The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-17
A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

In trying manual training experiment in
one of the primary grades. the Indianapolis
School Board simply shows recognition of
the trend of opinion in educational matters.
There is a growing belief that the child
must have something more than he gets
from books If he is to be properly fitted to
enter into the world of work when his
school days are done. Exclusive attention
to the intellectual development for several
generations has not proved wholly satisfac-
tory in results. The child comes out of the
schoolroom with his mind stored with in
formation of more or less value, most of
which is of no immediate use to him. The
majority of men must work with their
hands as well as with their heads. but the
hands have had no training of an intelligent
kind when young, and skill comes to them
less easily when older. The boy has not
even had opportunity to learn what his
possible bent is, if he chance to have any
in mechanical way, or to develop an in
dustrial taste that might serve him well.
In earlier days, when farm and village life
called for participation in a great variety
of pursuits, there was less need of special
training. for the average man grew up cap
able of turning his hand to any one of half
a dozen callings if necessary. Now. with
different conditions, the boy has little
chance even in his sports to prove his in
genuity and dexterity The need of har-
monious development of mental and bodily
powers in the growing youth found express
sion in our great Manual Training School,
tenn, but this does not supply all the de-
mand, since it is open only to pupils of
High School age. A great number of chill
dren leave school before they are through
with the lower grades. Even the new COM
pulsory education law governs the child only
until the age of fourteen. 1t seems only
proper that these children whose time is
limited should have some benefit of the
new system of education, which includes the
hand as well as the head. 1t is better, too.
for those who expect to enter the Manual
Training High School that they should have
preliminary instruction in the same line.
To introduce industrial features into the
primary work is merely to carry forward
kindergarten ideas; indeed, the entire man.
ual training system is but the evolution of
these ideas from what is at first apparently
purposeless childs play into what is finally
skilled and intelligent labor 1t is not in
tended, nor would it be possible, by this
system of instruction to fit the child to en-
ter at once when he leaves school into re-
munerative occupations. 1t is only meant
to give him a rounded education that will
better enable him to adapt himself to indus
trial conditions than he can now do with
training entirely one-sided. Nevertheless,
the work done by children in schools is
not entirely without actual present value as
so many suppose. A Boston paper contains
an account of an exhibition of clay-model-
ing work by class of boys who. under
special instructor, modelled architectural or
naments for which q market was found.
Work of this kind done by quite young
children, is said to be of remarkable merit
also.
The Indianapolis School Board is taking a
proper course in testing for itself the merits
of this class of training in the lower grades.
The system will no doubt be extended in
time to all the schools.