- Sept. 1, 1916. 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE and Reminder 
Miniature Naval Plattsburg at Manchester 
Novel Training Classes 
for North Shore Children 
SOME. bright and sunshiny n-orning that part of the 
North Shore adjacent to Manchester will awaken to 
the “put-put-put” of a dozen or more gasoline motors of 
the torpedo boat destroyer fleet now being built’ in Man- 
chester. Or perhaps it will be the whirring of aeroplane 
propellers that will attract attention to a kind of “pre- 
paredness” which doesn’t result in bloodshed. That 
either of the above mentioned possibilities may be ex- 
perienced within the coming weeks is evidenced by pro- 
gress being made by the new training school for North 
Shore boys conducted by Alex Sjorlund at his Union st. 
shop in Manchester. 
The training classes established for the first time this 
summer are the result of an idea of Mr. Sjorlund’s which 
had its inception in the Plattsburg naval cruises for 
civilians. Mr. Sjorlund, who is a skilled mechanic and a 
member of the Manchester Launch club, conceived the 
idea of applying the principal of the naval Plattsburg to 
the boys of the North Shore who might be assembled in a 
class which would combine healthful recreation with valu- 
able instruction in mechanics and naval matters. Out of 
the idea grew the first summer classes for boys, now in- 
cluding 18 youngsters who are engaged in boat building, 
aeroplane construction, etc., with the ultimate purpose of 
competing with their finished products. 
There is nothing of the military in the training given 
the youths, but the principles involved are fundamental. 
The boys are taught to handle tools, use their own initia- 
tive in construction and ultimately the principles of hand- 
ling sail and power-craft. Each boy visits the shop twice 
a week for periods of two hours at a time. During the 
period while he is engaged in work with three or four 
other boys of his age he is under the discipline of an 
apprentice at a trade. Each boy chooses the type of craft 
he will construct. One boy is engaged at present in build- 
ing a torpedo boat destroyer and is constructing every bit 
of the trim model even to the metal work himself. An- 
other ambitious youth has attempted and is successfully 
completing the building of a Gloucester model fishing 
schooner. Other boys are at work on models of 21- footer 
yachts patterned after the crack Buzzard Bay racing 
eraft, the Makaboro JJ, which was built in Manchester 
ALEX H. SJORLUND 
MODEL DOCK YARD. 
: 
and has successfully competed in the special races at 
Marion, 
The first lesson includes a trip to Gravel Pond where 
the six-foot model power boat built by Mr. Sjorlund is 
used to demonstrate the principles of steering, motor con- 
trol, etc. The little boat used for the demonstration is 
complete to the last detail and includes electric lights in 
its equipment. The boys work in groups, although each 
has his allotted task. There is a good deal of friendly 
rivalry among them during the building and they are not 
at all backward in their criticism of one another’s work. 
The quarters where the boys work are ample for the 
number employed at a given period. Sanitary individual 
drinking cups are provided and the quarters are light and 
well ventilated. As the course proceeds frequent out-of- 
door trips will be made to the pond where races will be 
held between the yachts and also the power boats. 
Next year Mr. Sjorlund will have enlarged quarters 
and will increase the number of his pupils by a dozen. 
Many of the boys are interested in wireless telegraphy, 
but nothing will be attempted in that direction this sea- 
son. Next year instruction in building and installing 
wireless equipment will be a part of the course. 
Mr. Sjorlund is taking orders at this time for the 
manufacture of sail and power boats for Christmas gifts 
to boys. 
Ex-PRESIDENT RoosEVELT enters the campaign this 
fall and has already agreed to make six campaign speeches. 
The first one will be made in Maine this w eek, thus open- 
ing the campaign in New England. Mr. Hughes also is 
to make several speeches 1 in Maine. This state that brings 
in its returns early is an important one because of its 
influence upon the whole nation. The way in which 
Maine will go will be looked upon as a sort of political 
barometric indication of how the whole country feels 
upon the question. So both parties will turn every stone 
to align the voters in Maine. The entrance of Mr. Roose- 
velt cannot but be a helpful force. His influence with 
the Progressive voters in the Republican party will mean 
much. Everything now points toward a Republican 
victory in the fall. 
