Page 248 - Records of Bahrain (5) (ii)_Neat

568 Records of Bahrain

The practical work of the Building Trades (c) BUILDING
Group will have to take place to a great extent TRADE PRACTICE
away* from the school premised end of necessity
illlhavc to consist of the erection of actual buildings. Stone and
concrete ao working matorinlo havo an embarrassing hull: and perman­
ence which preclude their use as materials for mere oxorclsos or
architectural exporimonto. Therefore instruction in building will
invariably be associated with useful works, from simple boundary
falls to vaulted roof3 or reinforced concrete galleries. This v/ill
require cIobq co-operation between the School and the Public -V/ork3
Department which, in tho early days of the project at loas't, should
provide most of tho v/ork. Building trade students should not only
be taught tho properties and uses of tho different kinds of etono,
and tho methods of stone and concrete construction; they should also
be given a sound knoY.'Iodgo of drawing, measurement und setting out,
tad the principles of carpentry as applied to tho forming of stone
and concrete structures. The aesthetic side of building work should
be given some attention, for in Bahrain much work is carried, out by
stonemasons without tho guidanc0 of an architect, so thut mutters of
form and proportion in local buildings depend on the t.^ato of the
skilled workmen who erect them.
For the Electrical Trade Group also much of (d) ELECTRICAL
.the trade practice will have to be carried out on TRADES.
contract works outside the school, and entirely go
in the ca30 of olectrloal installation work in buildings. It should
be remarked in connection v/ith the electrical trades course that
the students v/ill need some knowledge of the scientific theory which
formo the basis'of their trade. In fact, 3UCC0ss as an electrician
depends rather more on theoretical knowledge than on manipulative
skill. Due regard must be given to this point when choosing the
typo of boy to follow the electrical course.
There is a danger that when a school opens the doors of it s
rorkshops to contract work it v/ill have to accept many tasks which
are valueless from the point of view of instruction, or which
demand v. great deal of attention from the instructors and provide
very little work for the pupils. To safeguard the training scheme
against disturbance from this cause a small
number of ex-students of the school should TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT
be employed as paid workmen, assisting in OF EX-STUDENTS IN THE
the normal activities of the ’shops, but SCHOOL WORKSHOPS.
ready to execute work outside the range of
ordinary training practice. It is not suggested that these men con­
stitute part of the permanent staff of the school. On the contrary,
Ihey should be hold in temporary employment only between the time
of completing their tv/o-year training course and their transfer into
suitable posts in industry. In this connection it should be borne
in mind that however great the demand for skilled labour in industry*
It is never an easy matter to place some 40 or 50 boy3 in suitable
employment all at once on the completion of their school course.
Yaoancics occur in industrial concerns only at irregular intervals,
end to prevent trained boys drifting into unprofitable occupations
the school would do well to retain them In paid service until proper
outlets were open. The maintenance of a reservoir of skilled labour
»ould not only benefit the individual students. It would enable the
school to conduct- its workshops more nearly on industrial lines by
accepting a lurge amount of contract v/ork of a high standard.

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