Morning journal and courier., 1886-06-10
A Practical Education.


 It is frequent reply of the supporters of the head examining system of common school instruction to the advocates of manual training that the community should not pay for teaching trades" No one has pro- posed that it should. The idea is to fit chil- dren to learn trades as preparation for their life work, just as other children prepared to take a classical course, preliminary to the study of profession. It is argued, and rightly, that the State or the city has as much right, and is much in duty bound, to teach boy to use his hands as to teach him to use his wits. A hammer, saw, draw ing board and lathes are to the mass of boys what Greek roots and Latin verbs are to the selected few. All are tools with which they are expected 10 work their way to further knowledge. And if the community gives the necessary primary and secondary train ing to the small class, it certainly may and should do so to the larger one.
 The beneficial effects of the practical train ing were brought out in the report of the president of Girard college at the anniversa- ry celebration in Philadelphia the other day. In the will of the founder of that institu- ton it was provided thot the scholars should be bound out at graduation Ito suitable oc- equations, as those of agriculture, naviga- tion, arts, mechanical trades and manufac- lures, according to the capacities and ac- quirements of the scholars respectively, con sulting, far prudence shall justify it, the inclination of the several scholars as to the occupation, art or trade to be learned" For a time the officers of the college were able to procure places for the boys where they might extend their education according to this wise provision. But the gradual de- cay of the apprenticeship system soon made this impossible, and the trustees were obliged to keep the boys until they were ei2hteen and then cancel their indentures. A short time ago, however, the trustees decided to establish manual training school in connec- tion with the college, and the fund at their disposal enabled them to carry out the plan with ample equipment. ''The boys are now taught the use of tools, says the Phila- delphia Record, land are given instruction in the mechanic arts of character which cannot be excelled in any workshop" As a result of this wise measure the demand on the trustees for apprentices exceeds the sup ply Being skilled in the use of tools, and with their natural aptitude for work discov cred and developed, they are ready to begin at once to learn art or trade, without the preliminary loss of time and waste of mate rial involved in trying to instruct youth who know nothing whatever about the work they undertake to do. A knowledge of the height of mountains in South America the length of rivers in Africa, or facility in sol wing the useless prize puzzles of grammar and arithmetic is of small practical use when a boy sets out to do things that require 8 trained hand and eye, sound judgment and knowledge of material things among which his life is to be spent
 A healthful tendency, which is the direct result of this training, was also noted by President Fetterolf Ia very appropriate name by the way for one who is engaged in hbera- fiOo education from inc feftarS of tradition. l He said that whereas formerly the boys preferred clerkships and other Tight occu- pations" to arts and trades, which they could only learn at a great disadvantage, since the establishment of the technical school there has been reversal of the for mer order of things, and the boys are glad to learn something which will give them 8 start in some one of the great producing industries of the country. Their prelimi- nary training secures for them prefer ence for employment. It is time that manual training should be made part of our common school education