Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-02-09
Madison Matters.

EDITOR HERALD:Th The manufactures
of central Wisconsin met and formed
an association. with John A. johnson,
of Madison, president, and f. N
Wheeler, of Beloit, secretary.
The Contemporary club met Wednes.
day evening to listen to description, of
the system of manual training as taught
in the schols of Denmark. given by
John A. johnson.
During his recent visit 70 that and
other countries in Europe, Mr.. johnson
examined the system of manual train
ing quite thoroughly. The system in
use there is not what is generally IN
derstood by the term manual training !"
This system originated in Denmark.
and consists of instructions in wood
work for both boys and girls from
eleven TO fifteen years of age. The
tools employed are few of the COM
mon carpenter tools. The material up
on which they work consists sof odds
and ends of lumber. The work is taught
in separate room by separate teach
or few hours in each day. The schol-
ars are first taught to saw, then to plane,
and then to construct squares, cresents.
triangles, etc. from patterns which are
made more difficult as the pupil ad-
vances in the work
The advantages of this system, as set
forth by Mr.. johnson, are its cheapness
and simplicity and on this account its
adaptability to both city and country
schools. In the city one room in each
ward school could be set apart and fitted
with the necessary tools and benches at
q small cost. To teach this branch, a
special teacher should be engaged to
give one or more hours OF instruction
in each school during the day.
In the country room could be fitted
up and if the teacher could not find
time, many persons could be found in
the district who would have sufficient
knowledge of the use of tools to be able
to teach it. The skill and accuracy
which necessarily follows this instruct
ion is of great value even if the pupil
does not learn trade afterward. II
will tend to do away with class hatred.
If the son of the banker and the son of
the laboer work, side by side, at the
bench, it will tend to form friendship
instead of hatred between them.
About fifteen counties were repre-
senten at the meeting of county super
intendents held here on the 26th and
9th. Tho topics considered were OF
much Importance to those interested in
the work. The discussions were infor-
NAL, member telling his experience or
giving his opinion on the subject ques-
ton. Such meetings cannot fail to be
Of value to every superintendent.
A number of Madison business men
formed corporation Friday, with 81,
100000 capital stock, for the purpose
of working silver mines in California.
Fl. IT, Verhusen, William Verhusen, T.
Olson, Chas. II. Mayors, Webster M
Pond, Michasl. Newman, j. Hausmann,
and Nj. j. Haven are the incorporators.
The Western Farmer" is about to
make a charge by moving into the
Democrat block. 1t will retain its
compositors, but the press work will be
done by the Democrat Company
The Dane County circuit court has
been occupied, since Tuesday, with the
suit of Marcus Anderson, of La Crosse,
vsJohn Sloan & Co, and J. V. Fare
well &Co.. of Chicago, for $4,000
damages alleged to have been sustained
on account of defendants closing the
plaintiff store on judgement notes, a
part of which were not then due. The
Jury found verdict for the plaintiff in
the sum of $10,572.15.
II. C. H.
MADISON. Wis. Jan. %, 1888.