The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-18

Slater Fund desire me to thank you espe-
cially for taking them through ward school
No. %, where one of the most interesting
experiments is In progress in respect 20 the
eye and hand under very observation-disclosures
circumstances. Not one of will fail to
remember the extraordinary progress
shown by the boys of that school" The
visitors on that occasion included two uni
versity presidents and ex-PreSident OF
the United States, Rutherford b. Hayes.
Since that time the manual training work
has grown to be one of the most important
considerations i'm elementary education.
OF IMMEDIATE BENEFIT.
In No. 23 every branch of the work is
represented, and ii does serve in many in
stances as direct preparation for the flu
ture work of the children. But the train
ing has a practical value even during the
school life of the pupils. The boys make
many necessary and ornamental articles in
woodwork for their homes, such as book
racks, shelves, and china closets, while
many of the girls in the upper grades pre-
pare the family dinner or attend to the
home sewing. In this way the parents are
led directly to appreciate the value of the
school training.
AS FOR the English work in this quarter.
the struggle for the teacher is never end
ing with the vast majority of the pupils
up to the sixth and seventh years. There
must be constant drill on enunciation and
ill through the SCHOOl lie
class Libraries must be made popular, and,
by the way, No. % has one of the largest
school libraries of the city schools. This
is because of the consolidation into one
grammar department of the four grammar
schools of the old Sixth ward, thereby con-
solidating four school libraries into one
The books in the class libraries amount to
a total of 900, and the circulation of these
books for October was 2,5l9. The children,
especially the Jewish children, make use
of the public circulation Libraries in the
vicinity, of which there are several.
This use of libraries naturally increases
the knowledge of the pupils, and develops
liking for good reading, but it does not
materially affect the natural mistakes in
expression. These must be corrected in
the school by the teacher One means
especially useful here is found in memoriz-
ing selections for class drill. This is fol-
lowed by Rotations at the morning as
semblies, usually of patriotic pieces. The
speakers at these assemblies are supposed
to set the models of good English before
their fellow pupils, and marked by the
principal. The best compete twice a year
for medals and the excellence of the speak
ing on these occasions is remarkable.
OF the graduates of No. %, some 60 to
High School or TO the City College. The
great number forced to end their scho-
lastic work with the elementary school.
except for the further training that many
of them get in the evening High School.
OF those who, from this and other East
courses in the City College or the Normal
College the city may we'll be proud. OF all
the vast sums spent by the municipality
| none is better explained than that required
for the training of those bright, studi-
| Gus and patriotic graduates of the free
| colleges, who represent the schools of the
| foreign quarter of this city. And they
| often, as lawyers, doctors and teachers in
in useful citizeship all the city has done
| for them.