The Mankato free press., 1902-05-30

of 80 half year credits, representing
the equiv ivalent of five periods a week
in each subject, Tnere are two kinds
of periods the recitation period is 40
ling the laboratory period is
so minutes long. High schools of
and st. Paul.
2. These that require % half year
credits of five periods week and s
half-year credits of two periods a
week. This is nominally 80 credits,
but is by no means equivalent to the
city school type in quantity of work
done. Most of our smaller state high
schools belong here.
8. Those requiring % half year
credit of five periods week plus 2
credits for gained reading in the liter
ature department Mankato is type
of this school. The work is lighter
than the city high school, and heavier
than the smaller state high schools.
All of these schools admit to the
university without examination. The
city schools demand the hardest work
for ccmpletionof the course in four
years, but the sentiment of the school
does not demand there as it does here,
that everv student shall finish the
course within that limit. Thus it is
that many are contented to spend five
We irs in school, whereas this would be
considered a disgrace in our own
school. Such a sentiment is unfortu-
nate, but it is not within our power
to change it.
In all schools mGnual training repre-
sents the equivalent of one laboratory
period day during five days in the
week, of which 40 minutes shall be
devoted to drawing and 40 minutes to
shop work. A years work IN it
should therefore logically receive 2
half year credits, the same as any
other single subject pursued for one
year. The question that now arises
bis: Shall our course of study include
manual training without increasing
the number CT credits in our gradua-
tion requirement, i. e., shall it be
substitutedP or shall the number of
credits required for graduation i'm the
m. t. course be extended to cover the
normal 80, plus the number of credits
earned in m. t. properf In other
words, shall M. t. be substitutive, or
additional in the course of ,study7
With the exception of the Mechanic
Arts High school, st. Paul, the city
schools have all adopted m. t. as sub
.Stutive in the course. In the Mechanic
rts school it is additional. making
the graduation requirement reach 40
credits. At the Faribault school,
where they have introduced only one
year of m. t. work they have made it
additional, but in the contemplation
of increasing the work to four years
course, they propose to compromise
By limiting the:additional feature, by
increasing their graduating require
ment on to 32 credit. This will be
an exact compromise between the sub
stitutive and the additional Imethed.
In the city school, where the re-
ular work is already heavier than
ours, substitution may be the wiser
method. But in our own school, l be-
lieve the work should be added, just
as in Faribault. that is, with a limi-
tation set at 80 or 80 credits gradua-
ting requirement. Whether this viii
prove ,expedient OF not is still q ques-
tion. Over three-fourths of the boys
in our high schooltbuilding have signi-
fed their desire fof m. t. This ex-
preston contemplated the introduc-
uon of m. t. as substitutive. But
when ballot was taken with the con-
dition that it be made additional
there was in the high school proper a
failing off of half the vote. This partly
to be accounted for on the ground
that very many of the high school
have already arranged their course in
such a way that they cannot now
modify their course so as to include
m. t. The eighth grade boys all deire
m. t., no matter how it come in the
course. In case it is made additional,
there is bare posi- ibility Of so reduc-
ing the demand for it that smaller
number would be reached than is
compatible with strict economy.
The regular place in other schools
of the work that we desire to intro
duce here is in the first year high
school. l believe that should be its
permanent place here. But for the
sake of the considerable number
which never reach the high school,
it would be wise to have the work
open, undersscertain restrictions to the
eighth grade. For instance, to those
students who, failing to pass in June.
have to remain part of second year
in the eighth grade also to all who
contemplate leaving school at the end
of the eighth, provided they are
strong enough to warrant the assign
ment of m. t. as an additional sub
ject; or to any individual who may
seem to especially need the work
Course of study, manual training
one year-Wood work (joining or car
Exercise 1, measuring,
saving and planning an
oblong piece of wood tools: square,
marking gauge, saw, plane. 3, plain
flush joint; tools: chisels, boring
n ola dovetail Joints. on,I