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Show RADIO OPERATORS STUDY IN WEST SIDE COURSE! J di J w2! ! ONLY FUTURE SERVICE MEN BEING INSTRUCTED! A RADIO class at the West high school where men are being trained to become expert '"buzzer"' operators. Left to right, G. ; W. Van Dyke, S. H. Besley, instructor; Private Alfred M. Hargrave and Harlan Robbins. i - 4 i -;Vxvri vt:;v; v Mi Ah i 1 Iff l trphJfl W I ' ''Vt? " v ; - 't x x ? 4 1 Class Opened on Request of Government to Meet Special Need. OK lx of turning out wireless op- Werators for the signal corps of the United States army is going go-ing rapidly ahead and the class at the West high school since the radio course was started at that institution in-stitution more than a month ago, according accord-ing to S. II. P.esley. the instructor. The course was begun at the retiuest of the government, which alms to have operators turned out in this way who can send or receive at the rate of twenty words a minule, five letters being accepted ac-cepted as one word. Only men who expect ex-pect to go into service are eligible for tlio course. Those who are in line to be called Into service on tiie second draft are especially desired as students. Persons under military age, girls," those exempt from military service for any cause, and those who are seeking free training for commercial service with railroads, rail-roads, telegraph companies or private concerns are barred from the course. It is pointed out that the government needs l.",,li00 radio and buzzer operators and that the best way of obtaining them is to organize or-ganize schools such as the one at the West high. The. course covers a period of about 200 hours, at the end of which time the men studying are expected to come up to the demands of the government. The international or wireless code is the one being studied. This differs considerably from the American Morse code used on the land wires in this country. The equipment consists of one keyless lamp socket. one slxteen-candlepower lamp, one telegraph key and one twenty -ohm sounder. The cost of engaging an instructor is from SL1 to $3 per night. The expense of the local school is paid bv the Salt Lake board of education. 'Mr. Besley, the instructor, is at present instructor in physics at the Granite high school and is regarded as one of the foremost fore-most wireless operators in the state, having hav-ing had many "years' experience in this line. Plans are now being laid at the University Uni-versity of Utah to take up the teaching of wireless on even a 'more extensive scale. At present there is a class of about twenty-five enlisted men from Fort Douglas studying the code three times a week for two hours a day. and there is a possibility that others than enlisted men may be admitted to the course. At any rate, another course wi;l be started the first week in February, which will be open to all students and perhaps to other persons. At tiie present time the University of Utah is seeking permission from the sov-ernment sov-ernment to erect a large sending station at the school. Already practically ail the equipment is on band. Permission has already been denied twice, once through the vocational department of the government govern-ment and once through the war department, depart-ment, the request having been made by oiTicers at Fort Douglas in the second case. Ar present the request Is bein taken up direct with Secretary of War Baker through Utah members of the United States senate. Tiie present class is be-in,' be-in,' taught by Dr. Orin Tugman and tiie whole wireless course is under the direction direc-tion of Dean Joseph F. Merrill. |