Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-30

amounting to about one-fOurth is devoted
to mechanical drawing. and as this time
is taken from the carpenter or tool work.
that leaves about 40 hours a year 10 teach
IA boy trade. which many people seem To
believe should he the goal Thus. with
the many disadvantages. with the little
time given generally to manual training
or sloyd, We must. according to some
teach trade or show Il boy if he would
make Il success. provided he should fol-
low that trade. according to others. We
must make mechanics or produce skilful
and educated hands. and finally. accord
ing 10 others. we are to broaden the boys
education or make this we'll rounded and
evenly developed. or. in other terms. to
augment the life of the boy. What rela
ton these various phases have toward
each otner and how each should be re-
garded in working out this problem.
trust | can make partly evident.
| can not say much about what we
have done. but instead. after brief ac-
count of work so far. | will speak of what
we are endeavoring to accomplish. On
account of not having building ready
at the beginning of the regu lar school
year. work did not commence until three
weeks after the opening of city schools.
3'hus, since the term is but 10 weeks du-
ration and during that time numerous
days We're lost for various reasons. each
class has not had more than 10 or II eX-
ercises. This of course. means but Il
small chance to accomplish much with
new boys. new school new tools. new
teacher and new everything. Like all
new things. we do not find where the
greatest friction is until We have per-
formed the experiment. and then IL needs
much thought and time to make the ma
chine perform its required work with the
least possible loss of energy. Like a new
con ,truction the school needed long
test to solve many prnblems unexpected
at the beginning. but now the school is
approaching that state of its more nat
ural order
AT the commencement the work was
explained. and then beginning with the
second week. actual work was done. The
boys We're eager to get at the tools and
test them. Each pupil seemed to begin
with a great deal of boyish enthusiasm.
or as ~, e Maine Statesman said. with
''boiste us enthusiasm" hut | think il
should he fish not "strous.' AS draw
ing is one of the most essential things in
manual training or sloyd. this was given
as an introduction after they had had AN
opportunity to obtain taste. which
craVed for more of using the tools. Me-
chanical drawing boards with the 4
squares, triangles and compasses. were
new to Il large percentage of the scholars.
therefore. 1t was necessary to show the
use and benefit of these valuable adiuncts
to this work. Each boy. whether in the
VI or IN grades, completed drawing
which served to impress upon him thu
utility and saving of the board md at
the same time to give him IA practical les
son in measuring accurately. which. II
am sorry to say. they all needed. and
many of them even were obliged to be
given lessons i'm finding measurements on
the rulers. After a general practice sheet
the two lower grades made another one.
more accurate and harder. while the two
higher grades had a sheet of simple pro-
lection showing clearly the mode of eX-
pressing objects by means of mechanical
principles. The sheet of the older grades
showed In most cases a grasp upon the
elementary principles. Some of you
might ask what Is the need of giving
drawing to these boys why not give them
only the making of objects from dictation
or that which interests them the more?
To this I would reply that believe that
mechanical drawing is the first and most
important step in manual training. With
out ii. the using of the tools Is Il mere
imitation or mechanical repetition OF
others work. and | know you will agree
that II has no educational value. To first
make drawing which represents the
abstract. and from it make the material
obi Il Or the concrete. requires thinking
and not imitation. There is Il great deal
of difference between making a drawing
and from ii the concrete. requiring much
mental action. but it is Il simpler thing to
make Il drawing from the object. as that
does not require 50 much thtnkng and
reasoning as 1t does seeing or observing. !
This dra wing. so far. Is to lead the way to
the Iiidi uIsWluSs. DSkOftt MY 10Y II
allowed to commence making y model he |
is obliged TO make a drawtn&O{ It, and as |
the drawing counts 40 peff cent Of thei
total marks. he Is impr esse0 to see 1t IL I
very essential to know how tor executed
and understand the drawings Each model
brings with 1t some new rt11e3ple Of mel
chanical dra wings-in other Npe21s. II Isl
progressive. The boy then constructsShirI
his model from the drawing he has s1l&e, I
and if he does not understand that. then
he does not Understand what his piece Is i
to be. 1t requires activity OF the mind.
for without thinking in manual training 7
or sloyd. the boy can do nothing. and for
this one reason alone. regardless Of the
many others. these forms of school are|
of great educational value. From the
concSption of-the model to It's expression
in concrete material, the 4&ting rs the
tcontinaed on fakxl