Pueblo chieftain., 1921-11-03
WATCH DOCTORS NEEDED

are wasting enormous amounts Of time
thru the decline OF punctuality.
With many individuals close 10
curacy in "A timepiece i not reg.trd-
ed as necessary. tho almost every one
has To catch trains and meet I'M
portant engagements at times With
the railroad man, on the other hand. \
watch that is unreliable may mean
death or injury to scores of persons.
RAILROAD TINE VITAL
There are e.o0o,0o0 OF these railroad
timepleces that have to be kept to 10
more than 80 seconds error in n week
At the recent Theological conference It
was pointed out that while there are
some excellent horologtsts. there are
far too Few who are capable OF re-
pairing timepiece so important az
railroad watch. And there ara un-
douhtediy some doing this work who
are not qualified,
To improve conditions in the horo-
logical industry. the Neurological Insti-
tute Of America has been formed. II
has just held It's second conference.
and agreed on its prc--am. II has de-
sired that watohmakers go back to
the standards OF former years when
the designer and repairer OF time
pieces was regarded as an artist and
a learned man. Matchmaking was
recognized as difficult art and 1t
consequently attracted many phom-
ising young men.
Now the boy or girl who wants
career rarely thinks OF this old art.
Horology requires moro study aud re-
ccIyes less financial reward man
other professions. and so II Is passed
/ over. At present IL IS not classod with
the professions. and students rcfuHc to
spend two years or more mastering a
vocation that is generally classed as a
! trade.
? Most people do not realize that the
man who fiNcs their ailing time
pieces H.. or should be, q highly trained
/ tochnician. To repair railroad watch.
a matchmaker should not only DO
thoroly familiar with its mechanism
and himself AN expert craftsman, but
/ he should know something OF physics
aud mctallurgy. knowledge Of these
subjects and also OF astronomy and
I trigonometry can be used BY the eI-
: pert matchmaker IN HIS work.
i Fewer and fewer students are enter
ing the schools OF horology. one watch
factory In New England experimental
with the idea OF filing the depicted
ranks OF the watchmakers from tho
high schools. Students in the senior
year were offered the chance OF
spending half OF their time I'm the
watch factory, with credit for study
there
This was intended to interest stu
dents in the work. that they would
enter the factory or a school OF horo-
logy, when they graduated. The plan
did not work. \ representative Of the
that the boys were more strongly at
tracted by the short courses that
would fit them for more renumerative
trades
Interest more students in the profes-
sion OF hurology, where. II says,
chances for advancement are good. II
also hopes TO Improve salaries.
The institution hopes also to raise
the standard uf repair work. and to
encourage research work in order to
advance our technique OF wntchmak-
ing.
This Is TO be done by certifying
watchmakcrs. No matchmaker will be
required to take an examination. But
those who wish to be certified will be
given a chance to take test This
test will probably be prepared by tho
Time Section OF the Bureau OF stand
urds. The matchmaker will bc given
a watch to repair and will he asked
questions to test his understanding of
the work.
Three examinations for three gradey
are to be given. according 10 tho Insti-
tute's decision. These VIII be for GER
titled Junior matchmaker" Certified
logist"
The man who posses the first Grade
test--the last named-must be spe-
cialist Such man is an engineer In
horoloGy. and the fact that he deals
with springs and screws that are al
most Invisible. instead of with iron
girders. makes his work no less TECH
uically cxacting.
The tests are to be of value to tho
public In that n certificate from the
Theological Institute should be a sign
OF ability. on the other hand as the
tests are not compulsory. lick of a
certificate will not imply incompetence.
The tests are also designed to pro-
mote the interests of the watchmakers
themselves. They will know that by
taking these tests and perhaps study
ing to gain the higher certificates,
they can earn more money aud a
reputation for greater skin.
Members of the Neurological Insti-
tute have said that the work OF their
organization now is chiefly for the fu-
ture. Men Who have been earning their
hNings for years do not always take
kindly to examinations and cortifi-
cates-tho the institute has found that
Its own members from big watch
companies and repair shops are willing
To stand the tests for the example OF
the thing
I The certificates will be of most In
terest to young students OF horology
who will be encouraged to study long
/ or and become more expert. instead OF
| accepting the poorly paid jobs that
are offered when thcy arc half say
thru course.