Position

The teacher should insist upon each stu-dent's maintaining a proper position while at work at the bench, as bad habits acquired at this time are apt to be lasting, with the result that there are many round-shouldered or otherwise deformed workmen. The student should acquire the habit of bending from the hips instead of from the shoulders; this will assist in preserving an erect carriage, while if the other habit is acquired, he will be permanently round-shouldered and hollow-chested before middle age.

The majority of the students will sit down if there is the slightest excuse for so doing; the teacher should prevent this, as it is a great incentive to laziness and to careless habits of work. Drawing and certain kinds of small work may sometimes be performed more advantageously in a sitting position, but aside from drawing there is little work in this series which the student can do as well while sitting.

Students generally are apt to assume awkward positions of the feet when first attempting bench work, but if the teacher sees to it that this habit is remedied, the student will in a short time naturally take the position in which he can work to the best advantage.

Shingling

In teaching shingling, it is necessary to have a model roof upon which to work; this should include at least two hips, a valley, and a gable, in order to illustrate the different methods of shingling the various parts of a roof.

Arithmetic

The questions in arithmetic should be divided into lessons of convenient length, and assigned to students at regular stated intervals; they should be so planned as not to conflict with their regular work in mathematics. In the solution of these problems, the shortest and most practical methods should be used, the student being allowed to use his own methods, provided they are sound and can be demonstrated, even though they may not be found in the textbook in use in the school.

In practical work the workman falls into short cuts of doing any arithmetic that may be necessary, though of course the methods he uses have to be sound in order to give correct results; it is to develop facility in using figures in the most economical way, therefore, that these questions in arithmetic are given.

The phraseology in stating the questions is that used by carpenters in speaking of their work; the explanatory notes accompanying the questions and the glossary in "Constructive Carpentry " will be found of assistance.

If necessary, square and cube root may be taught from any good textbook; in fractions, however, the student should have had, before entering the work, sufficient instruction to give him a good working knowledge of this subject, the questions being intended simply to familiarize him with the daily problems of the carpenter. The use of tables of circumferences and areas of circles also should be taught, but as these are published in so many manufacturers' catalogues and in other easily accessible places, they are not made a part of this series. Formulas may be taught by the use of algebraic symbols, which are not at all difficult to master, as any student having the above-mentioned knowledge of arithmetic, and knowing how to work square root, can by a little application solve the formulas given in this book, and also those published in trade papers.

The Steel Square

This part of the work requires the closest application and the most comprehensive knowledge of construction. A thorough drill in the use of the steel square should be given in the different problems, which will demand the construction of model roofs, working to the scale of 1" to 1', as previously described. Applying this method, a roof 18' x 30' would be 18" x 30" at the outside of the plate, which is a convenient size for this purpose.

There are other ways of obtaining pitches, angles, and lengths of rafters, easier in some instances than those taught in this series, and many carpenters have a rule for each separate pitch; but this is confusing to a class, therefore the formulas given in " Constructive Carpentry' are adaptable to roofs of all pitches and dimensions.

Advanced Class

The teacher of the advanced class should take his students to visit buildings in various stages of construction, and should repeat the visit periodically as the work progresses, requiring the students to hand in written exercises treating of the foundations, framing, finishing, painting, heating, etc. The pupils should notice also the progress of the building in a given time, the number of men employed, the peculiarities of construction or arrangement, and any feature which is out of the ordinary, or which is intended to adapt the building to some special purpose.

The class may all write upon the same subject, or each one may take a special part. When the papers are read before the class, encourage criticism and discussion.

Use Of Tools

As soon as the class begins upon its first work, the use of each tool, its construction, and any new process or materials should be made the subject of a short talk and demonstration; this, in fact, should be the program when any new tool is used for the first time, using the topics in " Elements of Woodwork" or " Elements of Construction" as the basis of such an exercise. The teacher should also guide the pupils to further research upon the subject of tools. The methods of using and adjusting tools for different woods and for the various kinds of work should be discussed fully, each student being required to follow the teacher step by step with his own tools, as far as it is practicable to do so.

Tendencies To Be Guarded Against

The teacher will save himself much trouble, and insure better work upon the part of the class, if he insists upon the use of the knife in marking all places where a close fit is desired. Most students will use the pencil in places where only a knife should be used; consequently, it is wise to take the pencils away from all the students when they are doing work which requires accuracy, as it is the most peaceable way to prevent their use. It takes time, and often involves as well the destruction of considerable work, before the class realizes that there is but one point which is accurate, and that the slightest deviation from that point results in poor work. The indiscriminate use of the pencil also should be prevented, or it will in many places cause a decided blemish. Many students will not hesitate to draw their pencils across the surface of a nicely smoothed and sandpapered piece of wood, but are surprised to discover that perhaps they may have to work half an hour to resmooth the wood and remove the results of the thoughtlessness of a second. The best way is to bar the use of the lead pencil as much as possible.

Another peculiar characteristic of students in general, is that they will not use a plane, if a rasp, sandpaper, spoke-shave, or any other tool can be made to answer. The majority will at first prefer to work with a piece of sandpaper for half an hour, when a couple of minutes' work with a smoothing plane followed by sandpaper will accomplish the desired result in a much easier and more satisfactory manner. Therefore the teacher should watch to see that the plane is used and all necessary cutting done, and should inspect the work carefully, before the scraper or sandpaper is allowed to touch it, as the surface of a piece of wood filled with the grit from sandpaper will quickly dull the edge of any tool that touches it afterward.

Smoothing And Sandpapering

Sandpaper should be torn into pieces of convenient size, say about one eighth of a sheet, and kept by the teacher, who should give it out as it is needed, requiring that all worn pieces should be returned to him. In this way the teacher may keep track of the entire supply, and be sure that none is used before the work is ready for it. After the class has learned the danger of using sandpaper indiscriminately, such vigilance will be unnecessary.

Most students in working upon a model that cannot be smoothed after it is put together, will need to be watched carefully, or the model will have to be taken apart before it can be smoothed. The best results are obtained by an ironbound rule that two pieces shall not be fastened together until the teacher has said that they are ready. Do not hesitate to require that an entire model shall be destroyed in order to enforce a matter of this sort; this may have to be done once in a while, but rarely twice with members of the same class.

Saw Filing

Saw filing should extend throughout the entire course after the first lessons, and as much opportunity as possible should be given for each student to obtain experience, as a sufficient degree of skill can be acquired only by careful practice. The students should be encouraged to bring saws from home, or those of their neighbors, since where all the students use the same equipment of saws, it is hardly fair that these should be kept in order by any one but an expert.

Gluing

Set apart one place in the shop for gluing. Keep handscrews and clamps there, and insist that all gluing shall be done in that place, otherwise glue will be dropped and smeared in all parts of the shop. Do not allow glue to be used so near the end of the class period that the work cannot be done properly, as some students will get the glue on, and, if the bell rings, will go off and leave it, thus destroying the work, if the teacher does not discover it in time to correct the matter.

Estimating

The teacher should select a small, simple house for the students to estimate upon. He should either secure a copy of the original plans, make a set himself, or have the students make a set as part of their mechanical drawing work. These plans should be used in taking off quantities.

If possible, a copy of the original stock bill and estimates should be secured, as they may be used for comparison with the work of the students. If this is not possible, the teacher should make a stock bill and estimate the cost, using the data given in " Inside Finishing," Chapter VII, and the local prices.

A careful study and review of this work is essential, all the class working upon the same house.

Estimating of small details, cases, or any convenient pieces of work should be practiced through the entire course in carpentry.