St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-10

C6llcIlb IcSuItS WtTe dlIcduy dppdl CHts
Two years ago. after the introduction
of the system in an experimental way
into twelve of the grammar schools,
the report of the results attained was so
satisfactory that the general adoption of
the system was decided on by the board
of education. sit may" he said, .'be
thought by some that this system is not
manual training, because we have
neither cooking schools nor shops
for wood or clay working, but
it must be remembered that
the general adoption of such
a system is not the work of day in a
city like New York, with its 100000 pu-
pills. The possibilities of the future are
illimitable, however, and all the best
methods and material must be selected" :"
Prof. Calkins then proceeded to illus
trate, with number of charts and paper
cubes and squares, the methods by
which children may he taught to form
their drawings into the actual forms OF
the figures to be represented. Any
number of curiously shaped, ,many-sided
and cornered figures were exhibited as
the method of these New York young
sterS. and afterwards distributed among
the audience as souvenirs OF the occa-
sion. ''Thls," said Prof. Calkins, refer
IluS W Iuc CAuIUlt. 10 oHO iCouio
of a short period of instruction in
this class of work in our schools. AS
the pupil learns to fashion these figures,
so he learns to call each by its name and
to spell and write that name."
Prof. j. E. Bradley. superintendent of
schools in Minneapolis, was next intro
duced, and delivered an interesting
dissertation. Manual training, he said.
was plainly the training OF the various
functions of the body in the same de-
gree and with the same care as that
shown in the cultivation of the brain.
The assumption that nature would take
care of the development of the hand,
unaided by course of human inStruc-
tion, was just as ABSURD as to think that
nature alone would develop the brain to
it's full power. That manual training
enthusiasts had said of the training of
the hand. was also true of the eye.
Everything showed to what a degree of
precision in the performance OF its
functions that intricate organ OF the
body could be trained. The supreme
end of education was the best develop
ment of the human being-the educa-
tion of the body as we'll as the mind.
In the training of child's perceptlve
powers, interest was the first thing to
he gained. The bare and uniuterestlng
school room had too often resulted in
the production of weary and uninter-
eSted pupils. who diSliked the tasks i'm
would absent themselves from school
on the smallest pretext. The introduce
ton by the teacher of Well-selected OBJ
jects, which secured the interest of the
pupils, was the remedy which manual
training suggested. and the result of the
acceptance Of the remedy offered
had already showed its inestimable
value. In answer to the question
existing as to what manner of manual
training is most appropriate for gram
mar grades, the speaker showed tnat
the illustration by drawing of each OBJ
ject suggested in the lesson was bene-
ficial method, and the only true one.
A teacher, he said. was no longer ac-
ceptable as a teacher who had not
learned to draw, for under the new sys-
tenn drawing was an educational
necessity. Prof. Bradley spoke at some
length ON the different kinds of hand
work which could be easily applied to
the schools of the present, such as wood
working. clay work, paper work IN all
it's varied phases. The use OF the
needle was also among the accomplish
IQclGS lO Dt tduSut. ditl lllO uCSlOCt VI
the nineteenth h-century mother in fail
ing to teach her daughter this domestic
accomplishment was commented on.
Prof. w. n. Hailman. of La Porte,
Ind, spoke on the influence of manual
training generally. He explained at
length the beneficial results to follow
the proper combination of mental and
physical training. The teacher of
urinary classes. he said, would have to
be one in sympathy and spirit with her
pupils. She must be able to explain. in
language Ineligible to them, the pur-
poses and properties of the materials
being worked with, and the methods to
be followed for the successful promo
ton of the object to be produced.
Prof. Ii. nj. James. of Nebraska, spoke
on the influence Of manual training in
elementary education, his paper being
practically ratification of the remarks
already made, in addition to which he
devoted some time to talk on kinder
garten work. The session then ad-
journed.