Show PRACTICAL TRAINING OF STUDENTS wallace idaho may 24 so successful has proven the first class in vocational training for miners in the coeur dalene district that a second class is being organized gani zed the first class organized took a contract in the morning mine where the results have netted better than the prevalent wages to the members of the class the second class has taken a contract to continue the raise that is being made from the foot level to the foot level of the hecla and work has been started this week which has been inaugurated by the school of mines at the university is so far as is known the first attempt to apply to actual underground mining work the new system of vocational education provided for by the smith hughes act and the experiment is being watched with interest by miners and the mine operators alike throughout the western states the teacher is lieutenant frank H skeels recently released from service for this work before going into the army lieutenant skeels had been a mine manager aad mine superintendent to which position he had risen after spending all his life since boyhood in and about the mines of the coeur dalene district admission to the school is obtained by application to the federal employment agent and preference is given to returned soldiers who are young enough and bright enough to be teachers the work in hand is driving a tunnel on the vein the pupils operate the rock drills in turn learning the intricacies of the drift round studying the number of holes necessary to break out the predetermined section of rock the angles at which they must be driven to make the greatest progress with the least amount of drilling and the smallest possible supply of dynamite in addition the placement of timber to support a weak wall or a rock and all the various kinks of the underground trade are taught and taught by making the student do them in actual workmanlike fashion the school is carrying on drift work by contract and payment is made per foot advance whatever is left over after paying for explosives and other supplies is divided pro rata among the men the salary of the instructor tor being paid jointly by the state of idaho and the federal government |