The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-15

AN HOUR WITH SCHOOL
How Manual Training Is
Taught in School
NOT TO MAKE CARPENTERS
Something of Work as Yet
Little Understood.

/ One day last week a reporter for the
/ Eagle paid a visit to the Manual Train
ing Department of the city High School
! Fifteen sturdy lads came over from the
! High School building exactly at go TO
/ take their lesson. AS they filed into the
| room they passed by the cabinets where
each took out a small block OF wood and
went with il 10 his bench.
Attention was then called and Prof
Smith proceeded to give the dernonstra-
ton of the exercise, before requesting
the boys to try their skill at the same
thing.
We have dressed this piece on two
sides and two edges" said Mr.. Smith
I'VE VIII now proceed to make two fin
ished ends. leaving the piece the proper
length, indicated by your drawing. Then
we will have dressed each one Of the
six faces of this rectangular solid. one
at a time, and in the proper order.
Here followed a brief talk on saws,
the general kinds and special kinds. The
cross-cut and rip saws were explained
and showed to the class, also the back
saw ana the turning saw. That the de-
gree of fneness is characterized by the
number of teeth to the inch was explain
Ell. as being a viewpoint saw OF an
"eight-point saw, etc.
In saving of a BOARD the finishing
cut is first made with the knife line,
which marks the line to saw to. For the
best work this knife line should be made
on the four sides of the stick. When
you saw of the end, DO not saw in the
middle Of tnis mark, but guide your saw
30 that the plane will just touch your
knife line. When you have finished there
should be a little shelf on the piece sawed
off as wide as the saw blade Is thick. >
And the piece sawed OF was held UP so
that all might see the little shelf and the
saw blade laid on it TO show that the
thickness of the one and width OF the
other were the same.
As the students went TO their respective
benches the Eagle man took his chances
with the boys in asking questions.
DO these empty benches indicate the
absentees?"
NO. there are no aDsentees. This class
numbers fifteen. There are seldom any
absences. One of nay classes numbers
twenty-five. when each bench is occu-
pied Twenty-four is the standard num-
Der for a class of this kind and we shall
have that NUMBER when our own benches
come. These are Some that the factory
made a mistake on, but they are permit
ting us to use them until they fill the
order properly.
What is the object of this eXercise?"
The object is to square up stick
Has it any practical use?"
yes. we are TO make sand-paper
block of it and hang 1t on the bench to
add to our equipment.
'Will this do. professor" said a boy
who had just brought forward his work
for approval.
1T should be three and seven-eighths
inches long but this. see. by applying
the rule. is only three and three-fourths.
No, that viii not satisfy the require
ments."
Must 1 make another one?"
THAT is the only way. unless you can
splice this one"
$50 you insist on accuracy, I see. Tel
me-" said the Eagle man. do you ex-
pect to teach these boys to be carpen-
ters?"
by no means. We never do the same
thing twice. \ tradesman it fitted for his
work by doing the same thing over and
over again until he develops skin ana
rapidity As soon as a boy knows the
clements of construction in one thing he
works them out in the best method once,
taking all the time he needs, but he
never makes a second piece OF that
kind"
~,s-- .1e@~,,
ability to make things here so they will
apply them at home.
1T will give them the ability but they
will be less likely to make the applica-
ton"
why sou
Because their ideals Of good work
manship Will be advanced. They viii real
ize that to do things right they must have
tools. a bench, and sucn special equip
ment as few homes can provide. BOYS
therefore have a greater respect for good
work and for 4 good workman. They
realize the truth Of every man to his
trade It will make them more depend
ent in times of prosperity. but more in
dependent should they be compelled to
buffet the waves of adversely"
minutes OF closing time. the class now
brushed the benches using a whisp
broom that hung rom each bench. and
then put all their tools IN order. each one
being placed in certain part Of the
bench and lastly placing the trussel
upside down on the teneh. They replaced
their exercises in their oHn cabinet com
par,ment and filed over 10 the other
building 70 their next class.
How many are enrolled
There are seventy-slx in this depart
nent who come once q week for mechan-
icai drawing and twice q week for wood
working"
what wiz you 10 with what you
make"
That is the most frequent question put
to ne Really there is 50 lite made
that IS worthy so much demand for il
that there is To trouble about disposing
of the pieces. when n boy makes soot
exercise. he wants It as souvenir i
he does net do il wei he does rot want
Il and it goes into 1h- scrap pile. The
school viu keep what : made 70 repre-
sent this department. ard the work 81
he exhibited at TIE close az the year and
perhaps some Of il taken 10 The 81 LOUIS
exposition. L one reflects on The leag.h
OF time 4 man must serve daily With
long hours 10 learn trade and compare
this length Of service with m hour and
twenty minutes week Tor 1hirtv-six
weeks Or forty-eisht hours Per year. h
viii readily see that 10 ve-y great degree
OF proficiency nor no considerable prosI1ct
~ -
man acurate faithful. persevering. dis