Curriculum for pupils of twelve to fifteen years : (advanced division).

Date:
1931
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Curriculum for pupils of twelve to fifteen years : (advanced division). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    work makes a strong appeal, and the laying down of courses and bearings accurately requires some manipu- lative skill with compasses, dividers, parallel rulers, etc. Current sailing is an application of the parallelogram of forces or velocities, and presents little difficulty when treated as such. ‘The actual construction of charts and the sailings, plane, traverse, etc., are beyond the scope of the present B.O.T. requirements for fishermen, but might be introduced, in part at least, after the pupils have a knowledge of trigonometrical ratios and the use of logarithmic tables. ‘This knowledge also leads to an understanding of Traverse Tables which are used to solve problems on the day’s work, but these problems should also be worked out practically by laying down the various corrected courses on a chart. Exercises on Reduction to Soundings can also be solved by geometri- cal construction and checked by Traverse ‘Tables. Simple experiments with mirrors to illustrate the laws of reflection, and the method of reading a vernier scale, lead to the construction and use of the Sextant. ‘The refraction of light can be easily demonstrated by glass prisms or a trough of water, while a lesson on the seasons will explain the sun’s declination—an important factor in the solution of problems in Nautical Astronomy. Opinion differs as to how far the thirty-one Articles of the “‘Rule of the Road” should be studied in the day school, but the fact that B.O.T. examiners usually insist on a verbatim repetition of certain articles suggests that these might with advantage be taught in school. The Steering and Sailing Rules, especially Article 17, afford excellent exercise, and present considerable diffi- culties to many B.O.T. candidates when illustrated