The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-07-26
Correspondence Baltimore. County Union.
MANUAL TRAINING.

Messrs. Editors Recent years have been mark
ed by rapid strides of progress in the system of
our public school instruction, among the most
important features being the introduction of
those branches which train the hand and eye
manual training and drawing, tits self-evident
fact that the training of the hand has been too
long neglected. and it may be considered an en-
couraging sign of the times that manual training
is entering more into the curricula of our insti-
tutions of learning Educators have at least re-
allied the fact that without the training of the
hand and eye the young man or woman of today
will be seriously handicapped in solving many
problems with which they will be confronted.
Every piece of machinery devised by man is but
the expression of truth which was first con-
ceived in the brain and afterwards given to the
world through the hand. Therefore, without
training of the hand many bright idea and
many a noble thought must have remained un-
Proper manual training is essentially mental
it does not retard but advances mental attain
ments. Then, too, there is an almost spontane-
GUS mechanical power residing in many of the
young men of our land which need only cultiva-
ton to become an important factor in their lives.
Manual training is worth its cost as knack or
sleight-of-han developer, and many times its
cost as an aid in the development of morality
and motor efficiency. The elements of charac-
for the dignity of intelligent labor, indepen-
dence. order, neatness, accuracy and love for
work in general, are we'll worth the time spent.
A condition existing among large number of
our young men today. and which is worthy of
serious consideration, is a growing tendency to
shun or avoid occupations which require to some
extent manual work. We find our cities crowd
ed with young men in search of positions as
clerks or errand boys-positions in which there
is little chance of advancement or which will
enable them to better their condition in any way
in the future. They have acquired the false idea
that to accept position in which the hand is
required to do manual work to some extent is
degrading, and are willing to let well paying oc-
equations slip by with the belief that they are
intended only for the humber classes. Manual
training is the remedy for this great error. 1t
develops respect for the dignity of intelligent
labor.
1t is true that manual training had been tried
prior to the present decade, but in many in
stances proved a failure, which was caused in
large measure by a lack of system and failure
on the part of those to whom the work was in
trusted to grasp its true meaning and to foresee
the benefits which follow this training when
conducted in the right way.
No organization, either civil or military, can
stand without system and recognized and COM
petent head. A foot ball team composed of the
best individual players in the land in which there
is no recognized leader could be easily defeated
by q team composed of men vastly inferior in
physique and alertness, but strong in discipline,
led by captain who thoroughly understands
the game and enjoys the confidence of his men.
System or method is simply tool and means
towards an end. Success, therefore, in large
measure depends upon the captain or the one in
whose charge the team is placed.
The success which has followed the introduce
ton of manual training into a number of our in
situations of learning may be attributed to two
causes, viz: The selection of proper system or
outlined course, and the fathfulness and efficien
cy of the individual under whose direction the
system has been put into operation. Statistics
show us that large percentage of the men of
our land pass through life without a trade or
profession. Many of these have graduated from
our high schools, have spent several years at
tending our best colleges and universities and
have been given every opportunity to prepare
themselves for life work. but find themselves
untitled to earn livelihood. When these facts
are summed up one naturally asks the question,
"What are the conditions causing this unfortu-
nate state of affairs 2" Briefly stated it is due to
a lack of purpose and energy on the part of the
individual.
There is no other branch of school work which
develops the element of perseverance, instils
enthusiasm in the students mind and impreg-
mates his whole soul with desire to probe to the
bottom everything undertaken as does manual
training. Upon entering this work the scholar
soon realizes that IN order 70 succeed ne must Isl
times proceed with caution and adhere closely
to his drawings or to information given him.
Upon the completion of his model he sees that
he has successfully surmounted all obstacles,
and as a reward for his faithfulness and perse-
verance has succeeded in producing the finished
model from the crude material given him, there
by promoting independence and self-reliance
and removing to a great extent the barriers OF
timidity and dependence on others with which
so many children are confronted.
A mistake too commonly made by young men
starting in life is that they choose an occupation
or profession for which they are wholly untitled.
A student at work in manual training may be
likened to one standing before mirror he ls
brought face to face with himself and sees his
weak points and good qualities as he never saw
them before, thus affording him an opportunity
to discipline his thoughts and habits and mould
his elements CT character WINE Jney dTe mOsb
susceptible to change.
These, briefly stated, are some of the benefits
to be derived from manual trainifc1MItzft the Sc
lection Of our models we have taken for our
criterion the value of the work a developer of
the elements OF character previously enumera-
ted, the benefits to be derived from the work as
| an educator and mind expander, and the devel-
| opment of the physique of the child. We have
also endeavored to arrange them in such manner
as to harmonic with the other school work.
1t is the desire of the promoters of the Spar
rows Point Manual Training School to raise the
standard of its course of study and increase its
sphere of usefulness, thus affording our patrons
| an opportunity to educate their sons in the me-
| chanical arts and to be relieved of the expense
| of sending them to technical school elsewhere.
| To bring about this result the grade of our pub
| lie school should be raised and those branches
| taught which are closely allied to mechanics.
Credit can be given to Messrs. Joseph Blair and
| r. X. Wood for their untiring efforts and zeal
| which they have manifested on every occasion.
| The success of this school is due in large meas
! ure to these gentlemen.
We will have an exhibit of our work at our
| county fair at Timonium next fall and trust that
| the people of our county will examine the work
| closely, Judging for themselves the benefits to
| be derived from this training.
ID. FRED. SHAMBERGER,
Instructor Sparrow's Point
Manual Training School.
--