The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-17
MANUAL TRAINING VENTURE.
Basket Making Taught i'm Public
schools of Minneapolis.

The children in the primary grades OF
some of the Minneapolis public schools
have been experimenting with basket max
ing and rug weaving during the past year,
and both pupils and teachers are more
thar pleased with the results. The work
has not been made a regular part OF
the school course, but ii seems likely 70
become one of the most successful forms
of handwork yet introduced for the pri-
mary scholars.
In the Horace Mann School, of New York,
and the Dewey School, of Chicago, this
work has been carried TO a high degree
Of development, and much more time is
given to it than has been possible in the
Minneapolis schools. In the former schools
the children are taught TO dye the ma
terial for their baskets and the woods for
their rugs, from vegetable dyes which they
themselves prepare after old-time meth
DDS. In Minneapolis the cOlored woods are
used, n the raftia and rattan are gen.
orally used in their natural color, although
in some cases a part of the material has
been dyed with prepared dyes in order to
introduce a design into the work.
The principals of some of the schools
learned of this work, and the methods OF
teaching it while at the Chautauqua As
sembly last year. Others learned in Chi
cago. and all were enthusiastic over it.
At the Teachers Round Table it was dis.
cussed, and SO anxious were these prin-
cipals to have it taken up in their schools
that they in turn taught the primary
teachers of their schools and in many in
stances bore the expense of supplying ma
terial for the work. 1t was not long be-
fore the children were more than willing
TO buy their own, so that the expense was
divided.
The baskets are made from rata, which
is the inner fibre of the palm tree, and
comes from Madagascar, and from rattan,
which is also a part of the palm, and
comes from the West Indies. The rata
is strong and tough, but is also thin
and pliable, and is used in strands which
are first braided in flat bands of various
widths, and then sewed with a single fibre
of the same material into the desired
shape. Not only are baskets made from
il, but mats, pieces of miniature furni-
ture. bags, and covers for bottles of ar
tistic shape. The baskets are symmetri-
cal in outline. and compare favorably
with the simpler forms of Indian bas-
quetry and with the small baskets of
When a design In color was
introduced it is artistic in color scheme,
and well carried out as 10 regularity OF
pattern. Indian baskets are an used
as guides as to colors and patti, IS.
The rattan is more difficult TO handle
than the rata. since it is stiff instead of
pliable. 1t must be soaked in water ard
worked with while wet. Even then 1t
is inclined to be unruly, and proves an
excellent training for the temper, as the
worker must have patience in order TO
bring about the desired result. Baskets,
mats and other shapes similar to those
made with the rafia are carried out in
rattan.
A course of preparatory work is given
the children of the first grade before these
materials just described are put into their
hands. They are taught 10 weave with
strips of paper, much as is done in kin
dergarten, first making fiat mats, then
paper baskets and boxes. After they be-
come adept with these they are given the
weaving, which precedes the basket max
ing. The first step in this is furnished
ny LlCaio " a NaAd 0NAOco ~ WI NND
threads are drawn at even distances 10
form a warp; after which cross threads
are woven in and out to make a solid mat
of one or contrasting colors. The child
is permitted to make his own selection Of
colors, with no word from the teacher
unless a really shocking choice is made.
BY his means the eye as Well as the
hand is trained. Each primary schoolroom
has a dollhouse, which is furnished by
degrees by the scholars. The little rugs
help TO fit up the floors of this house, and
all sorts of furnishings are made at diff
ferent times. 1t is the manual training
OF the high schools in embryo, with the
underlying principles OF truth in all de-
tails of work. After the weaving on cards
comes weaving in a frame, which is 10
all practical points like a miniature loom.
The colors and designs of the Navajo blan-
kets furnish the children with ideas Of de-
sirable effects, and while they do not at
tempt TO copy these, they gain valuable
suggestions which they carry out accord
ing TO the promptings of their own brain.
Little idea of the real beauty and artistic
character of the work done by these chill
dren OF the primary grades can be gained
without an inspection Of the actual work
Its character is sufficiently vouched for
however, when IL is known that at the re.
cent exhibition of the Arts and Crafts So.
ciety IN Minneapolis, when specimens Of
various handicrafts from all over the coun.
try were displayed, one department wa:
occupied by the exhibit Of school children
in basket making and rug weaving, anC
no exhibit received more favorable com
ment. and certainly none occasioned a:
great surprise upon the part Of visitors.
This work not only trains both the ey.
and the hand, teaches sel~f-controi and de
velops the artistic perceptions, but 1t al
lows of a marked degree of originality
upon the part of the Individual workers
a feature Of no small value IN the larg.
classes of our city schools. 1t is also
OF the many forms Of construction worl
which have been thus far introduced. tn.
one which most delights and interests tn.
children themselves.
l. d. COWLEs.