Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-08-14
MANUAL TRAINING.
Supt. Karl Mathie Makes Extensive
Investigations.


quite little time lately investigating
the subject of manual training in
various cities where that branch
of work has been introduced in the
public schools. Mr. Mathie feels
confident that manual training, il
properly managed, would prove q
great benefit to Wausau If this is SO
we ought to have it, and will have it,
without doubt, unless Wausau is to lose
her former reputation tor always doing
what is for the best interests Of her citi-
Zens.
About dozen cities of Wisconsin now
include manual training in the school
work. Appleton, Eau Claire, James
vile, Menomonie, Milwaukee and Flor
ence were among the state pioneers in
the movement. Burlington, Fond du
Lac, Oshkosh. Mayville and Waupaca,
have followed within the last four years.
Mr.. Mathie visited number of these
places and also Menominee, Mich. In
the Menominee, he found most salts
factory plant and plan.
The work in Wisconsin is compara-
lively new, and, consequently, many
mistakes have been made At Menom-
onie, Wis, the cost of the equipment
has caused much opposition to manual
training The Milwaukee plants have
also been expensive, one costing $4,000.
Much money has been wasted in buying
unnecessary tools, fine machines, and
elaborate benches. On the other hand,
some cities have spent too little upon
their plant. The Fond du Lac outfit
cost $500 and the one at Waupaea $3.50.
Plain benches are what will be found in
regular shops and there is no necessity
of having fancy, polished ones in the
manual training department. Intricate
machines that do all the work while the
man merely guides it are of little bene-
fit educatlonally and are very expensive.
If Wausau would put in 81 900 for the
original plant we might have an outfit
as good as the work demands, and with
the $3.50 which the state gives annually
to every city putting in manual train
ing under its supervision, the yearly
expense would be very low indeed.
The teachers in charge varied great
ly. In one place, the janitor directed
the work-an easy way to pay the jani-
tor but probably not what the state in
tended. In some places the high school
teachers look after this department as
part of their duties. In other cities a
teacher gives his whole time to the Dor-
NAL training course. As a consequence,
salaries range from $500 to $1,000.
One great error that is made by almost
every one of these cities is in limiting
the manual training work to the high
school Mr. Mathie says that everyone
he talked with acknowledged that this
was mistake In Menominee, the
fifth and sixth grade boys and girls give
an hour a week to manual training and
sewing; the seventh and eighth grades
have two hours week. In these four
grades it is required The work in the
high school is elective and there only
one period day is given it. This is
the better plan for the sooner the work
is begun, the better, provided the pu-
pill is ready for it. Not one manual
training teacher felt that it was wise to
keep it for high school pupils alone"
Mr.. Mathie spent all one afternoon
at Janesville in making inquiries among
all classes of people He found that the
manual training was very well liked,
particularly among the mechanics and
laboring men. The same opinion was
held in Milwaukee and other places.
Wherever the course has been intro
duced it has been beneficial and conse-
quently popular.
In conclusion, Mr.. Mathie expressed
himself thus: II am more than ever
convinced that manual training should
be put into our schools as soon as prac-
ticable, but only under these conditions:
First, that the plant be simple, but dur
able and adequate; second, that only
trained teachers, thoroughly alive to
the educational value as well as the
practical ends, be engaged, and lastly,
that the grammar grades, as well as
the high school, be permitteI to enjoy
its benefits"