, 1888-03-29
"HAND WORK" IN SWEDEN.
How the Use of Implement, Is Taught ir
the scandinavian Peninsula


the scandinavian Peninsula.
Slojd, or hand work, is the art Of using
ordinary mplements-such as knife. a
saw. n hammer or paint brush Mr.
Squcers seems to have had some shadowy
notion % this system. ''C-l-c-a-n, clean;
w-i-n-d-c-r, window; now go and clean it.
said that practical person. Sloid teaChingis
10 technical instruction what liberal ed
ucation is to professional training. 1t is
valued, not only as the first step toward
learning . trade. but also as n training for
the faculties. Appreciation of form. a
proper value Of time and method. neat
ness of manipulation and habits of indus
try and self reliance are some of the bless
ings with which it is credited. Enthusi-
astS, moreover, hope that by including
manual work among ordinary school sub
jects bodily labor may in time be raised
from the low esteem where it too often
lies
Slojd was invented by one Uno Cyg-
neUs, 4 Fin, who, after qualifying in sew
erul hCndicrafis, became Il schoolmaster
and VGS commissioned to draw up Il re-
port, on which the Finnish system of gov
cruGcEt schools is based In Sweden his
system WIS copied some fifteen years ago.
and it las there spread so rapidly that in
MANY q the common schools SlOid forms
part OF the regular course. Those who
view hand work merely rs Il training for
the faculties coEiine their teaching to
simple work in wood. But those who
value it also rs subsidiary TO technical in
struction teach Slojd in many branches
and carry it beyond the use Of the sim
plcst tools. Bookbinding, tinkering,
smiths work, painting, basket making
shCcm2kin@ ard tailoring are among their
subjects, and they spare no efforts to
mako the system attractive 10 pupils and
parents. At some schools pupils are al
lowed to keep what they have made, or to
buy it cheaply; or, to secure continuous
attendance, they are credited with deferred
pay, which they forfeit by leaving before
\ stipulated course has been completed
On completion Of the course the pupil is
presented with bank book representing
bis accumulated earnings and receives a
parting counsel to increase them.
The parents sympathy is also angled
for. At q school in labOring district it
is Il rule that pupils shall be taught to
make and use such common implements
as are most serYiccable to working people
-rakeS, spades, Ak handles and the like
AssiduOUS young tinkers, tailOrs and shoe
| makers are allowed the use of school i'm
plements to make the family repairs, and
thus exists in Sweden the phenomenon of
self repairing boy, Who mendS his own
| raiment and cobhles his own shoes.
In Sweden, in Norway and in Fin
land the system has proved most success
| ful. There seems no reason why it should
not be introduced and become equally
| successful here The taste among non
labOring classes for using implements is
universal. Too often, however, the
| hands that guide the implements are
! rather Jealous than skillful. But if
| schools taught slOid, these manual short
! comings would be remedicd The tool
| chest, now Il Pandora's box of evil, bring
| ing terror to patcrnal bosoms and impre-
| cations on the donor, would become q
| blessing. Instead Of amputating chair
| legs or studding the furniture with tin
tacks, its skilled pOssessor would do the
family's odd jobs. The penknife found in
the pocket of every schoolboy but Macau-
lays would whittlc and carve, under due
supervision, to the advantage of the fit
| tings and its owners fingers. Adults
would cease to slice their faces in vain at
| tcmpts to shave themselves; and to the
| adept in slojd, the opening of a meat tin
OF sardine box would not mean lockjaw. II
| to the use Of ordinary tools some crafts like
| bookbinding were added, brain workers
| would grow up with q Fecreative hobby
ready made. Even = course of darning
and button sewing might not come amiss
to youths intended for professions, where
| according to the registrar generals re
| turns, they viii be condemned to bachler
hood till 30--London Saturday Review.