Kitecraft And Kite Tournaments | by Charles M. Miller
Perhaps the one word that best expresses the trend of education at the present time is the word life-likeness. The trend is toward more and more life-likeness in organization and methods. The effort toward diversification which has resulted in putting manual training into courses of study, in multiplying courses in high schools, in providing ungraded and other special rooms in elementary schools, in breaking grades up into groups for teaching and promotions, in keeping playgrounds and shops open afternoons and Saturdays, in opening the school buildings evenings for social centers or socialized evening schools, - which has resulted in all these changes and others that might be mentioned, - is simply an effort to make the schools like life...
| Title | Kitecraft And Kite Tournaments |
| Author | Charles M. Miller |
| Publisher | The Manual Arts Press |
| Year | 1914 |
| Copyright | 1914, The Manual Arts Press |
| Amazon | Kitecraft And Kite Tournaments |
By Charles M. Miller
Assistant Supervisor of Manual Training Los Angeles, California
The Manual Arts Press Peoria, Illinois
The North Wind is my prancing steed, The Bridle is my kite;
I'll harness him, I'll drive him,
'Till my kite's most out of sight. M.
I saw you toss the kites on high, And blow the birds about the sky, And all about I heard you pass, Like ladies' skirts across the grass. Stevenson.
Introduction- Perhaps the one word that best expresses the trend of education at the present time is the word life-likeness. The trend is toward more and more life-likeness in organization and methods. The effort t...
- Preface
- When we started kite work in the Los Angeles City Schools, we little thought that so great an opportunity for awakening latent power in a certain class of boys was being initiated, nor did we dream of...
- Chapter I. General Kite Construction
- The kite is usually made of a framework of wood, is lashed together with cord, strung with cord according to design, and finally is covered with paper; but in each case some other material might be su...
- General Kite Construction. Continued
- Collapsible Frames Folding frames can be made for most kites. Large tailless kites have either a removable spine or bow, the square box-kite has braces that spring into shallow notches, and the trian...
- Chapter II. Kite Accessories
- The Bridle. The kite is not supposed to be finished until the bridle (or belly band) is attached. Nearly all kites require a bridle, a very few have the kite line tied directly to some one point of th...
- Tails
- A tail and other balancers are used to give poise to an otherwise unsteady kite. When a kite is constructed in such a way as to present a broad flat surface to the breeze, it will sway and dive and no...
- Chapter III. Kinds Of Kites
- Kites are so numerous in kinds and design nowadays that, in order to get at any kind of intelligent discussion of them, it will be necessary to segregate them into classes and varieties as the scienti...
- Chapter IV. Plain Surface Kites
- The tailless continues to be the most popular of all the kites. No matter how artistic, how representative, how curious, or how mechanical the new kites may be, the tailless is the first and last out ...
- Plain Surface Kites. Continued
- Star and hexagonal kites are not the only members of the regular shapes with tails. The Japanese square kite, Fig. 40, which is usually rectangular in shape, has a vertical spine, two diagonal spines,...
- Animal Forms
- The animals are not limited to bears, but horses, elephants, etc., can be outlined in kite forms. Fig. 52 shows a standing bear with little bears swinging between ropes as balancers for the large bear...
- Chapter V. Box-Kites
- Box-kites were a new invention a very few years ago. People said, No use trying to put a drygoods box up in the air, and yet something very similar in shape has been successfully used for a number o...
- Rectangular Kite
- The next is the rectangular kite, as shown in Fig. 67. This is a splendid kite of its kind and should have specific measurements. The two center pieces called the spines are 5/8x5/8 the corner and c...
- Tetrahedral Kite
- Out of the triangular has grown the celebrated Bell tetrahedral kites, which can be increased in size beyond that of any other kite. No attempt will be made to give an exhaustive description or full c...
- Chapter VI. Combined Kites
- Combining Plain Surfaces And Box Kites Together Straight Extension Of Surfaces One of the most efficient and popular kites in the combined construction group is the two spined tailless, called the h...
- Combined Kites. Continued
- Fig. 95. Figs. 96, 97, 98, 99. Fig. 100. Fig. 101. Fig. 102. Fig. 103. Another way of flying kites in tandem is to fasten all kites directly to the one kite line, the ...
- Chapter VII. Decoration Of Kites
- Kites may be decorated in three general ways. Piece work in covering; overlaying, called aplaca; and brush work. The decoration of kites presents some unique problems. The great distances at which the...
- Chapter VIII. Messengers
- All are more or less familiar with the piece of paper with a hole in it that is slipped over the string of a kite high in the air. The wind catches it and whirls it along, until it finally reaches its...
- Chapter IX. Moving Devices
- Most of the moving devices on kites are operated best by means of windmills. The windmill can be placed back of the kite out of sight. Various movements can be devised such as opening and shutting of ...
