Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-19
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION.

The cause of Industrial education VIII
receive q strorg impulse from the report o
the commission appointed BY ths PennsJl-
vsnia I.seis'a ture. The Commission VAS
composed Of some Of the leading educators
Of the keystone State. President ATHER-
TON. Of the Pennsylvania State College,
was chairman. and inside q visit 10 Europe
10 iprp. CT the industrial schools Of France
and Germany in person TIE fruit Of the
Commissions labors 10 an unqualified en-
dorssment of Industrial education, and a
recommendation that il be introduced as
soon as possible in the Pennsylvania State
schools. The Commission Gays:
Whenever an attempt has been made to
introduce manual training into The public
schools. whether in s. specisl school, as IN
Philade phia, or i'm the general system, as
in New York. New Haven aud many other
plsces. whether II has been supported by
appropriations from the municipal Ieasu-
~ or By private contributions oil puoiiic-
spirited citizens, the result has Deen inc
same. teachers. pupils and parents we wiih
each other in their testimony 10 ITS health
fol and beneficial inhuenca. We believe
chat no instance can be found where the
work. having once been begun by the prop
er authorities. has been SLOWED TO stop or
to diminish. On the contrary IN nearly,
If not Quite every case, where even q small
and tentative beginning has been made
with the least possible expenditure OF
money the work has been increased WIN
the growing approval and confidence OF the
community.
The Commission cites numerous eX-
amples Of the rapid development OF the
system. A striking instance occurs in New
York city, where, within seven months
the number Of children receiving that form
Of instruction, increased from few hun
dred TO 10000 Msnual training has rot
yet been attempted in rural schools, ana
there would be great difficulties in the
way, but even these do not seem to be IN
surmountable.
The training Of teachers was carefully
considered, and the Commission is Of the
opinion that specisl instructors would not
be required. In Sweden it is found that
an ordinary teacher by spending six weeks
in one year and five weeks in the following
year in a special course Of manual train
ing. can acquire an that ia necessary 10
teach its elements successfully.
The facts contained in the report deserve
to be commended to the careful attention
of the educators of West Virginia. The
question of industrial education has been
discussed in State institutes and State Su-
perintendents' reports, but no proposition
has ever taken tangible form. The expert
ment that will be tried in Pennsylvania
soon. ought to furnish valuable lessons to
our instructors.
IA system of manual training can be in
cot ated in our school work as easily as
ths learned Commission believes the great
est objection 10 it is wiped away at once.
The value Of such training has been proven
too often to need defense. The unruly
boy. who does not and can not understand
the difference between the uominative and
objective cases, may develop rare Inventive
genius when his hand is put TO the plane or
the blacksmith's hammer. The girl will
make q better wife and mother because she
has learned to sew and cook, as we'll as
pen gusnlug sprung poetry.
There is a reformatory influence that is
needed more than ALL West Virginia is
on the eve Of establishing a reform school.
It's inmates will be surrounded by vicious
influences rising from among themselves.
True reform can hardly be reached under
such conditions. Give the boy an anvil
and a malIet and he is much more likely
to turn his feet to honest ways, than if the
powers of the rod are used TO make him
study, what he probably ran of iron
school to keep from studying. Outside Of
tie reform school, q system of industrial
education would have a potent influence
in the same Direction. Youthful energies
now expended in vice, wonld be directed
to intelligent and remunerative labor.
The State would be the gamer in every
boy or girl saved and made into good
citizen