St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-30
DIR. wooDWARD's LECTURE

DR.. WooDwARD's lecture last evening
was the more entertaining because he did not
attempt to branch out into theoretical eX-
position of the advantages of industrial
education, but confined himself to an eX-
PLANTATION of the practical details and re-
suits of the five years experiment OF the
manual training school at ST. Louis, of
which he is the director. In the same con-
nection he pointed out distinctly the
difference between the systems of in
duStrial instruction as practiced in
Europe and that which is sought
to be established in this country.
In Europe the system extends no farther
than the maintenance of semi-charitabe
institutions or apprentice schools, where
the only object in view is the preparation of
pupils for some one particular trade. The
American idea, as embodied in the system
adopted in the st. Louis schools and now
being introduced into other Cities is to con-
meet manual training with other branches
to make it part of the ordinary education
of every youth, not to qualify him especially
for just one avocation, but to be of service to
him in any or all of the pursuits of life.
The lecturer explained that it was not pro-
posed to substitute manual training for the
curriculum now in use in the public schools,
but to make it an addition to it-a part Of
it. Thus the common school course would
be relieved Of the objection urged against it
that intellectual WEAKNESS is the invariable
result. By mixing in the manual work with
the literary and scientific branches the labor
Of bo ~ +Lo
constant strain on the mental forces. The
work of the manual training department
would in fact be relaxation. 1t would
take the place of the baseball and
obviate the necessity for organizing the
boat club. The two Or three hours
spent by the boy in the workshop. or the
girl in the sewing room or the culinary de-
partment under the instruction of compe-
tent preceptor, would be just as pleasan tly
spent, and much more proitably, than the
same time spent on the baseball ground Or
the rowing course. Another important
fact drawn out by DR.. WooDwARD's re-
marks is that manual training does not de-
stroy the appetite for the higher intellectual
studies. On the contrary his experience
justified the conclusion that it sharpened it.
When the boys in attendance at the ST.
Louis training school finished their course
they were more eager to push forward in
the pursuit of intellectual knowledge than
boys who come out of the average high
schools. He also concurred in the views
expressed by Prof. PHELPS in his address
before the chamber of commerce, that in
dustrial education should commence in the
primary schools and the pupil be led by
gradual instruction up to the point where,
at the age of IS or IA years, the regular
course of manual training should be taken
up. In conclusion, DR.. WOODWARD dwelt
upon the fact which the GLOBE has hereto
! fore proclaimed that the result of indus
trial education in connection with our pub
lie school system would be to dignity labor.
The child will grow to manhood or woman
hood with proper respect for the dignity
of manual toll because it has been part of
its education. If the result of his talk to
our people on this important subject shall
be the establishment of system of indus
trial education in connection with our pub
lie schools, then the city of st. Paul will
always have cause to look upon Dr.. WooD-
WARD in the light of public benefactor.