344 AMERICAN SHIPYARD APPRENTICESHIPS, 



for training. Undesirable or unsuitable material which, in spite of careful selection, may 

 be enrolled should be dropped promptly. The probationary period of six months usually ac- 

 complishes this. 



By the end of the first year apprentices should be classed as to trade, the boys with design- 

 ing or technical abiUty separated, and the "natural-bom" leader identified. As soon as these 

 qualities are determined the boy should probably be placed under training especially adapted 

 to his individual ability. 



Third, we think that much training suffers from lack of definite, detailed objective. 

 Whenever the training is successful someone must have, first, analyzed each trade into its 

 constituent parts ; second, determined how to present each elementary part to the apprentice ; 

 third, made sure that the boy comprehends the information presented. 



Fourth, whatever methods of teaching are adopted, we would call attention to the fact 

 that the utmost flexibility in training courses is required, so that the apprentices may always 

 have a task that requires their utmost ability and application. The habit of mental and 

 physical activity is by far the most valuable asset a young boy can acquire. 



We find that the selling of the idea is most difficult and is an element that requires a 

 broad-gauged, sympathetic understanding of the problems of the boys or men who may 

 be under ti^aining. Particularly for boys the opportunity for advancement must be clear- 

 cut and definite in order to arouse the boy's ambition and clearly show the steps that 

 must be taken in the future. Ten or fifteen years in a subordinate position when one 

 is fifty years old appear as but one step on the ladder of promotion, but to a sixteen-year- 

 old boy it is a lifetime, overwhelming and discouraging. 



One or two detailed experiences in the administration of a training department may be 

 of interest : 



Some years ago apprentices for one or two years usually did the work of helpers, clean- 

 ing shops and machines and other work of like character. While we believe this is per- 

 missible for a few weeks, if long continued it results in disgust with the job and loss of inter- 

 est. In one shop the evil was effectively corrected by fitting out a section of the shop with 

 a complete line of the smaller sizes of machine tools — 15-inch and 18-inch lathes, 24-inch 

 planer, 8-inch slotter, 48-inch boring mill, tmiversal milling machine, and radial and post 

 drills and other tools. Practical instructors were assigned in charge of this division, and 

 machinist apprentice courses were laid out so that they would spend their first two years in 

 this shop, after which they were transferred to the larger tools of the main shop. The 

 special instruction this furnished resulted in a more rapid development of whatever latent 

 mechanical ability the apprentices possessed. 



Shortly after the above method was inaugurated the instructors reported that they were 

 having trouble in keeping the boys interested because the work assigned to this division was 

 usually of a repetitive character, very limited in variety. Remembering certain crude boilers 

 and engines built in youthful days with small skill and great enthusiasm, the shop was di- 

 rected to turn over the construction of all small machinery such as turning engines, circulating 

 pumps and engines, and the like, to the apprentices. At present such small machines are com- 

 pletely assembled, adjusted, run by air, and delivered complete and ready for operation. This 

 method not only furnished a large variety of machine work, but it was foimd that if there was 

 any mechanical aptitude at all in the boy, working toward a definite completed object aroused 

 enthusiasm and sustained his interest. 



Several years ago courses in mathematics, drawing, strength of materials and similar 

 studies were introduced. One incidental result is particularly worthy of mention. The six 



