The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 71

ENQUIRER SUNDAY MAGAZINE AUTOMOTIVE SCHOOL Here Both The' Practical And Theoretical Phases Of Education Are Combined To Give The Serious Student An Ideal Perspective On His Life's Wor JULY 30, 1 933 CINCINNATI VOCATIONAL '''1. By Robert H. Helmer. HIGH SCHOOL char-. feij ter recently granted to the to do in the shop departments.

Theory of flight, simple ero-dynamic and airplane rigging are taken up as they relate to the part or member of the airplane being studied. This information is brought tut through group lectures, textbooks, assigned readings, drawings, pictures, display of parts and materials, required ex I A rii live Vocational LSJ-r-Mxi Rehnol 2315 Iowa Street' pils enrolled In the first session, with three members of the faculty devoting their entire school day to the teaching of aviation subjects, both in theory and practice. In 11)30-31, the enrollment was increased to 126; in 1931-32, to 189, and during last year, 234 students comprised the department. The instruction personnel has increased, too, from three teachers in 1929 to seven in the last session. and Its value to the study of aerodynamics.

From this elementary stage, the pupil is introduced to more detailed and complicated studies on regular licensed airplanes. Mr. Gile Is a quiet, unassuming person, with an interesting background qualifying him as an instructor at the school. He Is army trained and is a rated bomber, having dropped 115 tons of live bombs, periments and wind-tunnel tests. The related work for the airplane nop auring me courses 01 msiruc- including tne world largest, a AT CLASSES are comprised of tion cover the subjects of construe-; missile.

His flying ca- turns the spotlight on the character of the "study with a purpose" viewpoint of the youth of today. It reveals, also, the quality of teaching at that institution, as well 'as the progressiveness of education In Cincinnati. Essentially, the charter signifies that the offered at the school have met the high school requirements of the state and that D' graduates of elemetary school, won, assembly and repair, and ad- reer officially started at Carlstrom who are taught those high vances the student In related scl- Field, Florida, the primary train- school subjects relative to the vo- ence and aerodynamics parallel ing base of most of the United cation which they are pursuing, with his work in the shop. States Army pilots. He took his At night there are classes com- In the airplane maintenance de- advanced training at Kelly Field, prising high school and college partment, under the supervision Texas, a post which enjoys the dis-rraduates, pilots and skilled me n.mh.rH nf tha fnnilltv arjk OUali- fled as competent Instructors.

The -theory that "education with a -goal perpetually In view is the 1 keynote of all learning today" is exemplified at the school, for the students mix to a delectable degree the practical as well as the theoretical sides of their education. The combined efforts of John JV chanics, all intent on becoming more adept In their chosen field. The same courses taught during the day are given to night students, with more advanced work being given to those capable of carrying it. In various laboratories of the school, instructors teach science as it is related tcthe many Jobs that the boys are required to complete in the airplane and engine shops. By experimentation and research, the lad learns the theoretical reason for every practical operation: He is taught to seek the scientific truths underlying his responsibilities as an aviation mechanic, rather than to proceed by mere guess work.

The entire work "of the laboratory Is very carefully classified and built up around the practical Jobs required in the various shops of the school. A Et Arunciei, director or. vocational education in Cincinnati, and Dr. E. D.

Superintendent of the Cincinnati Publio Schools, have been responsible for the granting of the dejree, which has to the youth and citizens Oi Cincinnati one of the best and aviation schools in the United States today. The school is the direct outgrowth of war days, inasmuch as- it served to train-automobile and motorcycle men in th-1 hectic era. Furthermore, most of the personnel at present Is made up of army Instructors who served during the World section of the aeronautical engine department supervised by Kirby omun. i ne engines are completely dismantled and then re-assem-bled by the students. In the foreground is a marine engine (with instrument plate), the study of which is also a phase of this department.

During the war epoch Anthony Bauer was Principal of the school. At the time of his appointment he was superintendent of the municipal garage and now is superintendent of the Cincinnati Workhouse. A major over-haul I The motor mw I 'Vti, I was completely dismantled AY F. KUNS, the present Prin cipal, took over the reins when -the school was moved to the and the wings and fuselage inspected and tested. Instructor Gile may be seen in the foreground with the pointer, explaining to the students a phase of the construction.

This plane is flying at Lunken Airport third floor, of, the building now oc- cupled by the L. T. Patterson Com- pany, at the northeast side of Court Street and Gilbert Avenue. In 1921 when the student body became too large for its quarters there, the school was transferred to Withrow High School Industrial Arts Build- i. -w Cv 7 IX the Greater Cincinnati airports, the school Is qualified to do the work.

The students, under the supervision of their Instructor, make the necessary repairs at a nominal charge in the shortest time possible. This service Is both advantageous to the 0 Department heads who supervise the work of the students. Left to right, they are: Frank Bechtold, co-ordinator; Frank students and the aircraft owner, Will CHARLES F. SMITH Is the instructor in charge of the welding department. His department is vitally Important because In late years it has become stand Fairchild, instructor of related science department; Ray F.

Kuns, principal; Truman Gile, instructor in airplane construction; Charles F. Smith, inspec ard practice-In American aircraft tor of i welding department; and industry to oxy-acetylene weld structures, empennage, Kirby C. Smith, instructor of fuselage aeronautical and marine engine motor munt8 nd numerous other i i parts, Including the more recent production of wing structures. The mm iiliprs use of welding permits lighter structures and the carrying of larger pay loads, because a steel tube fuselage is lighter than one Students using instruments in the Related Aeronautical Science of ply wood. Every provision has been made Department.

