CO129-530-2 Advisory Committee on Education in the Colonies- Hong Kong education report 1930 23-12-1930 - 12-10-1931 — Page 61

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Appendix B.

TECHNICAL COURSES FOR WORKERS IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY.

Sir William Hornell.

Dear Sir,

c/o Palmer & Turner,

Alexandra Buildings.

19th May, 1931.

I received your letter of the 16th to-day, and submit for your information a syllabus built up from :-

The City and Guilds, London

Sheffield Technical School

Holt Technical School, Liverpool.

All the above are practical courses, and the practical work is preceded by a lecture, usually 30 minutes, with profuse sketches in chalk on a large blackboard. Tools are explained formally with demonstrations by practical men.

I have detailed the various courses and suggest that an easy test of arithmetic and writing (not necessarily spelling) is made before a candidate is accepted. Only workers with the tools are taken in the trade schools in England and in Ceylon.

I trust the enclosed will meet your desires, and that we in the industry will receive benefit from your efforts.

Yours faithfully,

(Sgd.) T. HOLMES,

SUGGESTED SYLLABUS

(4) ARITHMETIC. Definitions, Notation and Numeration, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Cancellation, Fractions, Decimals, Ratio, Pro- portion, Percentage.

The mathematics used in architecture and in the building trades largely consist of the use of formulae of different kinds. In this course the con- struction and use of the formulae are fully explained, and the methods of their application are clearly demonstrated.

Elementary Principles-Use of letters; Application of principles. Equations Transformation and Transposition; Combined Operations.

(B) GEOMETRY & MENSURATION. This course gives complete instruction in the form and application of all place figures, and the mensuration of plane surface and solids, with their special application to architectural estimating.

Principles of Geometry. Preliminary Definitions: Lines, Angles, and Arcs: Angles and Perpendiculars: Measurement of Ares and Angles: Parallels. Place Figures: The Triangle: Principle of the Right Triangle: Similar Polygons and Triangles: Geometrical Principles of the Circle: Inscribed and Circumscribed Polygons.

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Mensuration of Surfaces and Solids. Preliminary Explanations: Reading Drawings: Conversion Tables. Plane Surfaces: Quadrilaterals: Triangles, The Circle: Sectors and Segments of Circles: The Ellipse Area of any Place Figure: Regular Polygon Solids, Definitions: The Prism and Cylinder: The Pyramid and Cone: The Wedge: The Prismoid: The Sphere, Symmetrical and Similar Figures.

(C) PRELIMINARY BUILDING OPERATIONS. This course deals with such important

matters as excavating, shoring, scaffolding and the transport of materials.

Excavating. Datum Lines: Staking out Excavations: Character of Soil; Virgin and Artificial Ground: Bearing Value of Foundation Soils: Depth and Area of Excavations: Removal of Material: Measurement of Excavation.

Shoring, Needling, Underpinning and Bracing Buildings.

Scaffolding Classification: Pole Scaffolding: Frame Scaffolding, Needle Scaffolding: Trestic Scaffolding: Bracket Scaffolding, Suspended Scaffolding, Staging, Gantries. Scaffolding Details and Accessories, Means of communication: Connections: Equipment. Iloardings and Fans: Regulations and Recommendations.

Transport of Material. Builders' Hoisting Plant: Simple Lifting Tackle; Cranes, Hoists or Lifts.

(D) FOUNDATIONS AND FOOTINGS, This course deals very carefully and fully with the design and construction of foundations and footings. The materials of which foundations can be constructed are clearly enumerated and defined. The use and methods of driving piles and caissons are also dealt with, as are foundation walls, and the protection of basement walls.

Footings. Definitions: Design and Construction.

Foundations. Materials Timber, Concrete; Steel and Iron: Stone and Brick. Piles and Caissons: Classification of Piles: Bearing Piles: Metal Piles: Sand Piles: Driving Files: Reinforced-Concrete Bearing Piles: Concrete Piles: Calculations for Piles Foundations: Terms used in Pile Driving Protection Piles: Cribs or Caissons. Foundation Walls; Stone-Rubble Thickness of Walls: Thickness of Foundation Walls: Founda- tion Walls partly on Rock; Openings in Basement and Cellar Walls; Brick Foundation Walls; Foundations on Sloping Ground; Concrete Foundation Walls Distributed Foundations; Planking: Rafts: Grillage Foundations Reinforced-Concrete Foundations; Calculating Requisite Area of Founda- tions. Protection of Basement Walls; Dampness in Cellar Walls. Damp- proof Courses: Damp-Proofing Cellar Walls: Subsoil Drains: Areas for Keeping Cellars Dry.

(E) AREAS, VAULTS, AND RETAILING WALLS. Examples of the different kinds of areas, vaults, and retaining walls in use are given in this course. Their design to resist thrusts, their use in giving a means of obtaining light to basements in town buildings, and other points are fully covered.

Areas,

Vaults.

Retaining Walls.

Paving and Pavements.

(F) LIMES, CEMENTS AND MORTARS. This course was written in close co-operation with the chemists and works managers of one of the largest cement-making plants in the country. The materials, their classification, varieties and general properties, methods of mixing, and burning etc., are dealt with in a careful and comprehensive manner.

Limes. Introduction: Limestone and the Burning of Lime: Classifica- tion of Limes: Varieties of Limes.

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