Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-03-02
THE SLOYD SYSTEM.
TT IS BEING INTRODUCED INTO
 THE SCHOOLS OF ENGLAND.


 The Object Is to Teach the Young How to
 Use Their Hands-Something Like Our
 Manual Training-Especially Beneficial
 to Girls of the Wealthy Families.
 An association has been formed in England for promoting the teaching 6f ''sloyd." This new system has for some time past been an important factor in tries. The great beauty of it lies in the fact that it educates child morally, physically and mentally. Sweden was the originator of this system of manual in- struction, which is not, as is frequently supposed, merely wood carving, but is the system applied to the different kinds of handiwork for educational purposes.
 Slojd, the Scandinavian word, which is termed ''sloyd' in England for con- venience, means originally "cunning," clever" "handy." The result at which the system specially aims is to inplant respect for work in general, even for the coarser forms of manual labor; to de velop activity, to foster order, cleanli- ness, neatness and accuracy: to encour- age attention, industry and perseverance; to develop the physical powers and to train the eye and the sense of form. It is intended to teach all classes, from the highest to the lowest, how to use their hands as we'll as their heads, so that each man and woman may be placed in a position of independence and be capable of earning an honest livelihood.
 IT IS NOT LEARNING A TRADE.
 The first article which learners have to make is a little pointer, using merely q knife and glass paper; from such ar ticles they proceed to more difficult ones. making rulers, inkstands, brackets, and so forth.
 Attendance at the classes is volun- tary on the part of pupils, so that there are certain conditions which the work must fulfill. It should be useful, and not too fatiguing; the articles made articles of luxury; they should be accom- plished without help, and they should be real work and not play. A necessary feature, too. is that they should demand thoughtfulness and not be purely me- chanical work. Many will no doubt here say: "It is nothing more nor less than ordinary capentering."
 On consideration, however, it will be found there are several differences. First and foremost comes the difference in the object of sloyd, which is not to turn out young carpenters, but to develop the fac ulties, and especially to give general dexterity, which will be of value no mat ter what line of life the pupil may after | wards pursue. Other differences are the character of the objects made, which are usually smaller than those made in the trade; the tools used; the knife, for in- 1 stance-the most important of all in sloyd-is little used in ordinary carpen- | tery; and lastly, the manner of working l is not the same; the division of labor employed in the carpentering trade is not allowed in sloyd, where each article is executed entirely by each pupil. Truancy has almost been done away with in Swedish schools since the intro duction of sloyd. It has been found in all the schools where it has been intro duced that greater and more intelligent progress has been made in the ordinary school work. It makes children think for themselves. The system demands in l dividual supervision and instruction, which is an advantage, as the teacher is enabled to gain an insight into the char acter, and to establish personal relation between himself and his pupils.
 THE EFFECTS MENTALLY.
 In regard to the statement that it pro- notes the physical, mental and moral de- velopment, we find that morally it inn plants respect and love for work in gen. eral it strengthens the bond between home and school; and it fosters sense of satisfaction in honest work, begun, carried on and completed by fair means. Mentally, sloyd acts in drawing out and exercising energy, perseverance, order, accuracy and the habit of attention; it causes pupils to rely on themselves, to exercise forethought, and to be constant 1 ly putting two and two together. Phy- sically, the system brings into action all the muscles, and exercises both sides of the body.
 Pupils work with the left hand and arm, as well as with the right, in saving, blaming, etc. Sloyd is particularly use full to the girls of our higher schools, and is more important for them than their sisters of the working classes. The former are sadly in want of some inte- resting active work to counterbalance the continual sitting and boring over books and exercises. Besides the gene ral development it furnishes, the positive knowledge gained is Of the greatest ser vice, and serves to stimulate growing experience of sympathy with mems work
 The first course for training teachers in England commenced in August, 1888, at the Ladies' college at Sydenham, which has been kindly lent for the pur- pose. Hitherto, those who would be teachers of sloyd have had to travel to the seminary at Maas, on the beautiful shores of Lake Savelangen; and after going through the course there, have had to face tho difficulty of applying the sys- tenn to English tastes and customs. Now they will not have quite so long journey to undertake to gain instruction; and the knowledge they do gain will be such as they can impart straight away to pupils. In order to counteract the evil of spuri-