Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1904-05-18
FOR MANUAL TRAINING.

run MANUAL nHlNlNOs
In the issue of the Journal Miner on
Friday appeared a statement as to
the finances and further plans to es-
tabIish manual training department
in our public school system this com
ing fall.
As will be seen, they have a snug
little sum, but not sufficient to war
rant them in going ahead and secur
ing the services of a proficient
teacher.
The Journal Miner feels sure that
the public will back these women
sufficiently to allow them to bring to
fruition their efforts in this line.
The Monday club stands sponsor for
the work and has been successful in
creating a great deal of interest in the
matter as is shown by the fact that all
of the donations made were entirely
unsolicited and a number of Others
have expressed their intention to as
slst although not yet quite ready to
state amounts.
For many years our system of edu-
cation has been entirely one sided,
that of head culture exclusively, leav-
ing hand culture entirely undevel
oped. But owing to the failures of-so
large a per cent of the public school
pupils in our land, a few years ago
a movement was started with the idea
of developing the hand as we'll as the
head. The idea has grown marvellous
~ and wherever adopted has been
a marked success. For instance how
does the world judge man, for what
he can tell or what he can do?
Psychology tells as that two of the
child's primary instincts are to con-
struct and to. decorate. Instruction
in the arts builds upon these in
stIncts, constructive agencies are the
natural means through which a child
grows by self expression.
Manual training develops habits of
cleanliness, order, system, persever-
ance and tends to develop the child iu
all directions. Indeed child trained
only in book learning is only half
trained.
But further and beyond all these
considerations is the strengthening
of their moral nature.
To a very large per cent of boys
there comes a period in their lives
when they are more or less lacking in
self direction and self respect. Al
this time many quit school and OF
these large per cent drift from one
thing to another until they find them
selves either in a reform school OF
even worse.
Perhaps if our own five Prescott
boys who are now in such difficulty
could have had advantage of this
constructive work they might have
been kept in school and tided over
their uncertain period. Who can tell?
Many boys at this time in life do
not care for literary work, in fact they
are born Short in this line-and
no fault of theirs-but with the ad-
vantages derived from manual train
ing, they might have been held il
school until they should have come to
themselves aud goodly number
might have completed their educa-
tions. But even suppose they did no
go on with their literary work-eveI
yet-when they left school they woulc
have learned these habits of thrift an0
would have acquired sufficient skill
with their hands to have made al
honest living and not ijled away their
time and lives.
1t is the experience of many manual
training teachers that the irresponsiv'
or dull boy is often more alert more
accurate and precise in construction
work than the boy quick in hi,
studies. And who shall say which i,
better educated?
Manual training has been the means
of holding more boys in school than
all other means combined.
The very fact that the U. S. gov
eminent in its efforts TO civilize the
Filipinos has first established manual
training schools and even gone to the
great expense of shipping machinery
and tools from the United States there
proves the logic of this argument. II
it is good for the little Filipinos Is
it not also good for the American boy:
Make him self supporting citizen
and in ninety nine cases out of 100 be
will be a self respecting and good
citizen. 1t is said that a trained,
skilled -Iaborer is seldom a county
charge.
The ladies of this committee will be
very grateful for any contributions
of whatever size and we bespeak for
them the hearty cooperation of Pres
colt citizens.