The Wilmingtonian., 1886-11-13
Drawing in the Schools.

| AT the last meeting of the Board of Edu.
cation the subject of teaching drawing in
the Public Schools received brisk considera.
/ tion.
Both DIR. Shortlidge and Professor Wiley
| may be considered right in their views.
| They were not necessarily antagonistic.
Perhaps the member from Brandywine was
slightly over-exact in his definition of the
limits as to the extent which this most use
full and practical subject is possible Of being
made use of for the ulteriur benefit of youth.
The ability to draw "pigs and COWS" and
other objects affords thousands of men and
women an excellent livelihood in this coun-
try as designers. This is much more than
can be said of most of the subjects of the
school curriculum outside of the 'three
RS"
Therefore 'evenl outside sthe teaching of
mechanical drawing there isgreaU advantage
to educational ends in permitting freer
scope of the study referred to.
The duties of the Board of Education after
all are to see to it that the youth of this city
are placed upon reasonably intelligent foot
ing towards making themselves self-sup-
porting systems in future life and not tax
upon the community. The primal idea OF
endowing the school children with fair
knowledge of reading, writing and arithme-
tic had that end in view and that only was
its basis. Originally it was supposed that
fair acquaintanceshp with those three
studies covered all the needs presented at
lifes vestibulum. Technically the same
holds true now. And in regard to the sub
ject of drawing, it might be argued in the
presence of other supplementary studies
found in the current school curriculum that
in possibilities of practical advantage in
after life for the masses, it far outstrips
Algebra, Physiology, History, and all mathe-
MATES past Percentage. IL fact in regard to
the last an advantageous halt might be made
at Simple Interest.
When we began to speak of supplemer-
tary studies only those are worth consdera-
tion that hold out to the masses the possbil-
ity of practical application in after life. They
make no use of Physiology, of Latin, OF
German, of English literature, of Cube
Root and Present Worth--those who study
them, when we apply the idea to the masses,
lind in the future no opportunity to coin
that knowledge into dollars and cents.
1t is not claimed for moment but that the
studies referred to are advantageous in GER
Uain sense to those who study them, but
that argument does not come within the
scope of the present contention. The only
demand is, and we consider it a most peril
neut one to the educators of this city, that
when supplementary studies are allowed let
the most practical considerations, borne Of
the widest and most progressive and liberal
thought rule in regard to what is and what
is not to be taught in our schools.
The writer has personal knowledge of the
great advantage of tho Massachusetts draw
ing theories while teaching in the public
schools of the far off State Of Wisconsin for
some four or five years, where the method is
in use both in Normal as well as public
schools. There it is considered Indispensable
in the practical sense referred to.
AS far as evidence of its actual value we
need go no further afield when looking for a
test than at the results of the Institute
schools in our own city.
Instead of being mere machines the young
mon who gather knowledge from th, 50 ex-
cellent classes are onvelted into Intelligent
independent workmen capable of taking up
the draught or sketch of whatcyer is placed
before them and inteligenty and success
fully completing it.
There is some logic in such school ard
such teaching,