Local Children Greatly Interested Today
An Example from The West

When travelling in the West of England recently Mr W E Capon, managing director of Messrs John Cave and Sons Ltd., boot manufacturers, of Rushden, had occasion to change trains at Swindon and, incidentally, to await for some time. The railway station, although a quiet one usually, presented on this particular occasion a scene of great animation. Inquiries which were made by Mr Capon revealed the fact that the Great Western Railway Company are now running children’s excursion trains to Swindon, where the company’s works are situated, and that these special trains run, not only from the immediate neighbourhood of Swindon, but also from places a hundred miles distant, or even more. On this particular day the number of schoolchildren on the railway platform, waiting for the train in which they were to return home, totalled between 700 and 800. Mr Capon was informed that the Great Western Railway Company had brought these scholars, by special corridor train, from so great a distance as South Wales. The juvenile visitors had been officially shown round the railway works and were then about to make the return journey. Incidentally all this was done by the G.W.R. Company at an inclusive charge of 2s. 6d. per head.

At once Mr Capon’s thoughts naturally turned to the trade in which he is particularly interested—

Realising, as all good business men and employers of labour must, that there is a higher side to even trade than the mere routine and mechanical, he conceived the idea of the usefulness, even apart from the educational point of view—of the children in Rushden schools being offered similar opportunities of looking round the factories in their own town.

Mr Capon related his experience to Mr L Perkins, B.Sc., M.B.E., of the Rushden Intermediate School, who immediately evinced an interest in the project, and it has now been arranged that parties of about 15 scholars shall be shown round the factory of Messrs John Cave and Sons on Friday afternoons. A start is being made with the Intermediate School, and it is hoped to make arrangements eventually with the other day-schools in the town. It is proposed that the scholars should write an account of their visit to the works. Mr John Austin, the works manager at Messrs John Cave and Sons' factory, has kindly promised to mark the papers sent in, and Mr Capon will give one prize in each batch.

In these days of specialisation and “one employee for one job” it is assuredly a step in the right direction for the rising generation to get a grasp of the industry as a whole and of the numerous processes to which leather is subjected before it becomes the finished article, ready to wear.

This (Friday) afternoon the first of these factory tours took place at Messrs John Cave's factory.

Students Visit Factory

Coun. W. E. Capon with students of the Rushden Junior Boot and Shoe School who visited Messrs. John Cave and Sons’ factory last Friday, when prizes were given to boys who had written the best papers based on earlier inspection of the works. On the left is Mr. F. P. Wootton, County Supt. of Boot and Shoe Instruction.

Students Examine Factory Methods
Boys Receive Prizes at Rushden

Boys attending the Junior Boot and Shoe School at Rushden have recently paid a series of visits to the factory of Messrs. John Cave and Sons, where, as part of their training, they have studied the lay-out and working of the departments, which they have inspected in progressive order.

Mr F P Wootton (left) on the visit to Cave's factory

The experiment was carried out by invitation of the managing director, Mr. W. E. Capon, and the tours were under the guidance of the factory manager, Mr. F. Tysoe, and the County Supt. of Boot and Shoe Instruction, Mr. F. P. Wootton.

After each visit the boys wrote descriptions of the processes and drew plans showing the organisation of the departments. Prizes were offered for the best records, and when the students met at the factory on Friday afternoon Mr. Capon presented National Savings awards as follows: Russell Briggs, Irchester (two certificates), Albert Roy Kilsby, Wollaston (one certificate), William Farr, Bozeat (stamps value 10s.), Bernard Jones, Kenneth Mayes and Derek Pattison (stamps value 5s.).

Addressing the boys, Mr. Capon urged them to make the most of their opportunities and not be afraid of work and study.

Mr. Wootton, in expressing thanks, said that in spite of the war the junior technical schools at Rushden and Kettering were making steady progress. About 40 students were now taking the course, and 30 others who had passed out of the schools were making good headway in local factories. The manufacturers were very appreciative.

The two-year course is for boys from 13 to 15 years of age and commences each year in September, about half the time being devoted to general education. The materials used in shoe manufacture are dealt with in geography and applied science lessons.