Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1891-07-24
EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY.
Towns Need Manual Training and Cooss,
ing schools as Well as Cities

Towns Need Manual Training and Coolss,
ing Schools rs Well as Cities.
Practical education 10 needed in tha
country as well as in the city. There
has been too much brain culture in tha
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 tha
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, ere becoming impressed
with the interest as well as value of
tools. Girls are enjoying lessons in
hygiene and the chemistry of food, as
well rs practic;sl 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 a library association was started
few years ago by some ladies. There
seemed but few people around who
could or would utilize IL library on 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. 1t was hard to tell where
the hundred or more girls came from.
but there they We're, eager to learn. Il
boys class for modelling and carpentry
started, then cooking class for girls,
and all We're successful. Monthly enter
tainments were held, when an admission
fee OF ten cents was charged, and tho
rooms We're crowded.
In the other neighhorhood practical
classes have also started and are all
crowded. In this small settlement are
now being held three weekly cooking
classes for different groups of girls, two
large sewing classes, dresslnaking
course and boys carpentry classes
Village bands and choruses are valu-
able. In one place Il large group of boys
are kept interested by their weekly band
practice. A right feeling Of pride is
aroused when they are called upon to
lead local professions, to play at enter
tainments, etc. Here, also, the teacher
of tho village school has started GYM
nasium, and is training boys and girla
alike in the Swedish movements. Coun-
try children need to be physically devel-
oped by training, and taught graceful
movements US well as city children.
Village volunteer companies of boys can
be organized and made power by fur
nishing practical outlets to energies,
physical us well as mental.
Interest in surroundings should be-
reused. The country, with its woods.
rocks, trees and plants, should bestudieds
intimacy with the beautiful variety Of
animal and insect life should be en-
couraged. Through such channels homes
will be made brighter. Happiness means
contentlnent, and contentment comes
from health, occupation and interest
Country contentment will be the result
when young people become stronger,
keep brain as well as hand busy, and ara
interested in others.-Grace Dodge in
Lippincotts.