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

way 10 meet these demands, except by
the intr0duction into our school system.
from Kindergarten through the univer-
sity complete and correlated course of
manual and industrial training?
| | claim that it is the only and all i'm
portant thing to do, and that ii is now
time, for educators to awake to this nee
eSsity, arouse and enlighten public opin-
ion. and bring municipalities and legisla-
lures 10 recognize. establish and sustain
such system.
trust that our own State of Maine
will not be the last to act in this matter.
The speakers who follow me on today
prosra mme are representatives of cities
where manual training is already estab-
lished and have no doubt that they will
report only the most satisfactory results
and give us pra-7 e suggestions.
In my own litt---city of Saco we have
been making the experiment four years.
and the results warrant its continuation
and further development. All our cti-
/ zens who have an intelligent knowledge
of the subject zealously encourages and
sustain the work.
An idea some times exists with those
VIII, re uniformed that manual train
ing j.. for its object only the making of
carp1 lers..
A fond father once said to me. Il don't
want my boy to go to your carpenter
school. ] don't want him to be car
penter. He is a scholar; I'm going to
give him an e~ucation. and | don't want
|
Nothing but books. alas: there are
thousands of helpless idlers. unable to
earn an honest living. simply because
they know nothing but books.
That foolish father had fallen into ii
too common idea. that knowledge Of
books is an education and that to work
with the hands is degrading.
Now. manual training is not to make
carpenters but to make men broad-rea
Sonng. thinking. thrift-lOVing. work re-
spectina men: but if some should become
carpenters and working mechanics they
would be following the example of the
great teacher of Judea. who "A car
penter and the son of Il carpenter He
took !; course IN manual trainingsin his
boyhood. Tradition says that when Il lit
tie boy. he made at his fathers bench a
model of Il Roman cross which with boy
ish delight he exhibited to his astoniShed
mother. 1t was made with such Wonder
full skill and accuracy. that by the sages
of the neishborhood it considered
prophetic of his marvellous career. and
painful death upon Il similar shaped
cross. 80
He was brought up to habits of indus
try. economy and self-deniaI. While he
was working with mis- hands his mind
was not unemployed. For thirty years
he toiled at his trade and then became
the worlds greatest instructor. Is it dis
honorable to follow his example?
He respected the working man. His
chosen companions were laborers. fisher
men. netmakers and mechanics. There
is, however. nothing to show that Judas
ever learned to work. and. as he became
a treasurer and in his anxiety to secure
money without work. betrayed his mas
ter. we may justly infer that he had new
er been accustomed to honest labor.
No one thing is more emphatically
taught by the founders of christianity
than that industriously employed hands
develops honesty and nobility of charac-
ter.
Paul was 1t tent maker: Peter ii fisher
man and netmaker: and all the apostles
We're tradesmen of some kind while the
devout women who became their follow
ers, We're thrifty housekeepers and skill
full and charitable needle workers.
The school is the place to abolish pre-
| iudice against labor: it is the place to
develop hand and heart and head. and
| from it we should send out our students
with skillfully trained hands. healthfully
trained bodies. thrft-Ioving natures. hon
est purposes and pure principles.
Mr.. Locke was followed by George H.
Babb. principal of the Portland School
for Manual Training, who gave a mos,
interesting and Instructive description
of the methods in use and the results
aimed for in his school , Mr.. Babb
said:
When began manual instruction seven
years ago. was already convinced of its
| value i'll Quickening the mental powers:
| but ii was not plain to my mind that
| the simple use of tools would quicken and
improve the moral faculties. My expert
ence has persuaded me that manual
training is one of the strongest forces in
developing to its best. the moral nature:
and it is with hope that parents. teach
ers and school boards may be led to con-
slider this branch of education from this
standpoint that these few facts and sug-
/ gcstions are offered.
| What has actually happened in my own
schooroom in Portland within my own
Eobseryational wish to relate. livery soon
found that the boys liked to work and
would work extra time il given an OPP
| portunity. and ] have encouraged extra
i work to quite an extent. If you could go
Z, with me to my rooms in Portland some
4 evening at about ) o'clock you would be
4 sure of finding. If permission had been
4 given. anywhere from 10 to % boys all so
/ busily and earnestly at work. They are
i not working upon regular models
rule but are creating something of their
own design They are pupils every one
of whom is already oyerworked giving
up just so much play time to engage in
1 work Many of them are sons of we'll
/ to-eio parents, and accustomed To seeing
4 every form of manual labor done by SER
i wants.
4 The lumber that they are making into
/ checker-boards. writing desks. jartliniere
i stands. glove. boxes. china cabinets and
4 many other articles for Christmas pres
/ entss for mother and sister has all been
i taken from the min in their own hands.
i If there has beenemore than one boy
i could carry for himself he has had assist
/ ance from another Instead of hiring an
4 express. Ny advice was asked by the
+, boy who Is working on the china closet
4 as to the best way to get the proper
! curves and to cut the lumber. Said l.
"Weli your plan for getting the curves
/ is all right: but the way of cut
ting the lumber, is too slow. | prefer
i taking it to the planning MILL l sug-
j gested that the express would be con-
! siderable. Express charges. 1t won't
| cost a cent. | shall draw it on my sled
! and draw it back again.. So the pieces