- Chapter X. Suspended Figures And Appliances
- These devices are usually suspended from the kite line. It is necessary to have enough suspension cords attached to prevent twisting up with the main line. Most of the devices will float out and have ...
- Suspended Figures And Appliances. Continued
- Signaling Signaling can be done by means of a red and white flag, and the code used by the wig wag system, or one similar can be used. Fig. 170. Fig. 175 shows the rod on which the two signals a...
- Swings
- A swing can be attached to the kite line by six suspension cords, Fig. 178. The boy in overalls is a pleasing figure, Fig. 179. The framework is of light kite sticks and the figure is cut out of light...
- Chapter XI. Balloons And Parachutes
- Balloons that really go up are always attractive but by thoughtful planning they can be made much more beautiful. A nice white balloon against a blue sky is very pleasing, but most boys like more colo...
- Inflation
- Two methods are used to fill the balloons. A wire is stretched across the frame of the mouth of the balloon and another at right angles to it. A ball of excelsior having been soaked in paraffin is att...
- Chapter XII. Reels
- Reels are very convenient for most kite flying and quite necessary for high flying where so much string must be let out and wound in again, but an absolute necessity for events where racing is an impo...
- Chapter XIII. Aeroplane Models
- Aeroplane Models Are Small Sized Aeroplanes They may be divided into four classes: A. Small models of large machines, made for the purposes of construction. B. Small models of large machines made f...
- Chapter XIV. Gliders
- In group C is to be found the most profitable source of study for the self-propelling model aeroplane. The glider has no motor and no propeller, but is made on the plan of the motored model in the con...
- Warping
- No warping of the planes is necessary in the glider that has been discussed, but it is well in the lighter models to have some warping called camber, in the larger planes especially. Another warping i...
- Chapter XV. Model Aeroplanes
- Self-propelling air devices must be of the lightest possible weight and yet they must have strength. There will be no attempt to give a great variety of model aeroplanes; but a few can be discussed, p...
- Model Aeroplanes. Continued
- Figs. 227, 228. Fig. 229. When long models are made with single spine, they need some simple wire supports to prevent springing up or down, and from left to right. Fig. 229 is 4' long and t...
- Chapter XVI. Propellers, Motors, Gears, And Winding Devices
- There are four kinds of propellers: 1. Propellers carved out of solid and laminated blocks. 2. Metal propellers with curved or twisted surfaces. 3. Built up propellers. In this type a small block i...
- Motors
- Quite a number of devices have been tried, but the rubber string is by far the most efficient power yet discovered. Rubber has a great deal more power than an equal weight of steel in all ways that st...
- Gears
- Small, light weight gears can be made or bought. They are attached to propeller shafts and are geared back different pitches. Some one to two, others one to three, while some gears are one to one. It ...
- Winding Devices
- It is tiresome to wind up the rubber motors by hand, so mechanical winding devices have been made. A drill with a hook in the place of a drill-bit is quite satisfactory. It is best to have a ring on t...
- Chapter XVII. Tournaments
- All of the work of construction and flying of kites is interesting and profitable for development yet there is opportunity for furthering this interest by bringing about yearly tournaments for the exh...
- Suitable Location
- But the work at the school is not a tournament altho an important factor of it. The director, we will call the manager of the tournament, must find a suitable location. It must be open to the breeze, ...
- Judges
- Settle on your judges at least two weeks ahead of the tournament. It will assist in arousing interest in the schools with which they are connected. Principals and manual training teachers should be av...
- Chapter XVIII. Tournaments, Continued
- The newspapers are glad to publish notices and pictures, and some will even print plans of work free. They are very persistent in getting reports of the tournament, so the judges should be careful in ...
- Quarter Mile Dash
- The race consists of the letting out and winding in of a kite on one quarter mile of string. The boys set their reels ready for the best speed and they group themselves quite close together, but far e...
- Badges
- For badges, we use a celluloid button, with our own cut, the ribbon attached has printing in black. The officers get yellow, the first prize, blue, the second, red. Some years we have used different c...
- A Sample Announcement
- Manual Training Office Los Angeles City Schools Kites And Aeroplane Models. New Year's Greeting to the Kite Makers of Los Angeles: The Sixth Annual Kite Tournament will be held April 20, 1912, at ...
- Chapter XIX. Conclusion
- Kite making and kite flying have been enjoyed for centuries in the orient and for a good many years in this country, and will continue as a seasonal sport for perhaps all time. It can be made more int...
- Chapter XX. Bibliography Of Kites
- Prepared by M. Charlotte Casey, Los Angeles Public School Library. Adams, J. H. How to make kites and flying gigs. Woman's H. C........31:44 Baden-Powell, B. F. S. Kites, their theory and practice. ...
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