The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-11

used in the industrial schools and in pub
lie schools that are fortunate enough to
have such instruction.
BY the time our boy or. girl has taken
the course in rudimentary drawing and
mechanical drawing he or she certainly
has developed some power to do, some
power to execute, some persistence, self
reliance, exactness and attentiveness-au
of which, 1t seems to me, must have some
effect upon complete development and
| upon character.
American History and Biography.
In the section of American biography,
which is a combination of biography and
history, there Is the rare charm of reality.
It Is a rare thing to read biography or
character sketch which has such a real
| istic element that one feels the personality
and individuality of whom it is written.
Yet this is true of these, the reading
| leaves one with feeling of acquaintance
and even sympathetic friendship and an
| inspiration to do, or at least to try.
This section is purely American. 1t
| touches every important event in the ma
| TONS history from it's beginning to the
present day. But the event is woven
around the person who made the thing
| possible and the person is what he is by
his achievement and the achievement
| what it is for its value and Importance
in history The same logical treatment
you see, that was used in natural history
or the art department.
This department is Of Unreasonable
value for teachers and pupils as supple
mentary work in history, as biography
and for composition work; and for him
who has lacked the opportunity Of study
| at school this department will give q con-
else and essential view of the nations
progress as manifested in great events and
| great lives. It does yet more-it uplifts,
| it inspires, it stimulates to action while
it informs and tnstructs. Let me ask
just here Of how much encyclopedia read
| ing can this be said?
| Nor it Is limited to history alDne, but
| embraces ''men and women who have
made our history, developed our resources,
| produced our marvellous inventions, es-
tablished our industries, built our high
ways Of travel and commerce, who have
distinguished themselves in statesman
ship, in literature in moral reform, in
learned professions and men who, on
land and sea, have fought and died. in
the cause of liberty.
Analytical Index.
The key to this great storehouse of
! knowledge is an analytical index, which
points the way to each subject as a whole
and in it's minutest detail SO that no time
is lost. In addition to its being a key to
all the classified departments of knowl-
edge 1t Is a digest of the live matter OF
encyclopedias. including g. biographical
dictionary, historic events, and compen
dunn and gazetteer matter that is so es-
sential to the rounding out Of this mag
nificent production.
This department Is alphabetically ar
ranged as it's function Is to form the key
1t is the only department that recognizes
the a-b-c order of things, and does this
only as matter Of index to the whole.
!, subject wanted is found In the index
, If related to some department you are
! referred to the place where it is properly
adjusted in the whole; If 1t Is an isolated
subject Of reference or information fo1
: some such there needs must be) it |.
treated in it's alphabetical position in thu
index.
t The subjects are here treated as to thei
Y value and Importance in education. No
3 all the worlds information could be con
densed and crowded Into a score Of vol
/ umes, so in the evolution Of this work a.
] in the evolution of life, it has been a mat
i ter "of selection and survival of the fit
: test"-fttest to enter into a practical edu
: cation. Therefore brevity and abbrevia
ton have fallen to that which is least es
: sential to the aim, and lengthy treatmen
o has been awarded to that which is mos
t essential.
For example, in the. "A's" the subject
: of 'Air" and Alaska deserve and s.
: get more attention than do "Acrostic
Y and some Of its neighbors This Is jus
k another way, you see, of subordinatin
e none essentials and bringing into prom
d inence the essentials. which reveals tn
~ w.