The Mankato free press., 1902-05-30
MANUAL TRAINING
Made a Part of High School
Course.
Proposition Carries by Bare Majority
"A One Year Course in
Woodwork.

The Mankato high school is to have
manual training department. By
bare majority of those present at the
school board meeting last night, it was
voted to establish the department next
fall, and had all of the members been
present, the vote woald have stood
FIVE in favor Of manual training and
three opposed to it. Supt. Uline
presented lengthy report on the sub
ject, as requested by the board. In
part, it was as follows
To appreciate the educational value
of manual training, there should be
considered the following concrete
statement of the mental steps taken by
the student in the shop in the con-
struction of any article, as for in
stance, book case.
1st. he must give the project care
full study. He must note shape, di-
mension, construction, material and
finish This calls into play every ele-
ment ef attention, resulting in con-
centrated mental effort. Judgment is
constantly enforced in the answers to
the questions Of form and material.
3D. He must design the article and
make 6 drawing of it. This at once
puts mathematics into the hand as
we'll as into the head. He must use
square, compass try-squaTe and pencil.
Exact measurements must be made,
divisions and subtractions must be
calculsted, lines carefully drawn
Sd. He must select material of
proper dimensions and fiber, and then
must reflect how to apply it to the
draft made so that there is no waste.
4th. He must plane and saw to the
line, correct and fit, in short, he must
create the project that has had exis-
tence in his mind and or paper only.
The trsining of will power and the
consequent building of character must
result.
He is in the midst of open competi
tion. As in real life, he stands or
falls by his own work. BE knows
that the mistake of hairs breadth
with chiseI, saw or plane means fail
ure. Thus the listless careless boy will
begin to think as a man.
From the very nature of the subject
and careful study of the experiences
of other schools doing manual train
lug WOIh, VIC dLc UAoU
manual training will tend to accom-
plish the following results:
l. That boys from ID to 16 years old
will be better satisfied to stay in
school.
2. That m. t. will tend to Intensity
interest in other school work.
8. That it will effectually assist in
the intellectual and moral growth of
the students who take che work.
4. That it will not add anything to
the school burden of the pupils. but,
by developing the pupils practical
side, and furnishing at the same time
physical exercise and change Of in
tellectual effort will enable him to
master his academic work enough
easier to offset the time put upon
manual training work.
8. That it encourages thrift, indus
try and love of skilfull work, and Gull
tivates respect for the skilled work
man.
6. That it'develops love for order,
exsctness and neatness.
I. That it trains to perceive, ana
lyze, construct and originate.
8. That it lengthens the school life
of boys whose tastes are not especially
intellectual by giving them school
work in which they can seen tangible
benefits
9 And last, that it gives the great
mass Of pupils, children of the poor,
who cannot finish the high school,
mental and manual equipment for
lifes work which other schools cannot
give.
Knowing that the active life of to-
day demands as never before practical
men who shall be characterized by
self-reliance, and the power of quick
and accurate judgment as we'll az
prompt and courageous execution, and
believing that manual training is
long step toward the solution of the
problem of meeting these demands in
education, we respectfully recommend
the introduction of wood work and
mechanical drawing in our school
In point of graduation requirement,
there are three types of state high
schools in Minnesota, which may be
described as follows:
1. Those that require the completion