The true northerner., 1900-04-11
MANUAL TRAINING.
IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS INTERESTING
PAPER READ Al A RECENT ASSOCIATION
MEETING by PAW PAW TEACHER.

No problem engages the attention OF
thinking people to day 80 frequently
or with such persistency as does that OF
fitting our boys and girls for their life
work. 1t seems to me that there is
nothing which should be of SO much inn
portance TO us as teachers as this one
thought, that we are responsible for the
future usefulness of our young people.
Often we hear the patrons of our
schools exclaiming against our present
system of education and many man de
nounces education as unnecessary and
useless in practical sense. The com
pulsory school law is often denounced as
an imposition, especially by those who
do not desire "higher" education for their
children. Still we may consider the
compulsory school law with its "must"
forcefully emphasized, as the safety and
backbone of our nation. In govern
ment for the people and by the people
such a law is necessary. Were it not for
that "must, To what could we look for
ward as a nation-as race?
But let us consider the arguments
which are advanced by these obJectors
to our present system of education. In
the first place, there is an increasing de-
mand for more practical education
than we now have, and this demand is
made by very intelligent class of peo-
pie. Not all boys and girls, as we well
know, are adapted by their natural pre-
ferences and dispositions TO undertake a
professional career, or the life of one en-
gagged in literary pursuits In some
cases it is, | am sorry TO admit, because
of the lack Of mental strength that this
is true; in other cases, the demand arises
from the inability of parents to give a
thorough high school and college train
ing to their children. Many children in
our cities are compelled TO earn their own
bread, and in many cases that OF others,
while they are still in their early teens
as we say. Herein lies the value of our
present law, and as result of the early
age at which many of our youths are
obliged 20 enter upon the duties of life,
comes the call for something practical
To these people an education means
much. It means not only the knowledge
of reading and writing and the elements
of mathematics, but it signifies the
means of earning a livelihood
But it is not these intelligent Ameri-
cans alone who are crying out against
the line of work followed in our public
schools of to-day, but there is also
strong foreign element which disapproves
of our plans and ways. A great majority
of the foreigners in our land are opposed
to education in any shape or form, and it
is only because of the great "must"
of the compulsory school law that their
children receive any training at all. Let
us look at this element as seen in some
OF the cities of our state. Accustomed
as peasants, in their native lands, to no
free public training and knowing moth
ing of the advantages and pleasures re-
sulting from "A knowledge Of even the
rudiments, they go on, day after day, in
the old foot beaten path Of drudgery.
Knowing no better in their own lives or
those Of their friends, they naturally de
sire nothing better for their children.
In one OF the principal cities of the west
number of HOlauders and Poles of the
poorer class, who delve away with all
their strength, day after day, with no
thought of anything better What is
the result! Their children are allowed,
because they must, to attend school only
until they have reached an age when
they can leave study and earn their own
IN In =
side of the school house, they are requir-
ed to work in the gardens, pedde veg
etables and buy rags. This soon be-
comes the height of the boys or girls
ambition. When they can take up this
work, they have reached the pinnacle of
happiness and content. They desire
nothing better. Can we consider men
and women of this stamp as good and
useful citizens? Are these people Of
whom we may be proud? No, | am
sorry to say we cannot be proud of them.
Immediately the question is raised, how
we may make them useful citizens. 1t
is at least worth trying
1t would be we'll to consider, for
moment, what education is Someone
JAS SdlQ lIdl education consists OF the
whole bringing up of child Herbert
Spencer defines education as "the pre-
paration for complete living" and may |
add that complete living includes use
fulness aud good citizenship That man
is truly educated who can bring to his
labor skilled hands, ready brain, an en-
thusasm for doing the best in him, and
determination to make those around him
better for his knowledge. Add to this
love of home and country, although it
may be only his adopted country, and
we have the educated man in the true
sense of the word. Is this not result
worthy of labor on our part? Yea.
verify. And all this lies within the scope
of our schools and is a possibility for us
to-day.
But hear someone ask, "How may we
accomplish such a desired end? How
can we cause our boys and girls to at
tain such a goal?" This question has
been successfully answered by some of
the cities of our state. Several of the
cities of Michigan are adopting the idea