Chemawa Motor Company,Ltd.
Billy Tagarook checks
off the parts which are
ready to be assembled
for the next go-cart.
Lots of students drive cars to
school. Quite a few like to experi
ment with and repair them. But how
many schools give students a chance
to build them? Chemawa does.
The Chemawa Motor Company, Ltd.
produces go-carts. The company is
the result of an industrial education
project, in which the shop, drafting
and mechanics classes have combined
their talents.
Ten carts have been built by stu
dents involved with the project, that,
according to Mr. Moncrief, provides
some kind of work for everyone in
volved. The metal shop students, 45
of them, do most of the actual con
struction.
The small engine shop is in charge
of overhauling and rebuilding the old
lawnmower engines that are used as
power for the carts. The mechanical
drawing students develop and work on
the plans. The auto shop will have
charge of future upkeep.
Finally,
students in the driver education clas
ses will have an opportunity to gain
some driving experience in the carts.
The ten carts will also be available
for money-raising projects by clubs
and organizations at Chemawa. The
clubs will be able to buy the carts,
which cost roughly two hundred dol
lars each to build, and rent them for
student use to raise money for pro
jects.
Plans for a track located in the
southeast area of the campus are be
ing developed. Mr. Moncrief explained
that strict safety procedures would be
followed. Bodies and steering wheels
for the cart are to be constructed of
aluminum by the students. The en
gines will produce a top speed of
less than forty miles per hour. Uphol
stered seats will be installed and all
student drivers will have to wear
crash helmets.
The whole project began when the
industrial education department de
cided to search out a project that
would involve students from different
classes and would produce something
that would be useful to every pupil
in the school. “ This project,” Mr.
Moncrief emphasize^, “ uses all the
basic processes that you find in in
dustry.”
The original idea and design for the
carts comes from Science and Mecha
nics Magazine. The design was modi
fied to add additional safety features,
such as a roll bar and dual brakes.
The students have been enthusiastic
about building the carts and the whole
student body is looking forward to the
opportunity to drive them.