The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-26
like MANUAL TRAINING
Pupils in the Newark Public
Schools Rejoice in a
New Study.
[spscial to arhe Jersey city News,

~ 1PlSASA 80
NEWARK, Oct. &c, 1Ss7.-After many
disappointments and delays manual train
ing finally began in the Newark public
schools yesterday morning. The first shop
to open was that in the basement Of the
Thirteenth Avenue School and the first
class to receive instruction was composed
Of the boys of the eighth grade of the
South Eighth Street School. The first les
son consisted of instruction in the use OF
the drawing Instruments; the regular
tools will be used for the first time next
week probably.
Long before nine o'clock the boys of the
first class, to the number of eighteen, were
assembled at the Thirteenth Avenue
Schooi eager to begin work. There are
nineteen boys in the class, but one little
fellow, TO his lasting regret, was too sick
to attend in the morning. His more for
tunate comrades were not allowed to in
wade the shop at once, but Director Pick
wick was busy making ready for them
and they had to content themselves with
peeping in window or trying to catch
%glimpses OF the shop through the door,
which opened and closed at intervals.
When the boys were finally admitted,
they found themselves in a T~-shaped
room, well lighted and large enough to ac-
commodate thirty carpenters benches, of
about one-third the usual length. Around
the walls, beside the hooks for hats and
coats were a number of closets for the re-
ception of tools. Each bench was
equipped with a bench and dog for plan
ing. There were also apertures for six
drawers. which the classes will make and
fit when they get further advanced. On
each bench was also laid a small drawing
board with a T-square and a forty-hve
and a s~ixty-thirty triangle and a foot
rule.
These were the tools used IN the first
lesson, into which the class plunged with
unfeigned eagerness. After explaining
The uses of each instrument. drawing pa
per was distributed and fastened to the
boards with thumb lacks, and Director
Pickwick directed the boys to draw a YER
tical and a horizontal line, which should
bisecI each other in the middle of the
sheet. Here the first hitch occurred.
Most of the youngsters readily appreclat-
ed the properties of the tools ana had
their centres located and their lines drawn
in ! jiffy. Some, however, fell foul in the
first attempt and sundry erasures were
Then the boys were required to "a
1Oul OplOVlSS, 5Hl 0y 1o0l dio LC-iicA
inches each. using the lines already drawn
as far as possible. When this task was
completed The upper left hand obleng was
divided into half-inch squares, which were
then bisected at right and left angles.
The lower left hand oblong was marked
top and bottom at intervals of two inenes
and then by means OF the sixty-tnlrty tri-
angle prisms were drawn in the space.
Next lines were drawn through the points
of intersection.
After the class had concluded this work
1irAafHr pinEvyiak Ghnuypd- rho hnuS f1rSf
an oblong block of wood and then a cy-
Under of equal diameter and length and
gave them instructions o to reproduce
these models on the drawing boards re-
duced in size. Before this could be done,
however, the lesson ended.
While it was in rogre a couple of
workrnen were carrying into the room and
storing in the lockers boxes of nails,
screws and tacks, Jaws. hammers. mallets
planes, hatchets and other tools, which
the pupils viewed with wistful eyes.
School Commissioner Zusi, who, with
Principal Wilson, was an interested spec
tator during the lesson, told the boys that
the girls of the eighth grade in the Thir-
teenth Avenue school had volunteered TO
make working aprons for their classmates.
The boys evidently appreciated the hint.
The eagerness to begin, and the interest
which the boys manifested in their new
work, were very gratifying to Mr.. Pick
wick. There was very little smiling and
laughing, nc horse play, and very little
conversation. though some latitude in the
last respect was Allowed. Whatever ak
ing was done was generally for the pur-
pose OF explaining a point TO a classmate
who had not understood. 1t was very evil
dent that the boys were sorry when the
lesson was over.
The South Eighth Street School class
eighth grade of the Central Avenue
In the afternoon the Thirteenth Avenue
and South Tenth Street boys were given
their first lessons.