Of particular interest was the above well worn , revised 1942 Henry Ford Trade School Shop Theory , published by McGraw-Hill Book Company , New York and London, 267pp, highly illustrated .
Founded by Henry Ford in l916, with just six students and one instructor, the Henry Ford Trade School, Dearborn, Michigan, gave underprivileged young men the opportunity to earn a living while learning a trade , and provided the Ford Motor Company with trained draftsmen and technicians.
By l931, there were 135 faculty members teaching 2800 students.More than 8000 had graduated from the school when it closed in l952.
The book contains three inscriptions from American Thomas Paul Burns , the first dated August 2, l942. Possibly a second class marine mechanic or engineer , he described himself as being of the US Navy, San Diego, California ; another gives his address as 1228 Elbur Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio .
In large handwriting, the other expresses good luck to Jack Herrmann , of Ascot, Brisbane , Australia.
Somehow, that book made its way to Townsville and was found by our waterfront roundsmen in a box with a run of books , Mathematics for Marine Engineers, published by Thomas Reed Publications Limited, Sunderland and London, in the l960s.
There is another handwritten inscription with the name John . C. Herrmann , 36 Mary Street, Innisfail, Queensland , in volume one , published in l965, 381pp, with the outline of a merchant vessel on the dustjacket of each one .
The Shipping Reporter says he reckons there could be an interesting story ,possibly involving Townsville during WWll when there were many Americans in town and subsequent dealings with shipping in dock and at sea in various locations.
If he is able to flesh out the scenario we will inform our readers. Already he knows of a connection with Queensland's sugar industry.
(Ford. Ohio .Marine.)