Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-06-07

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more complete education than that
which is found in books, for. while
the knowledge gained from books is
of the greatest value, unless the stu
dent is made to realize the relation
between study and life he is thrust
into the world in Il helpless condition.
ITO teach the pupil TO give bodily form
4 to his ideas manual training has
been introduced into our schools.
and why should not the hand be edu-
Gated as well as the head? 1t is the
hand which enables the mind to carry
out and perfect it's ideas. Ruskin
says. There can be no healthy
thought without labor. and no happy
labor without thought
The requisites OF an educated man
or woman are moral, mental and
physical training, or as some one has
said, IA heart to resolve, head to
contrive. and a hand to execute" To
be something, to know something
and to do something are, if not the
whole duty, at least a large part of
the duty of man. 1t is claimed for
manual training that it will develop
in the pupil judgment. earnestness,
accuracy. keenness of observation,
that il broadcns the mind. stimu-
/ lates industry, steadiness and persist
euce, that ii disciplines the will and
above al teaches the nobility of abor
and inculcates love for il.
The Girls Needs.
But of equal, if not greater, impor-
tance to- manual training for boys. is
the subject of domestic science for
girls. Inc aim of domestic science
should be TO point out the connecting
link between theoretical knowledge
and practical home life. The measure
of the worth of an individual today
is the benefit the world derives be
cause that life exists. \ wOmans
life holds so many possibilities that
i'm order To fill the measure of her
usefulness she must be trained in
many directions.
\ generation ago when the school
term was short and the vacation long
girls received training in domestic
science at home. At the present time
the vacations are short and are usual
" devoted to music. painting, or
perhaps some amusement, so the
mother has but little opportunity or
time to train her daughters in home
duties. and moreover. the daughters.
have but little inclination to be 50
trained. But in the school room there
is an element of novelty in il and the
pupils delight in the change, for ii
gives them n few hours rest from
tedious text book work
1t is a common though mistaken
opinion that the luXuries in education
are all that are really needed in
girls development and that if she be
given years of training in German,
French. painting and social etiquette.
her education is complete. 1t is un-
deniable that all these accomplish
ments are good and will add to the
attractiveness of her home but they
are not of the greatest Importance.
The fruit of education is character
and character builds the home. Our
nation is made up of collection of
homes and upon our girls of today
largely depend the homes of tomOr-
row.
Benefits All Glasses.
Domestic science has not been de-
signed for the poor alone. Woman.
regardless of the station she occupies
i'm life. has been divInely appointed as
the homemaker and large majority
of our girls will have at some time in
life to keep a home. Being prospective
housekeepers they should be trained
to a proper understanding of the oc-
cupation for which they are destined.
Through the department of domestic
science the girl learns to cut out, fit
and make simple garments; she re-
ceives a knowledge of the production
of goods. of the value of materials, and
of the general effect foods have upon
the body. How largely the posi-
bilitics of mind and soul depend upon
physical conditions is not yet clearly
recognized but if domestic science
can train young women to more
heaIthfuI. more economic. broader
and more appreciative living, it GER
tainIy has its place. and high place,
among the sciences of the day. There
is no effect on the part of domestic
science to teach trades; its whole
aim is to make more capable and
more charming home women.
1t has been said that one of the
difficulties of the present college edu-
cation is the helpless attitude in
which graduates face the world.
They are often excellent students
with fine intellects, yet link in their
education is missing-the link which
connects the school with the home.
The return of a young woman from
college ought not to be. as is now so
often the case, the entrance into
strange realm. There is much wrong
in an education which guides and
directs a girl along the lines of higher
culture emitting all that pertains to
the practical side. The happy, UNI
conscious girl goes on, taking what is
provided for her, until one day she
finds-but alas, too late-that she
would give all her music and painting
for the simple knowledge of sewing.