Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-10-01

takes its place. In this change rules are
not ignored but the memorizipg and study
of them is deferred until the pupil has be-
come we'll acquainted with the language
from which they are taken. 1t is sought,
in other words, to to acquire knowledge
of the rules from the language rather than
strive TO make our first acquaintance with
that language from these rules. In as
much as the facts here stated fully obtain
in the other branches of study it is evident
that school boards must if faithful to the
interests intrusted to them, avail them
selves of this progress, and from time to
time introduce new text books, even
though their action may result in causing
an additional outlay on the part of parents.
II these will teach the children to take
good care of their books the expense com
plaiuei Of will b. reduced to MINIMUM.
MANUAL TRAINING.
The second subject which claimed our
attention was manuel training. For some
years past the different Boards discussed
this subject and favored s introduction
into our schools, but took no final action
After frequent and serious consideration
of manual training as an aid to education,
and beholding its general adoption in the
schools of Europe and of our ownscountry,
the board felt convinced that its intro
duction here should be no longer deferred
The following petition embodylng the
views f the board was presented to the
board of finance:
The committee appointed to consider
the immediate introduction of manual
training into the public schools, respect
fully report that they have visited the
Manuel Training schools of New Britain,
Of New Haven and of Springfield, and
have seen such evidence of successful
work, especially in the latter city, that
they recommend that a two years course
in working in wood be established for
grades seven and eight, male pupils, to
begin in September. They have found 1t
"a very important factor in school educa-
ton and therefore wish that it be intro
duced into our new course of study
During the lost ten years the subject of
manuel training, as a part of the educa-
iional system i'll public schools, has at
| tracted great attention in this country and
| in Europe Courses of study in which
some form of manel training has place
are now III operation in sever hundred cit
les and towns in the United States. Dur
ing the last four years different members
of the board of education i'll this city have
| been much iutereste in the matter On
pages 9. 10 and II of the annual report of
the boarl for 1886 81, the advantages of
this training are very clearly set forth, al
/ though at that time no special recommen-
| dntiOn was ma le The direct connection
of IN nupl tr lining with school education
| is not always understood and it may be
well to make Il brief statement of it's ob
| ject and value.
Manual training is the training aud cult
walton OF the mind by means of the hand
and the eye. The mind cannot be trained
| in the fullest way without the training
that comes through the hand aud the eye.
| i,r1
degree to forming habits of accurate OBJ
servation, of accurate PERCEPTION, of ac-
curate think ing. If the school is an
environment created for the purpose OF
preparing the mind to be afterwaI lis
educated by the environments of life,
then certainly whatever conduces, in &
high degree, to accuracy of thinking should
not be neglected.
Manual training teaches also the eX
preston of thought; it therefore teaches {
form of language. The painter, the sculp
tor, the designer, the architect, the ma
Chuist, the carpenter, the NEE ..anic, the
Artist and the artison of whatsoever name
who has learned to think for himself au(
has become more than an imitator, eX
presses his thoughts in the work whicl
lac produces, just as truly as does the
author, in the essays and books which ht
writes To lie able to express origina
thought i'll this way is perhaps the high
est aim of manual training. The habit O
working from drawings and to mic
measurements gives to students II conf
drnco in Themselves altogether new
4 Children should be taught not only on
but all three methods of expressing
thought viz: by words written or spoken
by the pencil i'll drawing and by the us
of tools and materials. Manual training
) teach $ skill in the use of tools althouge
> does not teach any trade nor any technicl
art. In this it is to be distinguished fror
technicle training and from industrii
education. The manuel training room
= II schooroom and not shop. 1t teache
the elements of all industry just as tn
3 schools now teach the elemements of tn
e mathematics Through the hand, the ey
t and the tools used, the child comes d
r. rcctly in contact with materials
- things and gains knowledge of many @
f the properties of matter. The physic;
f training and deyelopement gained in II
J working room are of no little value. n
G school gymnastic exercises are an equiv
o lent. The great variety of muscular exc
l. ton required IS performed unconscious
Il because pupils az absorbed in their wol
l and this constitutes the most healthf
IL exercise They come back to their stu
|. les with freshness and vigor and thereto
IL the time gwen to manuel training (n
J. exceeding one and one-half hours wee
Is does not diminish their work in 9th
al studies 1t teaches the child to know, lo'
is and respect labor whether of the hand
10 brain, and brings about a sympathet
re understanding between all forms of ho
le est work. TIL, Sc who have had son
re years of experience in such work clai
De that manuel training has a high moral i
is tuence; that it tends to make child i
dustIious, exact, truthful, modest VIII
e. self-reliant, honest, intelligent, thoughtfl
y. temperate, pure and sincere" Childr
ct who do not at first succeed in the usu
d. studies have their minds opened by ma
IL uel training and become interested in t
TO school text books. The expression
W. puts the whole child at school" has be
ed used in connection with manuel trainir
No 1t conduces to the highest possible edu'
mt ton of the individual, to the harmonic
re- training of all the facilities, an all-sid
development for all the relations of life
In primary rooms the differt
m forms of object teaching and especia
in moulding in clay furnish a valuable q