUED on page four.)