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Preface
This book and its companion volume for the metal-working
trades, first cover the general principles of science
common to all industry, this material being identical in
the two books. Additional material follows this, that
relating specifically to the wood-working trades
appearing in this volume, and that relating particularly
to the metal-working trades appearing in “Applied
Science for Metal-Workers”. The books are constructed in this way to meet the needs of particular industrial, trade, continuation, or apprentice classes where the instruction is intensive. Every craftsman should not only be trained in the handicraft of his trade, but, if he is to be a really skilled worker, should also master the scientific principles involved; that is, he should become familiar with the reasons underlying the various operations which he performs. Such knowledge is obtained through the study of industrial science. The teaching of related trade knowledge is not, so far as the author knows, adequately covered in any system of industrial education. Experience proves that, though the average pupil who completes the regular high school course may know the principles of the sciences in an abstract way, he is unable to recognize these principles in operation in the everyday work of the world. This fact is not surprising. Observation shows that many minds are able to grasp a principle in the abstract but are not able readily to apply that principle in practice. Therefore, the study of the application of the scientific principles underlying modern industry is worthy to be treated as a special subject. The author believes that there is a place for the traditional course in chemistry, physics, and biology in the regular high school, in addition to the first-year science course. He also believes that there is a type of mind in our intermediate and secondary schools that can profit by the study of the principles of science underlying the fundamental trades. A course of this kind should develop in a boy's mind that attitude of alertness toward theory on which all sound practice is based a mental attitude which will be valuable to all manual workers, and particularly to those who are to enter the distributive or productive spheres of industry. Hence the title of this book, “Applied Science for Wood-Workers” the purpose of which is to provide an elementary course in applied science for the wood-working trades.
Acknowledgment is also made of indebtedness to those teachers who have kindly read the manuscript arid offered valuable suggestions. The author will be pleased to receive any constructive criticism of the book.
William H. Dooley
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