The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-06-24

TEACHING BOYS TO PATCH AND
GIRLS TO WORK IN WOOD.

Johnny sewing patchwork and Susan |
whiting kindlingl
That Is the vision Of the futurew which the |
critic of manual training beholds with his |
prophetic eye. For confirmation he points
you to tho New York College for the Train
ing OF Teachers, whore young Americans
in trousers are prickinrl ,eir fingers and
learning bias from straight, and where the
daughters of this new revolution are wad-
ing through CORY seas To the goal Of per-
fection In wood cutting and carving.
The boys begin their sewing lessons at
an carly age, one three years old being a
member Of the youngest class. Occasion
ally spirit Of rebellion crops out at the
suggestion Of sewing, as In the case Of one
little chap who professed decided objec-
tion to an acquaintance with needle and
thimble on the score that he didn't want
TO be tailor" He II not alone In his op
position tn the movement; therefore IL may
be ~ well to give the point OF view Of the
teacher.
1t Is all explained under the magic phase,
manual training 1t seems that there IL
not any particular desire to havs the boys
learn TO sew. They do not care to manu-
facture tallors at the college any more than
they want to make u seamstress Of every
girl who attends But the children In the
first classes are too young to take up such
forms Of manual training a. wood cutting.
They would simply slice themselv yes up like
green cucumbers. Still, the little hands
must be trained. and sewing il the only
available method for young scholars who
have completed the kindergarten course.
When there Is any show OF rebellion on
the part Of the boys who are to begin,
there Is one unfailing argument which Ia
advanced. The teacher relates the skill OF
sailors and trained soldiers in the use Of
the needle, and. prestoi Johnny seizes upon
patchwork with an interest which will not
be denied.
The other day number OF girls and
boys, from six to nine years OF age. were
having their sewing lesson In one Of the
sunny rooms Mt the college. The girls, it
must be admitted. were a little more grace
ful than the boys in their use Of the needle,
but their brothers were not to be outdone
in practical results. They certainly did
screw" II good deal from their tongues,
which they rolled visibly within their
checks, to their toes. which were painfully
held on tiptoe, curing the entire five min.
utes required by novice to thread q
needle.
Ouch" suddenly exclaimed little feL
low in the front seat who, with his leg
doubled under him, his fingers clutching a
piece OF muslin, his forehead knotted and
his mouth pickered in harmony with his
thread, was picture OF absorbed industry.
His ouch" meant that he had prick ed
MS hnSers-which he promptly put in his
mouth--and ~ the children were growing
httie sireu the teacher told them to put
aL.s-
their work away ana gave them little
taik on the materials and Instruments used
IN sewing. Her LAX that day was on cot
ton. some pods OF which she had brought
as an 1iiustratioh' ana the questions ranged
over geography, climate, labor, machinery
ana great number OF related subjects.
IL was noticeable ming that when the
oruer came 10 put away the work 1t was
the boys VINO SAID:
oh. please let us sew some moFeV'
AS they grow older and take up the other
forms OF manual training the boys want
the sewing left out OF their curriculum. "a
that there are rev oider Than twelve who
belong to the thread-and-needle classes.
But their work Is, on the average, quite as
good a. the girls while they continue II.
Over in the annex the drops Of blood
which the boys shed In their sewing are
atoned for by the cut fingers which gen
eraiIy follow girls nrst introduction to
real edged tools. The superintendent, how
ever, said the other day that In cases where
the girls enter at the same age that the
boys do he can see no perceptible difference
III their work. In the first course. which
consists OF whiting and cutting thin
wood into figures, joining and polishing
them, the girls do rs well as the boys. In
the advanced work OF wood carving they
are often much interested and do quite as
well rs the boys, provided they have had
the same training. Otherwise they are not
so strong and it takes some time to de-
velop their muscles.
At the tables in the workroom stood .
number OF girls and boys wearing aprons
OF striped ticking and cutting, saving,
drawing figures on wood, sandpapering
nave convinced an observer OF their inter-