No. 1. National Cash Register Co. A section of the training room.
No. 2. National Cash Register Co. A gang of hand mills operated by women.
PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY
Detroit, Mich.
In the spring of 1914 labor conditions were somewhat disturbed in Detroit. We lost a good many of our expert varnish rubbers, and we could not get skilled men to replace them, and we tried to break in men on the varnish rubbing deck, but found that too much work was spoiled by the green men, and the experienced men did not have time or inclination to properly instruct those who were unskilled. This led to the establishment of a school for training varnish rubbers and was the beginning of our efforts to train unskilled workers. The result of this experience was so highly successful that we carried it to all of the other branches of body manufacture, and a school for training unskilled help became a permanent part of our institution.
We were able to teach women how to trim automobile bodies, and they learned in an average of less than ninety days. Their work was of a very high order, and we were very much gratified with what they accomplished. Very often we found that we were able to train men to an exceedingly high degree of skill in less than sixty days. All men were not so apt. Some of them could not be placed in the skilled class even after three months of training.
As the war activities took workers we turned our school into training quarters for mechanics. For instructors we aim to use the best workers in a particular class that we have, providing that they have the natural ability to instruct others. Some men lack the ability to impart their knowledge to others. This type of man does not make a good instructor. A man should not only be an expert in his trade, but he should have the natural ability to impart his knowledge in order to become a good instructor.
In teaching some of the women we find that some women pick up very quickly some particular trade and when they become experts we in turn make them instructors. We have not yet developed any toolmakers. We have developed men to tool room work, such as turning, grinding, etc., but this is not really toolmaking.
We believe that it is possible to turn out good toolmakers and we are turning our energies to this end.