Unique school for a hardwood career

By S. Carrol White Secretary-manager National Hardwood Lumber Association

THE NATIONAL Hardwood I Lumber Association is a trade association for some 1,400 members who produce and consume hardwood lumber. The association was founded in 1898 for the purpose of setting up a uniform system of grading rules for the measurement and inspection of hardwood.

The association still functions as the administrator and keeper of these rules, and now, for practical purposes, all hardwood lumber that is shipped in the United States and Canada, and to a certain extent in world trade, is shipped on grading rules set down by this organization.

Since NHLA is the keeper and adminstrator of the rules, it is reasonable that the association should teach the rules and grading system to those seeking careers in the hardwood lumber industry. In 1948 the association established a Hardwood Inspection Training school in Memphis, Tn. It has operated successfully since that time.

Each year some 200 students attend the 14 week course. Each class consists of 70 students and there are three sessions per yErr. The school is conducted as a vocational school, i.e., the emphasis is on practical application of the rules. Both classrooms and lumber handling facilities are provided. This is the only school of its kind in the world and students have attended from every state, Europe, Africa, South America and Asia. Probably the best testimony that can be offered is that many graduates from the early classes are now in ownership or management positions in the industry and they are now sending their children and employees to complete the course.

In a further effort to familiarize industry personnel with the grading rules, the association offers one week short courses which may be held anywhere in the country. In this case, a "sponsor" indicates to the inspection departme.nt that they would like to have a short course in their area.

The sponsor provides basic class-

Story at a Glance

Hardwood Inspection Training School serves students lrom all over the world . . . 14 week course stresses practical aF plication of grading rules . . only school of its kind.

room and lumber handling facilities and tends to the details regarding the enrollment of the 15 to 18 persons who will attend. NHLA provides the instructor on a per diem basis.

These short courses are quite popular and obviously perform the service of making the information concerning the grading rules more readily available to a large number of people.

The Inspection Training School shares facilities with the NHLA executive offices in Memphis. Two essentially all wood buildings are connected with a breezeway. The exterior is clad with cypress siding. Oak and maple flooring is used throughout. There are l5 different species of hardwood plank paneling with various machine and installation patterns used throughout the building.

These buildings, which are strik-. ingly beautiful and extremely functional, are truly working showplaces of hardwood lumber. TheY are situated on 10 acres of beautifully landscaped property.

Total cost was $1,250,000, all of which was donated by association members and friends of the industry, thus leaving the installation debt free when it was completed in 1980. This is an accomplishment of which the entire industry can be justly proud.