The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-24

school room should be done in the kinder
garten, for the new idea in educational
methods now is 10 train the eyes and
hands as well as the brain. so that there
may be an evenly developed orgsnsm
and some practical results obtained. The
kindergarten (childs garden) is purely
practical mental development. teaching
practice work from which theories may be
evolved. Its simple methods gradually
mould the little half mind--child mind
into plain but correct way of thinking,
for the brain work Is assisted by the eyes
and the hands. and gradually prepare it
for better understanding of the ad-
vanced methods OF mental. manual and
even optical training. It earlier develops
the special bent OF each child nature
forewarning us how to train 1t along The
line of its natural adaptabllity for certain
work or business The mind is uncon-
sciously led into business like way CT
thinking. developing Judgment as we'll ~
individuality of thought. When carefully
trained In kindergarten and followed with
careful manual training in the use of tools.
etc. and hand drawing, these chill
dren catch the art idea of doing every
thing in an artistic manner, for the eye
Is taught to recognize grace, fitness, hli-
mony, beauty. proportion, space distance,
etc, The beauty of this method of edu
cation is that 1t goes along hand in hani
WIN cptliluss ItduluS- NpllilS duu dllth-
metic. the former developing greater com
prehensve power for the grasping of the
latter studies The result of the whole
tsaching eliminates In well balarred
minds and trained eyes and hands for
work which will secure them a livelihood
and even to lay sure foundation for en-
tering upon the higher walks of life II
they desire II, The kindergarten school
al the state orphan home. at Corsicila
Texas, I am proud to say, is admiralty
conducted and well provided with appro-
PIRATE fittings and an excellent teachec
Although I strongly advocate the idea
that every orphan child should have nan
ual training and learn some avoc Iton.
yet ] was impressed with the doings OF
other orphan homes. concerning the extent
to which they go to the school room
studies for their orphans even though the
end to be reached Is the training necessary
to make a living, for they do not desire
to send out fairly good but ignorant lne
chanics. printers, cooks, etc Some OF
them go beyond the grammar grade and
reach the high school studies the ques-
tion being, Does education educate? In
one way. at least, experience proves that
II does. Ignoring the political feature OF
the question, we know that many political
economists intelligent writer's and speak
ers contend that American manufacturers
can successfully compete with foreigners
in other markets In spite OF their cheaper
labor, because of their superior skilled
labor and that this superior skill is due
to the excellent common school system.
We should not conhne the school studies
to very low standard. for In manual
and mechanical education higher arlth-
metic and the elements OF geometry and
physics arc great helps for Intelligent and
hopeful study.
The high school methods. as cenducteu
nniQ r;-I.
in book studies, leaving them stranded,
nigh and dry. upon shore of barren
lhought--to use their eyes simply to Sec
and whose hands have been trained TO do
but few things intelligently They are
waits with minds cultivated in book lore,
utterly helpless for the business work OF
life, and may be represented as a we'll
built ship, which, torn from Its mornings
at night, silently drifts t. sea, beaten ~
the tempest and wave. having neither ball
last to steady 1t nor rudder to shape the
course to harbor of safety. After finish
ing the grammar grades we should nut
our students, at about the age OF IA, to
hnish in the department of cooking, dairy
work, sewing by hand and machine. |
drawing, etching, book binding, stenog
rsphy' typewriting and music. il they have
talent for 1t. The girls are suited for ali
81 these studies and the boys also except
Tor sewing. In addition, the art of print.
ing mouse painting, shoe making. carving
IN wood. moulding In plaster. carpentry
ana ine handling of tools, machinery. etc,
are desirable for boys. 7 do not mean TO |
say that every boy will have time. during
ms limited stay at the home. to become
thoroughly proficient in each of these
studies, manual and technical, for the
dVallaole FUNDS would not be sufficient for |
me contamination of this work, however
desirable We can, however, make them
toieraoly proncient in cooking (both boys
ana glrlsl and In dairy work. stenoe- |
raphy and typewrting, so that thev NAV
seek employment for good work at once:
anu as Tor the other studies. an elemen-
tary knowledge can be acquired which will |
quarry them for intelligent wage earning |
apprenticeship as soon as they leave |
school' Ihose who take them as aupren 81
ices can soon develop them into experts
lor they Will have acquired knowledse |
OF the fundamental principles of the busi- |
ness, how to handle tools. when. where
anu now to begin and why the thing |
snoula De done. student lust from ono
OF our high schools, as an apnrentice
would nave to begin at the bottom and
~ "aru ior at least two or three years |
leaen the point where our students
ieaNe on The students OF your o-nba, /
nome when they 20 out of tho ora rn,na-
craze or preparatory course diveree from
tne nigh school student and take IN nrac- |
scal instruction, which develops the mind
aiSns d broad plane of practical thought
no. anorded by the study of the dead Ian
suases, whose Just idioms and proper pro
toa nve'' m we are | believe. ignorant of
toaay' There are few studies howa,or
wnlch should go hand in hand with man,
uai training, such as higher arithmetic
ahu me elements OF geometry ana nbvsics
~nlen may be styled CO. developers no.
Ionging to and growing out of e,ch other
, Tnen me students leave the Institution
bnoa WI, enter the contest for liveli |
OF life. with stouter hearts ana h onoi''ohs
cause cause their minds have been trainoa -
think in practical channels - ''"'Heu 10