Page:Kitecraft and kite tournaments (1914).djvu/136

128 effort of this kind even if there is no prospect of a tournament. A discussion of design in the drawing work will also be a practical departure from the regular work, and will again arouse the lazy boy to do his best. Now if the teacher will take some interest in the making, even if she doesn't know very much about it, and especially in the flying of the kites, she will be progressing, and there are but few teachers who cannot learn a good deal about kite making and flying, if they are willing to try.

The manual training teacher and the shop are very able assistants to the kite construction projects. In some schools, a week some time previous to the tournament is allowed for the special construction of kites in the shop. The boys will waste valuable lumber if allowed to rip up thin boards, so it will pay to encourage the buying of spruce sticks. There is much adjustment in attaching string and covering, and putting on of the bridle; as much as possible of this should be reserved for home work, but some might be done at school.

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, free from wires, accessible by street car service, a little to one side so people will have to go a little out of their way to see it, hoodlums don't usually care so much for beautiful things, especially if it is some trouble to go to it, and it should be large enough to accommodate a great many kites without getting into too close quarters. Kites are liable to dive around somewhat, so if they are not too thick, there is more chance to get the kite straightened up before getting entangled in other kite lines. Now that there are so many kinds of kites, it is necessary to locate the kinds on the field. The kites are divided into groups when the list of events is sent out, and these groups are placed in different locations on the field. We will suppose the following group is to be located.