Chapter II: Preface

When we started kite work in the Los Angeles City Schools, we little thought that so great an opportunity for awakening latent power in a certain class of boys was being initiated, nor did we dream of any such kite tournaments as have been developed during the past six years. Starting with half a dozen plans, sent out on mimeographed sheets to the various schools from time to time during the spring of 1907, the number of kinds and designs have increased to a hundred or more. Other cities desiring information regarding the work, a reprint was published and has been in such demand that it was thought advisable to write a more comprehensive text on the subject. Many of the former designs have been included, but none but what should be put in more permanent form, and most of these have been redrawn for the new work. The plans are not complete in every detail, something being left for the boy to work out, but there is enough in the suggestions so that by reasonable planning, most of the forms can be made by the average boy and still something will be left for the expert.

The greatest number of kites will be made by fifth and sixth year boys, but the spirit holds over into seventh and eighth for the larger and more complex forms, and even into the high school with model aeroplanes, etc.

It is the hope of the writer that this little book may be instrumental in giving our boys and girls suggestions for many happy hours in the construction and flying of kites, and that it may also serve a good purpose to teacher and pupil in reaching a common ground, and that it will help some mother in furnishing a good healthy pastime sport for boys who sometimes try the limit of one’s patience for the lack of something to do. It is a home construction work largely, and it has succeeded oftimes much better than was anticipated, for whole families have become interested in the development of OUR boy’s kite. Mother generally is interested first, while father looks with disfavor on so much time being spent on a kite; but before it flies, father gets very enthusiastic, suggests here and there, and furnishes material for string, etc., with pleasure, and they all go to the tournament to see Jack win a first prize. This is one case, there are others.

I believe there is need for such books, and this subject is without such a text, therefore, this little treatise.

CHARLES M. MILLER,
_Los Angeles, California_.

_November 5, 1912._

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

Introduction 5

Preface 7

I. General Kite Construction 11

II. Kite Accessories 16

III. Kinds of Kites 20

IV. Plain Surface Kites 23

V. Box-Kites 39

VI. Combined Kites 48

VII. Decoration of Kites 61

VIII. Messengers 69

IX. Moving Devices 75

X. Suspended Figures and Appliances 82

XI. Balloons and Parachutes 92

XII. Reels 97

XIII. Aeroplane Models 103

XIV. Gliders 108

XV. Model Aeroplanes 112

XVI. Propellers, Motors, Gears, and Winding Devices 121

XVII. Tournaments 127

XVIII. Tournaments, Continued 134

XIX. Conclusion 140

XX. Bibliography 142