The sun., 1919-04-27
East Side "Y' Opens School for Crafts
men Needed in Nations Vast
Agricultural Task

with some of the most prominent
producers In the country. The
tractor world wants workers Of abil-
ity. Thorough training s an abso-
Lutte necessity, and thoroughness 10
our aim in dealing with very branch
OF the subject. Our object Is to
make the course an intensive one
and to lay emphasis upon funda-
mental principles and the every
day practical problems that con-
front the tractor mechanic.
"Of course, no two students are
able to grasp the construction Of q
tractor and its interrelated func-
tioning in the same length of time.
Therefore the course has been
modelled with this fact before us.
For instance, instruction in shop
work is strictly Individual; and
each student advances just as rap
idly as his own efforts and his
powers Of absorption warrant. He
Is neither rushed nor held back. He
is helped over the hard spots,
taught by example and encouraged
to make his advance rapid by put
ting in his best efforts.
I'VE teach by lectures, illustrated
by demonstrations, and follow these
up and drive the lessons home. by
calling upon the student to per-
form the actual work himself In tho
shop under the personal direction
OF an instructor. In this way the
learner gets grasp of the why
and the how at the same time.
To this end we have a number Of
makes of machines which the stu
dents can take apart and reassem-
BILE. and we also ref1t and repair
damaged tractors so that the as
pirant mechanic will know Just
what to do IN case of 4 breakdown
when remote from n machine shop.
"A great deal Of the trouble with
any automotive vehicle or tractor In
primarily of a rather simple sort
merely n matter OF little adjust
ment. Ming, grinding, &C. Accord
ingly. we take the newcomer in
hand and put him through an ele-
mentary training at the bench,
where he becomes familiar with the
handling of a few essential tools
and grasps the meaning OF precision
and At, and learns how adjustments
are made.
INSTRUCTION Is given mornings,
afternoons and evenings. The morn
Ing and afternoon courses may 30
completed In five weeks by attend
ing three hours day for six days
a week. The night course is given
on alternate nights, and 1t takes on
an average ten weeks to complete
the full programme Several Pc
RODS at the end of the course are
devoted to practical farm work.
This Is carried out upon city prop
erty up In The Bronx, where the
tractors serve to plough, harrow
and otherwise to prepare the soil
and cultivate 1t during the growing
OF crops for local distribution"
The latest figures available indicat,
that we have at present fewer thar
400 tractor owners in New York State
This would seem to emphasize the need
or Official encouragement as a mean.
OF lessening unemployment, speeding
up food production in the Empire Stat,
and thus checking the growth OF un,
rest. Out In one Western State the
authorities bought last year 2, 500 trac,
tors and placed them at the disposal o.
the farmers upon terms of easy pay.
ment, and the same course Is beins
pursued elsewhere throughout tn,
country. 1t would seem that we might
follow suit 10 our material advantage
The tractor mechanic can be re
cruited In many instances from amons
our disabled soldiers and sailors. Be,
cause of the sedentary character OF
much OF the work a lame man can dc
very well. and there are other physica
disa bilities which. while hampering In
some callings, would not interfere with
efficient service In connection will
these farm machines. Similarly. III,
truck driver. whether urban or rural
can be drawn from our ex-fighters Il
The point 10 be borne in mind is tina,
the tractor mechanic has a wide fell
of usefulness, and his education will III
him for various lines of work. Thou
sands OF his kind are needed the coun
try over, and one problem of recon
struction is that OF training a verttabl,
army OF these much desired artisans
New York state cannot afford 10 lag 4,
this movement. We have eyerythins
to gain by prompt action.