The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-02-08


lions on an Important subject,
10 ts Editor Of he IrtslltgMtT,
sIR;-While we are considering many
ways and plans for the lettering OF oul
city and State In general, such as better
election laws, areiorm school, &C., lei
me in a brief article call attention to the
importance Of "Manual Training in oul
Schools.' What wish in this article Il
not to argue the necessity or advantage
al manual training, forall who heard the
able lecture Of DR., N, O. sChaetier on the
subject on the last eyenlngot our teach
ers' institute last November, know the
Importance Of 1t, and also know the great
interest that is being taken In the sub
iect in some OF the leading cities OF our
countIy-New York, Philadelphia, Pitts
burgh and Toledo, for instance, These
cities and many others In our country are
establishing manual training depart
ments and making!t part Of the course
Of public instruction, i. G., giving pupils
theprlyllege OF entering, not forcing them
so to do, and the results in every In
stance reported have been most satisfac-
tory, Now, the question Is, shall
we, as o city, Take hold OF that
which is doing SO much good In other
cities, or shall we wait until we are
forced by the logic Of events, and the
tide Of the progress Of the present, to
adoptin years TO come that which might
do US great good just now. ! can think
OF no city where school OF this kind
would do more good than In our own
manufacturing center-our own Wheel
ing, Of which we are so proud, As our
manufactures, such as potteries, &C.,
&C., increase in numbers, more laborers
are needed and our own young men and
young women will be employed just in
proportion as they are prepared TO do
the work needed to be done.
But, you ask, Is a manual training
school school In which 10 learn trade,
and will we make potters, builders, iron
workers in such school? answer no,
as far as learning trade Is concerned;
but | answer yes, as to fitting our boys
and girls to become skillful workers, so
as to be prepared 10 be able to begin
work intelligently In whatever calling
they wish to follow. Their hands are
trained to do and their eyes to see, and
as a matter Of course to do this intelli.
gently the entire fundamentally, NOR.
ally and physically is benefited.
We claim that manual training does
the following: "05
l. Helps greatly in literary work, as 1T
rests the pupils, thuspreyenting dullness
and stupors.
2. 1t gives the pupils an insight into
the real work OF life.
8. Itbegets habits OF industry.
4. Develops the creative power.
5. II fosters spirit OF independence,
based on the possession Of useful knowl.
edge.
D. Above all, it dignifies and elevates
labor, something sadly needed at present
In our country, especially among the
higher classes.
Mr.. sayer, superintendent Of the
manual training school Of Philadelphia,
says there Is now no moro Creeping un.
willingly to school, among the boys, but
those who were dull and iistless' In the
school before are now bright, active and
among the very foremost pupils. Super
intendent Mills, Of the Toledo school,
says the results for good are far greater
than the most sanguine expected. My
only objectin this article is TO call atten.
ton OF the Board OF Education In partic.
ular and our citizens generally to this
matter, hoping that all may soc It's i'm.
portance and act In the matter, as our
Board OF Education always does when
the members see 1t for the general good.
What Wheeling now needs is good
high school, connected with 1t manual
training school. The girls as well as the
boys would enter this school; the girls
to be taught sewing and cooking, besides
drawing, writing, &c.
The world Is moving educationally,
and the question with US Is whether
we will be among the first TO move in
this reform, or whether we will wait un.
I'll, Ms l intimated at the beginning o.
this article, we are forced 10 do 80. Can't
We hear from others2
RhGeling, Feb. s.