The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-02-08

MAN OAL NAlNlINb LIN SECONb- AIRY AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. There is practical unanimity of opin- ion among educators over the value of manual training in primary and sec- ondary education. Its value lies (a) 1 in the training of the eye and the hand, and Cb) in the development of the mind through the training of the eye and hand Of the two, the latter is the more important Practical skill in the use of tools, however useru1 they may be, is a secondary consideration in teaching the subject It is the train ing of the child in habits of attention accuracy and thoroughness in which its value lies. The influence of this work on a class of children under a good teacher is soon recognized in alertness, concentration and sustained effort in other lines of work
 In our schools, aside from cooking and sewing, which are taught as prac- tical subjects mainly, with definite util- itarian objects in view, the manual work is confined to wood work in the seventh grade and to paper work, i. e., measuring. folding and cutting in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades Consid- ering it's educational value, this work should be extended so as to become in some form part of the regular work of all the grades If it cannot be pro vided for all, it certainly ought to be given to those children who profit most from it and whose mental development must come mainly through this line of training Following are the opinions of several presidents of American col leges as to the value of manual work in the lower schools. These opinions seem to me to be of great practical value, because men connected with higher institutions of learning are able to judge of the secondary or permanent effects of this work in a way that pub lie school teachers do not have the op- portunity to do.
 ''I should like to see some form of training made part of the ed ucation at school of every boy who is to come to college. It not only trains the eye and the hand, but develops the habit of accuracy and thoroughness in any kind of work. Moreover, it de- velops the mental faculties of some boys better than books do.'
 CftAf[LES w. EIlOl,
 President of Harvard University.
 More kinds of ability must be our if we are to resist the ill., judged demand for more kinds of One of the most important modern methods is to be sought in manual training This is as yet in it's infancy; but already the graduates If manual training schools on both sides of the water show by their pro- iciency in subsequent work the admi- able results of the system"
 ARTHUR T. HADLEY,
 President of Yale University. Our experience in the schools con 1ected with the University of Chicago eads me to the conclusion that manual in due proportion in the ele- nentary and secondary schools gives breadth and power which become an effective means in higher education. Other things being equal, every young nan and young woman is the better itted for the higher work of the uni 'ersity for having trained hands, and he power to plan and execute which omes through manual training f
 WILLIAM R. HARPER,
 President University of Chicago.
 Manual training is an essential part f a good education, whether that edu- aton is restricted to the common chool or carried on to the higher disci- dine of technical schools and univers- ties" DANIEL C. GILMAN f President John Hopkins University
 'It is to me no matter of surprise +o1y rominent a place III modern educa ion With d proper apportionment of ime, I believe that manual training nay be made q part of the curriculum f any school and that so far from indering, it will actually advance the ducation of the student in other and lore abstract directions.
 CHARLES c. HARRISON. 'rovost of University of Pennsylvania. Our experience at Lehigh University 'ith the graduates of the manual train lg schools of Philadelphia and other ities has been most favorable, 1t is ot merely that the boys have been aught the use of tools; it is rather nat their minds have been trained trough the medium of the eye and the and. Desirable as it is to teach oy the elements of handicraft, and seful as this accomplishment may be after life, it is an entirely false idea f the purpose of manual training ,hools to suppose that this is the end imed at The education of d boy is le more complete and thorough the lore avenues that are opened up for is enlightenment, and manual train- lg, when systematically and intelli antly carried out gives the boy facts nd thoughts which he would fail to et in the classroom,
 T. M BROWN,
 President of Lehigh University. "I am firm believer in an education hich trains and develops the whole an. The hand is mans best servant, ] Id some modicum of manual training l lould be included in the school train g of every child of the present time.
 J. G. SCHURMAN, Z
 President of Cornell University. l I have always recognized the value of anual training high schools, in which good secondary education is given in with manual training. Such . hools rise above the level of mere 6 ade schools, and through their t 'eadth of view, accompanied by prac- a eal drill, are doing good work in a merica We need more of them. ! C