The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1891-06-25
EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY.


Towns Need Manual Training and Cook
ing Schools as Well as Cities.
Practical education is needed in the
country as well as in the citv. There
has been too much brain culture in the
past, with too little sense development
and mind training. With all opportuni-
ties for objective teaching and manual
training, but little of it has come to the
country, and yet the boys and girls there
need this training as much as children
in crowded city tenements. Successful
experiments in these directions are be-
ing made in many country neighbor-
hoods Groups OF ladies are inaugural
ing cooking, carpentry, and clay model
ing classes and sending to the cities for
teachers.
In these neighborhoods boys who ex-
pected to become clerks, and in conse-
quence to leave their homes for city
boarding houses, are becoming impressed
with the interest as well as value of
tools. Girls are enjoying lessons in
hygiene and the chemistry of food, as
well as practical demonstrations of cook
ing. Sewing is also growing more and
more interesting, and the young girls
appreciate doing with the learning.
Take, for example, two neighbor-
hoods on the Hudson, near New York.
In one library association was started
few>years ago by some ladies. There
seemed but few people around who
could or would utilize a library or read
ing room, but soon many men and boys
gathered nightly. A sewing school was
started for Saturdays upon strict bust
ness principles, and within month was
overcrowded. It was hard to tell where
the hundred or more girls came from,
but there they were, eager to learn. A
boys class for modelling and carpentry
started, then cooking class for girls,
and all were successful. Monthly enter
tainments were held, when an admission
fee of ten cents was charged, and the
rooms were crowded.
In the other neighborhood practical
classes have also started and are all
now being held three weekly cooking
classes for different groups of girls, two
large sewing classes, a dressmaking
course and boys carpentry classes.
Village bands. and choruses are valu.
able. In one place large group of boys
are kept interested by their weekly band
practice. A right feeling of pride il
aroused when they are called upon tc
lead local professions, to play at enter.
tainments, etc. Here, also, the teacher
of the village school has started a gym
nasium, and is training boys and girls
alike in the Swedish movements. Coun.
try children need to be physically devel-
oped by training, and taught graceful
movements as well as city children.
Village volunteer companies of boys can
be organized and made power by fur
nishing practical outlets to energies
physical as well as mental.
Interest in surroundings should be
reused. The country, with its woods
rocks, trees and plants, should bestudied
intimacy with the beautiful variety Of
animal and insect life should be en-
couraged. Through such channels homes
will be made brighter. Happiness means
contentment, and contentment comes
from health, occupation and interest
Country contentment viii be the result
when young people become stronger
keep brain as well as hand busy, and are
interested in others. Dodge in
LipDincott'S