Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-30
MANUAL TRAINING.
Teacher Of Village District
Makes Valuable Report.
First Experiment in This Line Proves
Successful.

During the past year the directors OF
the Village School District introduC ca
the teaching of sewing in the schools
| of the district. 1t was the first at
tempt at manual training in the city
and it's success may lead to the intro
duction of other branches, such as car
pentering for the boys.
Ella A. Barton, the sewing teacher,
has made the following report:
Il submit the following resume of
the work in the sewing department
during the brief period of it's existence,
which. as you are aware, dates from
the beginning OF the mid-winter term.
My first duty as teacher of this de-
Dart1nent, was to confer with the su-
rerintendent, the teachers of several
grades. also the special teachers, and
arrange such hours for sewing classes
as should not interfere with work al
ready planned for other departments.
After careful deiiberation, it was
decided that sewing should be taught
in half-hour periods twice each week.
in the fifth. sixth. seventh and eighth
grades; comprising the schools in the
Grove street building; the eighth grade,
and the two seventh grades in the
t'4iIiti oNiicol' anu me Ill
and sixth grades in the j. o. Webster
school.
The procuring of necessary supplies
Cccasioned some delay, and it was not
until the 9th of January that | COM
mencad actual work in the classes. L
began with the method now in vogue in
the larger cities, namely the foundation
work. Using for this purpose, strips
of bleached sheeting, upon which are
penciled six horizontal lines. On the
first three lines the pupil is required to
take the running stitch; the back
stitch on the three remaining lines
He may then overcast the four edges
of the same strip or sampler. All these
stitches are taken with n No. needle.
and red cotton No. 50. This is the
practice work, and the pupil is obliged
to do il until some familiarity with
the use OF thimble and needle is OBJ
tanned.
"On my second visit to the Webster
school | was informed that the mothers
wished their boys to be taught sew
ing. This reasonable request was sub
mitted to the superintendent who COM
piled With it by permitting boys in the
fifth grade TO enter the sewing class.
The boys in the Grove street school
also made the same request, and were
admitted to the fifth grade class in
this school.
Since manual training is what we
desire for the boys of our city, I am
happy to have this opportunity to train
the hand and the eye. thus helping to
develop the boy along this line. l am
confident that motor training tends to
promote normal growth Of the BRAIN
serves to quicken the intellect and
build uD the moral fibre of the boy:
thereby he becomes the strong. we'll
balanced. all-around man. which is the
mainstay of our commonwealth.
The boy who has not been taught
to use needle and thimblc is not moro
awkward in his first attempt to sew
than is the girl under like conditions.
I find the boys quite as Industrious and
eager to learn as the girls. Lessons for
boys will not, however, extend beyond
the sewing of seams, sewing on but
tons, darning stockings and patching.
Previous experience has taught me
that models are of but little value in
the sewing class. l would. as far as
possible, exclude them from school
work: substituting, instead, practical
work, that means something to the
child.
THE first practical work given the
classes was the sewing bags, for hold
| ing work, needles, pin-cushion, thimble,
thread, etc.
! Glasses have not been confined to
one line of work. | find some in each
class who have been taught the founda-
| ton stitches at home. These / have
allowed to take up such work as they
| or their mothers wished. a little girl
in the Webster school brought, as her
iirst work from home. a dress, to make
for the baby / am glad to assist in
| this labor of love. The sewing class
tends to arouse spirit of helpfulness
in the home. as well as to induce habits
Of self-reliance.
with the beginning of the spring
term girls in the seventh and eighth
grades who are sufficiently advanced
will be taught to make their shirt
| waists.
while much Of the work is far from
perfect, many pupils have made com
mendable progress. All are interested
in their work, and enjoy the sewing
hour. wish is often expressed that it
lasted longer
| Il have found the teachers kind ana
sympathetic; generously cooperating
with me in my work. Careful inquiry
has failed to elicit the fact that tho
work in other departments has been IN
any measure retarded by the introduce
ton of the sewing department into the
school system. We may, therefore. con-
cur in the opinion of a prominent edu
| Gator. who assures us that: Motor
| training develops brain power, and
time thus used juiliciously will find am
, pie compensation in increased study
capacity.
There is a hearing of some import
ance in progress in the United States