The Science Society

career. This term, for instance, 17 boys were interviewed by Mr. H. Lyon, the Director of the Bureau, and many of them now know more definitely what they are going to do. 2. The Bureau introduces boys to firms who will give them interviews and show them what they have to offer in the way of working conditions and prospects of promotion without in any way committing the boys, or the firms, to any definite arrangement, until after National Service. One boy interviewed by Mr. Lyon was sent details of over 20 firms who were prepared to grant him an interview. 3. Each year, during the Easter and Summer holidays, the Bureau arranges for a number of Short Courses to be run by various industries, banks, businesses and by representatives of the retail trade, so that boys can see at first-hand what is entailed in work with such firms. This Summer nearly 500 boys are taking advantage of these courses. One Peterite attended a course run by the English Electric Company in the Easter holidays and found it invaluable, while another is attending a course run by the Rootes 'Group in September. The value of these courses cannot be over-estimated and younger boys who would like to know what the commercial world has to offer should consider attending one of the courses towards the end of their time at School. K.G.C.

VISIT TO MESSRS. FIRTH VICKERS STEEL WORKS

The Science Society outing this term took us to the works of Messrs. Firth Vickers Stainless Steels, Ltd., Sheffield. The journey was enjoyed by all as the sun shone all the way, something unparallelled for the previous six weeks. We stepped from the grimy surroundings of East 'Sheffield to the "stainless" foyer of the office buldings, where we were welcomed cordially.

After a brief introduction, the party was shown the older methods of processing stainless steels. Among the sights of this tour, four will be remembered most vividly—the old, white-haired forger making a red-hot bar grow under the non-stop pounding of his tilt-hammerthe searing heat of the plates at a thousand degrees centigrade as they were lifted from the furnace—the men fearlessly astride tanks eighteen feet deep of fuming acid, used for removing impurities brought out in the furnace—the cool efficiency and team-work of the men who produce four hundred feet of wire in ninety seconds from a bar no longer than a cricket bat. At this point the party was whisked off to another department, which, to the less scientificallyminded, proved to be even more attractive—tea!

The bus was now boarded, and took us to the new factory about a mile away. This building, which at first sight could have been a 53