The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-10
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL COURSE.
The Views ofthe High-School Committee
on Industrial instruction.
Chairman Bingham Opposed to Practical In
dustrial Education in the Public Schools
Views Of Commissioner Conner.

Schoolcommissioner Bingham, the chairman
of the committee on High-school. states that no
report will be made to the board on the matters
brought up for consideration by the resolution
adopted short time ago. for at least two weeks.
In speaking Of the industrial educational
question, he said to Journal re-
porter, yesterday, that he regarded the
propriety Of attempting to introduce such in
struction in the public schools as doubtful, and
believed that. even if there was disposition to
do such thing, it could not be done, because the
expense would be greater than the funds at the
command of the board will permit He favors
the teaching of whatever there is of
science bearing upon industrial subjects, but
he thinks that the practical instruction in
mechanical skill is thing that should not
be introduced into the public schools but should
be left to private institutions, where the knowl-
edge may be obtained by those specially desir-
ing it. Labor is not what it formerly was, re-
marked Mr.. Bingham. There is less demand
for mechanical skill than there was few years
ago. The mechanical work Is now real
ly all done by machinery, and
the position of superintendent Of work. In
struction Of this kind can be given better in the
we'll equipped industrial educational institutions
than it possibly can in the public schools. )"
Mr.. Bingham says that manual train
ing in woodwork may be intro
duced in the Hghschool and one room
set apart for that purpose specially during the
vacation season. One of the reasons, he says,
why industrial education cannot be made part
of the course of instruction aside from the in
ability of the board to bear the increased ex-
pense, is the present urgent need of room, all
the buildings already being overcrowded.
Commissioner Conner, who is also one of the
members Of the High-schoo committee, when
asked his views Of the present discussion of the
course of instruction, said think experience has
shown that we have to deal with creative as well
as receptive faculties in adjusting the higher
school course. In greater or less degree all ad
vanced pupils possess the former. In some it is de-
veloped much earlier and stronger than in others.
but when it appears the fact is known. | think
when faculties of boys, and girls too, to less ex
tent, are unfolded to considerable degree
the creative in them dominates, and the
bent is then in the direction and want
which present school facility supplies. 1t
must be remembered that there exists the facul-
ty for the creative in literature, science. music
Doesn't the present course of instruction meet
the demand in any of thesep
Certainly. or / suppose none of the boys
would stay till they graduated. But it is chiefly
met only in the facilities for the creative in lit
eraIure andlthe sciences Music has been dropped
out of the course other art barely has recogni
ton; facilities for business qualification are
quite limited, and the elements of mechanics in
any concrete form are not known. No
course of instruction having facilities only to
meet the creative demand in mechanics could
have hela Edgar A. Poe in school, course
utterly lacking facility to meet the creative want
in mechanics could have held the inventor of
the cotton gin to the end of it. The time comes
in the unfolding process. when the bent in which
each will excel will dominate ard assert itself.
When the cre9.ive thoughts, and words, and
teaching of others have so wrought upon and I'M
folded, as that we now see new angles and
phases to life, we become restless under further
subjective processes, and desire to make the dis
coveries of our own faculties rather our object
i've than to remain in the receptive state longer"
what do you think is lacking in the course of
instruction."
Facilities to meet the demand in art, music,
principles in mechanics, as well as in literature
and science, which already provided. It is
but calling it by another name to say that boys
quit school because they want to make money.
The development of the power to create always
begets that desire I speak of these
matters as voltions, not of the fact,
as the command of the real or supposed
necessities of parents This is exceptional,
and is equally destructive of the desire to create.
The desire for the facilities named lie at the
bottom for sell help and personal existence and
dependence. 1t is a response of the intuitions of
every man that he must prepare for the duties
and struggles of life. The reason is very plain
why we find schools wholly unequipped to meet
all the creative and objective demands Of unfold
ing life In all the ages scholarship in literature
has been the aim Of the school. That had its
origin in the early periods Of the world when
the creative in mechanics arose no higher than
the crooked stick for the plow. Those who have
qualified to become teachers have. in large
measure. developed III themselves the creative
only in literature and the sciences, and. in some
measure, the world of thought, struggling
with the problem of industrial education,
finds itself without large capahility
to teach in these new branches That is the fact,
and it had as well be acknowledged. That is the
reason, too, why schoolmen, as rule, have no
better apprehension of the right methods of
reaching these wants than other classes They
have not been qualified in them, and aim to meet
an educational demand along well beaten tracks.
For the reason that this sense of the creative
power is one discovered only in the unfolding
processes of the receptive faculties, and at differ
ent periods in different persons, the opportunity
and facilities for directing must of necessity be
made elective to adapt them A knowledge of
these features of the course with the careful OBJ
servation of teachers, would readily indicate the
bent of pupils The course of instruction in the
several liues could scarcely go further than the
principles, and such limited training of the eye
and hand in mechanics as would assure pupils in
their choice and qualify for advancement in in
dustriai schools and pursuits"
MIR. Conner says that he is inclined to believe
that manual school training is not fully contem-
plated by the Indiana common-school law. The
statute names the branches that shall be taught,
and then adds, 'such other branches of learn
ing and other Languages" etc., as school boards
L
not perhaps, be termed learning and other Ian
guages,n and it is possible that if the new
branches are to be added there will have to be
legislation first.
Question for Civil-Service Examinations.
An important business latter to Endlv e