Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-06-02
SCHOOL PROGRESS
FORCIBLY SHOWN
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL HAS
SPLENDID EXHIBIT
OF WORK

Vocational school work has pro-
gressed far beyong the old manual
training work, as we used to know
it, and this is forcibly brought home
to those who have availed themselves
of the opportunity to see the exhibit
on displayest the Central school. A
prominent feature of the articles was
their very finished appearance; a per-
son viewing them is tempted to re-
mark that they do not look at all as
though they were made by hand. And
there's the point. We often speak OF
things as being hand made or ma
chine made as indicating crude or
finished appearance. Much of the old
manual training product was decided
ly hand made, in both senses OF the
word, but this is not.
Complete Outfit
1t is largely matter of design and
of advance in mechanical equipment.
The Central school has an exceedingly
complete outfit of both wood and metal
working machinery, and this, COM
bined with the fact that the work is
done from drawings carefully planned
In advance, enables the students 10
duplicate real machine shop practice
and produce work that has real ma
nufactured look.
The motor-driven saw, lathes and
face planer have enlarged the scope
of the woodworking that is undertake
en- and in place of the simple book
racks and birdhouses that formerly
composed exhibits such as this, we
h., Of q xutth
tire wheels, turned posts and pol
ished varnish surface. A gavel for
the Kiwanis club was one of the COM
missions that were executed for out
side parties, and other problems in
wood turning were piano and table
lamp standards. One particularly fine
piece of work was composed of al
ternate blocks of birch and walnut,
glued up 10 form blank for lamp
standard. When this was turned to
shape in the lathe, IL presented very
intricatt and artistic inlay effect The
base alone was composed of forty |
eight pieces.
Array Of Work
The array of machine shop work
was on display in the window of
Winkleman's store for several days, |
and is composed entirely Of practical |
machines and tools. each of which was
made for definite purpose. Four |
eight inch lathes suitable either for |
wood or metal turning, have been
made. The castings were purchased, |
andm achined and the steel parts |
made complete in the shop. All d. |
mansions on the work are accurate
to one-thousandths of an inch, which |
meets the most rigid inspection.
Twenty-Five vises were made for the
Lincoln school, and half dozen of
complete emery wheel arbors have
been made and sold. A novel pro-
blem, requiring careful and accurate
work, was gasoline engine of two
and half horsepower, made complete
even to the carburetor, from drawings
made in the school. 1t is not just
display article. but actually operates,
and is suitable for any job requiring
q low power motor The sheet metal
display included Us, ellis and other
forms of sheet metal piping and dust
pans, dppers and -four scoops for the
home. A new model window flower
bax was shown. II has perforated
false bottom through which the plant
roots can extend, and a pocket on
present. Twelve of these have been
made. A big job was an arbor press.
a machine for forcing wheels and
gears onto shafts, and capable of ex-
erting enormous pressure. One of
these is in use In one OF the local
manufacturing plants and more are TO
be made next year.
Heat Treatment
The students are taught the work
complete, from making the prelimin-
airy and finished drawings to machin-
ing the article. Heat treatment is
taught a blast furnace using gas and
compressed air and capable of gener-
nting heat of 5000 degrees fahrenheit
being in use for this. and ii is planned
TO develop this phase of the work and
install an electric promoter, an appa-
ratus for accurately measuring high
values OF temperature. Plans for the
next year also include the addition of
oxygen welding work, sand moulding,
and a wood finishing course.
The value of such a school and of
the practical work II takes up is IL
Illustrated in the case of Chas. Kuesch-
ner, one of the students Of the last
semester. Mr.. Kueschner is well
known millwright of this city. and
twenty-five of his sixty-one years
have been spent at that work. Feel
ing that he would like to become bet
ter familiar with the designing and
drawing phase of his occupation. he
enrolled last winter In the machine
drawing classes, leaving last month
to go back 90 work. He found the
course of so much value that he in
tends TO return next fall for further
instruction, IL is n valuable recon-
mendation for the school 10 have a
man OF Mr.. Kueschner's practical ex-
perience indorse the advantages of