Evening journal., 1920-02-02
VOCATION WORK
GREAT SUCCESS
Evening Drafting Class at
Pusey and Jones Makes
Excellent Progress
EQUIPMENT Is
FURNISHED BY co.

Probably few Wilmington citizens arc
aware Of the excellent work being done
by the cooperative evening school con-
Quoted by the State Board Of Education
at the Pusey and Jones plant. These
classes, which have been conducted for
several winters, are under the immedi-
ate supervision OF the supervisor Tor
industrial education, A. Edward Rhodes,
but have been possible only through
The generous policy Of the Pusey and
Jones Company, not only In the eduea-
tion Of its own employees, but i'm fur
nishing the room and equipment for
public instruction, 10 which any Of the
city's boys and men have been eligible.
For many years Il had been the prac-
tlee OF the management OF this firm TO
give substantial assistance TO such Of
its apprentices as were willing 20 make
an investment In education by attend
ing the available evening technical
schools. In order 20 make such work
as valuable to the boys as IL should be,
10 was decided a few years ago to open
The large drafting room for evening
classes and 10 buy the necessary equip
ment so that the boys would not need
90 furnish their own. Since this was
lust the kind Of work which the State
Board for Vocational Education Is try
ing 10 promote, Il was taken under the
control Of the Wilmington school de-
partment and became entitled TO State
aid for the teachers salaries.
Since there have been no public funds
available except for salaries the entire
expense Of equipment, housing aud ma
terials has been borne by the Pusey
and Jones Company. The best equip
ment obtainable has been purchased at
cost Of upwards OF $1,000. The splen-
did manner in which this has been
brought about Is due largely to the
efforts Of the man who is responsible
FOR all the educational advantages en-
joyed by the boys Of this plant, G. l..
C0ppage. the production manager and
supervisor Of apprentices.
While this Is only one Of the evening
drafting classes conducted by the city.
the boys who have been registered here
have enjoyed several distinct advantages,
10 which they were fully entitled be-
cause this has always been school
primarily for the training Of drafts
men. where the other classes have con-
tanned for The most part groups OF
young men engaged in the mechanical
trades and taking drafting and mathe-
matics as related in a supplementary
way 10 the learning Of that trade. or
these advantages perhaps the greatest
has been the nature not only Of the
equipment provided. but the very at
mosphere Of the room IN which the
class meets. Surrounded by all the en-
gineering data Of this department Of a
large plant and taught by the men who
in the day time are responsible for the
setting out OF the designs and esti-
hiaies. the boys have had instruction
conditions which very few communi-
ties have found Il possible 20 offer.
one Of the best features Of the class
Is the carefully planned and detailed
course Of study which has been pre-.
pared by the instructors. This covers
drafting and mathematics for three
nights q week, six months in the year,
and encourages the pursuit Of a three
year course. The Institutional mate
rial has been put in excellent shape
and lesson sheets and prints are pro-
vided from the plants printing depart
ment. The work has been so successful
from the point Of view Of the
corporation that the drafting depart
ment sometime ago decided 70 admit
no drafting apprentice who had not
been through the course In the evening
school.
The Bureau OF Vocational Education
states that Wilmington should be proud
Of what has been done In this school
as in the other evening schools, but
me full value Of this work will be evil
dent only when Il helps 20 show what
can be done by the cooperation Of the
manufacturer and the public school
when both have a common meeting
point.