The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-07-01

Our Manual Training School.
Our citizens ought all to he enough
interested in what their boys can do in
mechanical line to go to the High
School building, and so through the
manual training department where an
exhibition is now open, showing the
results and benefits OF that depart
ment. Whatever doubts may have ex-
listed at first in regard to the success
OF such department, all doubts will
be removed from all reasonable minds
after a view OF what the boys have
done in the line OF obtaining a me-
chanical education. The wonderful
exhibit of intricate work In iron and
wood Is almost hewildering, and the
constant thought is, how can these
bays harm to do so much in SO short a
ne?
Manual training Is the elimination
az tho theories and methods OF me-
Ianics as taught from books. 1t is
ae training OF the hand to successful
~ follow the training of the mind. 1t is
more than that 1t is the enlargement
itgd mora full development Of the
land. 1t not only teaches tho theory
O. mechanics in construction Of OBJ
'scts but it takes hold OF the hand
practically and enables it to make
those objects. A few hours spent in
manual exercise are at the proper time
and under proper circumstances worth
more to a scholar than days trying to
master theories by the aid OF black
boards and schedules. Yet the draw
Ing room ia the real basis OF extended
thought and knowledge.
The man OF limited education but
who with stick scratches in the sand
tho crude shape of something he
wants to make acknowledges by his
actions the benefits OF the drawing
room. There thought and theory are
cngendered and brought out, in the
manual department they are put into
full play.
It is a mistaken idea that manual
training in our Boys High School is
20 come in contact and in opposition
10 regularly organized labor. No
such thought should for a moment be
encouraged. Manual training is to
give boys start to make better black
smiths, better carpenters, better ma.
cainists, better workmen In every
field OF labor and industry they may
select than they could be without
this training.
Should boy take his first lesson In
ths blacksmith department oil the
training school, hslearns the construe
ton of the material he works with. Il
but small block of iron cast. OIL
wrought, he learns of what iron i:
made, how il is frat ore then pig oil
eiist iron, then annsalad or wrought
iron, then steel Of various grades, why
I this kind is better for one kind of work
and that foT another, the relation oil
chemistry to iron is taught, mineralogy
scomes- In the welding process, the
tools the boy works with, how anc
way they are made in certain ways
blh y AundANd psklIk 4tAAo AIlHSS lusi
theory cannot take hold of and moulC
into shape. As II is inthls department
80 it Is in the pattern department, tht
chipping and lifting department, ant
the carving and turning department
Theory and practice are here laugh
nto go hand In hand, and when a 10.
graduates from the High School he ha
Something more than bundle O
theories to depend upon. Ii he enter
upon an apprenticeship he is already
fuH-iledged mechanic, as the ayeras
OF mechanics 60 nowadays. I'll
practical advantage OF all this is tina
he has obtained this knowledge by er
larglng the mind upon all OTHER STUD
les. Should the boy choose to becom
q lawyer his will be better lawyer o
account OF his manual training; mir
later, his nind will be tho more full c
practical comparisons and illustr,
lions; a teacher, he starts at once int
Che region OF enlarged ideas. But Ii
our citizens go and sec this manu-
iaining exhibition for themselves an
BE- convinced of the benefits arisin
from this branch OF our now enlarge
system OF education.
---~a,-s -