Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-12-29
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.
ABLE ESSAY OF FRED. VI. CAMP
BELL UPON THE SUBJECT.
Nothing Gained by Incorporating
Industrial Training with Pub
lie School system.

The following essay was read before the
State Teachers Association Thursdzy by
Fred. NJ. Campbell, Superintendent q the
City Schools of Oakland, upon What
Would be Sacrificed by the incorporation
of Industrial Training with the Public
School SYSTEM
Mr.. Presidezl, Ladies and Gentlemen: VIII you
at the outset permit me TO say few words of a
personal character2
In the first place, am not willing 90 be put in
the position Of being opposed TO what is called
and often quite indiscri,ninately, rs we shall
presently see-manual training, industrial art
education, and the like.
In common with everyone else, I believe in
polytechnic schools, manual training schools,
Schools Of design, art schools. mechanic arts
colleges, trade schools. etc, and ] rejoice when
such philanthop rs Leland STANFORD and
DR.. CoGgswell give Of their wealth TO the found
ing and equipment OF such institutions-and
can only WISH that it might come into the
minds of many more CT California
wealthy men to do likewise. here is no one,
] take IT, opposed 10 such instruction in
schools specially founded for that purpose,
thoroughly equipped with all the necessary,
varied and expensive appliances. and with q
CORDS of competent instructors specially trained
tor that line of work. and TO which may be ad-
mitted boys who wish to attend, provided they
are of a proper age and have reached a certain
standard OF proficiency IN the Work OF the
ordinary schools.
The question is, shall it be incorporated in
our public school system? and. as that system
by the organic law-the Constitution of the
State-consists of primary and grammar schools,
shall this line OF WOrk-manual training or in
dustrial trainiDg-be made a regular part of the
course of instruction in those schools2 And
even upon this question, l object to being put
that ! should be in favor of throwing
out q part, and no inconsiderable portion
either OF our present course in the pubic
schools; as, for instance, craving as it is now
taught This branch has gradually taken its
place as very important, nay, necessary part
Of our public school work II is no longer
taught as q mere accomplishment, as the art o!
copying pictures-thoueh even as such, hit ad
its value as a means of training the hand and
the exc and in cuitivating the taste andlthe
iudgment-but it is now taught as the universal
written language of lines; rs the means OF eX-
pressing every conceivable combination OF
FORM and of every idea involving them as the
very alphabet and language, too, OF tae me.
chanic arts the language by which the archi.
tect, the master mechanic and the engineer
may express their conceptions, and from the
reading of which the trained workman
wherever he may be can erect the
edifice construct the works or make the
thing desired. This is manual training or in.
dustTial training. as far as it goes this is a
means of giving deXterity TO the hard
of training the ye, and OF developing judr
ment, Imagination, Invention etc. And as such
il is OF no doubtful value, either; its appliances
are simple and inexpensive.
confess, however, that III this matter of pub
lie education am good deal of a conservative
perhaps some would call me an "old fogy.'
Approaching the inestimable good accomplished
BY our splendid system of public schools in the
past, and what it is doing to-day: knowing
our present public school system and the model
public school of to-day to be the result of slow
growth and deyelOpment-of evolution from
very crude beginnings-I an slow to embrace
radical changes and revolutionary measures
simply because they are new, taking startling,
or have caught unthinking popular favor And
yet ] am, l hope and believe, sdtelg Iro-
favor changes, when they have been
proven by successful experiments elsewhere OF
demonstrated b. sound reasoning to be clearly
beneficial, practicable and safe. 1t is true that
upon one or two occasions have accepted, by
request, the position of disputant on the mega
tive side of this question in discussions some
thing like this of to-day. 1t is, ] know, the un-
popular side it affords no opportunity for fine
writing, for high-sOunding phrases about the
dignity of labor, and 50 forth, or for entrance
upon that favorite teld-the abuse and denun-
citation of existing things. But somebody has
to do 1t. or there would be no discussion of this
important question which at present is so prom.
ineptly before educational people and the gen.
eral public and without discussion no lust con
illusions can be reached.
And so, while am not laundering after any
martyrs crown, | accepted the appointment tc
discuss on the negative what would be gained
and lost by the incorporation of manual train
was subsequently changed TO its present form
industrial training being substituted for manual
tIaining-Mr. Kennedy declining to accept the
committees appointment as the question ther
God.
Just one word more of a purely personal
nature, If you please, Mr.. President.
come before you with very imperfect prepare
ton, the pressure of other work having pre-
vented me from giving moment to this theme
or to the preparation of this paper until the be
ginning of this week, SO that what shall pre-.
sent will necessarily be very desultory the ideas
being put upon paper as they occurred to me
without any time for consecutive or orderly re-
arrangement, elaboration, or more careful ex
preston. feel that this apology is due to you
and TO the occasion.
In considering This question we are met at the
very outset, and are to a certain extent hanoi
capped, by confusion of terms; and in the
use OF these even the advocates OF the new
training or education are not agreed, and in the
public mind the greatest possible misunder
standing and confusion exists. 1t was for the
purpose of calling attention to, and emphasiz
ing this fact, that ! just now referred to the
change winch had been made ia thu question
TO be discussed here to-day.
1t isnow about dozen years, more or less thai
the clamor has been heard for the addition to
or incorporation in, our public school system OF
this manual training shop work, industrial
education, or whatever it may be called anC
yet the advocates of the scheme tn m. elves
while attaching much importance to the term.
used, quite fail to agree as to their use and sig
nifeance.
Let me read brief extract from leafet by