The cylinder at the left is a wind-tunnel. At tinction of being termed the "West Point of the Air," where he was officially rated as an observer. He is licensed by the Department of Commerce as a transport pilot, airplane and engine mechanic, and ground instructor. He holds a Federation Aeronautique Internationale license, recognized in 26 countries, and is a member of the In the welding shop for safety, com- fort and efficiency. thto is true fn all mechanical de- 1 K' partments.

Numerous caution signs and safety apparatus are placed throughout the building, so that the separate fireproof building. Individual welding tables are used, as well as steel benches for fabrication, Society of Automotive Engineers, National Aeronautic Association student Is given the utmost physical and assembling, with sneclallv con partment Is handled by George Winters, instructor in the automotive engine department. Winters served during the World War as aircraft engine Instructor at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station under Rear Admiral William The "insidea" of an airplane wing. Students seen in the picture are repairing the skeleton of a wing, of a licensed airplane. The wing spars were new fabric and color combination applied.

i and the famous "Quiet Blrdman." consideration while carrying on his structed booths protecting the eyes organization. vocational training. Permission 0f the observers from harmful infra- The school, incidentally, Is a re- from an instructor Jnust be ob- red or ultra-violet rays, pair and maintenance department tained before operating any mechan- Practically all the construction of for licensed aircraft, having been ical device. h. A.

Mofret, who recently lost his The following example will show of Truman Gile another pioneer in mis aeparimem, me siuueni fonl lnrlc.ru. llf. nn th. Ill.f.t.H Abrnn how the boy's work Is organized in not only protected by caution signs, flr.wftila and designated as such by Freeman Albery, Department of Commerce Inspector in Cincinnati. Whenever repairs are to be made, or motors are to be overhauled, at any of but the acetylene and oxygen gases have been made bv the I "7 in the industry," having begun his career 17 years ago the student is taught the actual building, repairing and flying of model aircraft ucuai UIICIll.

kitcu icuou kiv used in performing the work are students. riro exungunei anu bv th unv eornnrftt am piped from cylinders stored in a fire blankets are located at con and individuals, ia valued at Mm i). 1 ing. On April 15, 1929, a final trans-, fer was made to its present quarters a three-story, buff-brick build-, ing, erected by the Board of Education at a cost of approximately $160,000 for both land and building. In this bee-hive of industry there i is an enrollment of 609 majorly divided into automotive and aviation departments.

In the former there are 375 students and in the latter 234. Both sections of the school are independent in themselves, but at the same time are dependent on each other. A student who wishes to major in the automotive Industry will center his time on that subject and otiiy make a survey of aviation in order to comprehend a field relative to his own. Likewise, the student majoring in aviation will Include only as the Related Science Laboratory supervised -by Frank M. Fairchild.

Mr, Fairchild possesses an enviable recoxd, having started his flying career with Anthony Weckey in 1924 at Chicago. He is a graduate of Berea Normal College and is licensed by the Department of Commerce as a His duties at the school are primarily related to technical subjects maintenance and repair of airplanes and engines, radio equipment and electrical appliances, and Air Commerce rules and regulations. ANY Information about the airplane shop, for instance, gained from experiments, research, lectures, pictures, or from any other source is carefully writ venient points ia the shop. The. aircraft, engine department' is supervised by Kirby C.

Smith, who started in 1910 to work for Curtiss Airplane Company. He has 32 types of aircraft motors, ranging from the old rotary Le Rhone motor to the present-day Pratt and Whitney Wasp, used on modern airlines. With so many motors mounted on stands in Mr. Smith's department, one receives the impression of being In an airplane engine factory. The motors were donated by numerous aviation engine companies and the United States Army.

The student takes them apart, dismantling each piece and noting the construction as he progresses and then assembles them again, applying theoretical knowledge in the practical test. Every piece requiring delicate measurement is properly scaled by rule and caliper. During the four years' training, the student ia brought into contact with automobile, marine and aviation engines. At specified intervals 351. i The students constructed $2,442 worth of equipment, mostly from odds and ends of materials.

The Cincinnati Board of Education has supplied certain and equipment not otherwise available, but on the whole it Is a negligible amount compared with what has been given or loaned to the school. COURSES of instruction analo- gous to those offered, in other high schools are also taught to the students. Frank J. Bechtold is the evening school principal and day school coordinator. Both he and Mr.

Kuns, the day school principal, assist the third and fourth year students in obtaining co-op employment which reduces the cost of their education to a minimum. There are no charges for tuition and very few Incidental fees at the school. Edgar Dow Gllmah, In charge of publio utilities, and Albert B. Wunder, Superintendent of Lunken Airport, as well as' a number of local privately owned commercial ten up and classified by the student much of the automotive training as under the following heads: pro-will be essential to the full under- pellors, wings, fuselage, landing standing of his own course. gear, empennage and controls.

The aviation section of the school Throughout the entire four-year Is comparatively young, having course, information appertaining been born out of necessity to meet to that particular shop will be filed the ever Increasing demand for away by each pupil under the cor-tralned mechanics in a fast develop- rect headings. There is no limit to Ing. and also to provide the number of experiments that courses for far-sighted pupils who the student may conduct in the re-vlsualize the importance of being lated science department. However, trained for lucrative positions in a there are certain definite requlre- the whole class is taken to the varl- transport companies, have always mar" now gigantic Industry. ments which must be met before ous airports to study the opera- been willing to cooperate with the school In all of its undertakings: tlons of airplanes, thus familiariz ing them with all phases of the Briefly, the "fly business," the automotive Industry and the school During the fall of 1929, aviation was offered as an elective course to students of the school.

Its appeal was unanticipated. Sixty-three pu- one is given credit for any particular phase of the work. Each year of related work is based upon the Jobs that the boy is required field which they are entering, Arthur Burkhart and Charles Rentz with the plane which they constructed from an old fuse- lage. The motor also was built entirely at the school. An overflow of the engine de- are just one big happy family..