San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-05
BOARD ASKED /
To stop CAR
REPAIR WORK.
iaan Engaged in Auto Top
Making Request Schools
Discontinue 1t.
CLAIM IT'S UNFAIR
Petition Also Filed Asking
That German Be Taught
in Schools.
CLAIM IT'S UNFAIR

BASED upon the supposition that
th>ir business would suffer, twenty
San Antonio firms that specialize in
automobile top making. painting. up
! holstcring and trimming, petitioned the
public school board at the regular
session Tuesday afternoon, to abandon
the present method OF giving instruc-
tion in those branches of automobile
repair work as taught in the manual
trimming department Of the public
school system.
Members of the San Antonio public
schcol board expressed the opinion that
the petitioners were unduly alarmed
and that such instruction would as
Sis rather than injure automobile in
dUatrics.
Upon the motion of Herbert PEARS,
thu petitioners, either personally or by
committee representing them, were
invited to confer with DIR. jeremiah
Rhodes. superintendent of schools. and
J.. W. Fox supervisor of manual train
ing. in order that the attitude of the
school board might be explained in de-
tail and the apparent misrepresentation
under which the school board believes
the petitioners are laboring, might be
lifted.
Not a Commercial Venture.
The petitioners stated that it was
their understanding that owners of
cas- bring their machines to the man.
ual training department where they
are repaired and renovated without
expense to the owners. Since. the pc
ii 'oncrS continued. their only means
~ livelihood was that of auto top max
ing. painting. trimming and upholstcr-
inc. such action upon the part Of the
manUal training department would in
ju'' the business by which they made
wing.
Dr. Rhodes explained to tn, school
bc.-d that very few automobiles were
b: rGht in by the public for repair
wr-k by the students in the manual
training department. The manual
training department. was not COM
mcrcial venture, he explained, but was
conducted along the present lines in
order that pupils might b. given
practical training.
Automobiles, ore taken in hand by
, the mS%hal training department, he
explained. only after an explanation
has been made to the owner to the eff
fcyt that il would be several weeks if
MOI several months before the ear
wculd be returned to the owner. I'M
de" these conditions, few automobile
owners would be willing to release
their machines. Few owners also
are willing to place their cars in the
hands Of amateurs. Good machines
are not wanted. DR.. Rhodes said, but
the worse the condition of the auto
mobile. the better material it is for
instruction purposes.
Every boy should know something
ABOUT automobiles whether or not he
intends to make the automobile bust
ness his life vocation" DIR. Rhodes
said. The criticism has been repeat
edly made that the schools do not turn
out pupils who have practical knowl-
edge. The only method by which prac-
teal knowledge can be gained is by
actual work on automobiles. Since
we have no apprenticeship system in
this country. manual training depart
ments OF the public school systems Of
fer the best substitute
Want German Taught.
DIR. Rhodes explained that as
commerclnl venture. any manual tram
ing department would be failure. 1t
is true. that car owners may have their
cars worked upon without cost 10 them
except for materials actually used. but
the number OF cars actually worked
upon during the course of one year is
negligible,
Another effort 10 introduce the
teaching of German in the public
schools was made Tuesday afternoon.
A petition. signed by 73 present and
prospective students of Breckenridge
High School requested the board to
introduce n German course during the
coming term. Upon the motion of
? Mrs Henry. Guerra. which was sec
onded by Henry Rogers. the petition
was accepted with the assurance that
it would be given careful consideration
in the future.
Vocational work under the Smith
Hughes act will be expanded during
the coming term, it was revealed. The
San Antonio independent school dis
trict will increase its appropriation 20
pes cent over that of last year. making
n total, appropriation of s10.4DS.5S.
Amount of federal and state aid has
not been ascertaincd.