The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-05-30

MANUAL FRAMING SCHOOLS
IN MARYLAND.

In an exceedingly interesting article in
mel, of Baltimore, discusses manual train
ing in general and its history in Mary
land. This State was the second of the
States of the Union to engraft manual
training upon its public school system.
This was done in 1888 by the establish
ment of the Baltimore Manual Training
School, now known as the Polytechnic
Institute, but still the system is not gen
eral in the city, except as far as sewing is
taught to the girls in the primary and
grammar grades At the Colored High
School there is a course in manual train
ing for both boys and girls which is said
to be excellent as educational and ultil-
itarian. Drawing has been taught in all
the schools for some years. The work
of manual training is to be gradually ex-
tended in the city. Four schools are to
be equipped with workbenches and wood
working tools for boys of the seventh
and eighth grades. Que of these has
already been opened, and in one school
there are to be lessons in cooking for the
was passed making provision for man
ual training in the counties. This law
made an appropriation of $1,000 year
for manual training department in one
OF the high schools in each county, and
provided also for separate in
dustrial school in each county for
cOlored children. Sixteen or more
counties have already established schools
under this law. A year or two ago the
State Board of Education appointed a
committee upon educational manual
training, consisting Of Messrs. E. B.
Prettyman, NJ. Bates Stephens and Will
liam G. A. Hammel. This committee
made an interesting report upon the
whole subject, which is published in the
report of the State Board of Education
for 1901
In some of the States when manual
training was first introduced it caused
some anxiety among trades organizations,
upon the idea that such schools might be
designed to train skilled artisans But
they were speedily treasured. Such is
not the design of manual training in the
public schools. The trades idea is distinct
ly excluded. The mental training q boy
receives in school does not make a
lawyer of him, but it may fit him to study
law after he leaves school. So the wood
working school will not make carpen-
ter, but it may aid the pupil, if he should
later on decide to become an apprentice
to the trade. The idea of the manual
training school is not how to make a liv-
ing, but to learn how to use the hands, to
become neat, accurate and skillful. Such
knowledge is, Of course, of inestimable
practical value, as any one may see by
contrasting a clumsy" man or boy with
one who is adroit. The manual school is
| now occupying much of the attention of
those who have the conduct of the public
school system of Maryland, both in the
cities and counties, and its Importance is
fully realized. Mr. William c. A. Ham
| mel has organized an association Of the
manual training teachers of Maryland.
The objects of this association are the
| discussion of questions relating to man
ual training, the promotion of efforts to
| increase its efficiency in the public schools
of the State, and the advocacy of needed
legislation regarding manual training =
Baltimore Sum-