Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-31

70 his work the better his work will be-
" VIII arouse new spirit and ambition.
He loves his work when he finds that with
hands and eyes he can accomplish some
thing. When he planes a piece Of wood
lays out the exercise in hand, with a knife,
from blue print before him. works to the
lines with his tools, and when finished
he finds he has made good joints and has
a nice piece Of work, how happy he IL.
The more he works the better ne likes it.
During all this time, as is natural. he is
doing a good deal of thinking. especially
as he knows that after he leaves school he
Will have to work. That boy will want to
find that for which he is best adapted, and
II y the great problem with parents, what
will my son do when he leaves school?
What profession will he follow? Manual
lem for many a young man and parent.
II pupil In manual training and me-
ehanicsl drawing is marked 70 to 100. and
he has the same high standing in his other
academic studies. IL would indicate an
aptitude for the various following pro-
trical, civil or mining architecture. sur
gerry and dentistry. The price Of success
in each OF the above named professions
nipulste tools and instruments. In other
words, they must be first-class mechanics
or failure awaits them. Lawyers should
be able to read mechanical rawlings, for
In many, many contract cases they are
used as evidence. Even ministers would
effective sermons If they had been taught
that the only way to drive a nail straight
vas rs to to. hit IL sGuarely on the head -, ,,os,
professions; 1t is one OF the greatest educa-
tors in our school system, because II may
serve as a stepping stone to so many differ
ent fields of activity. Even as an attribute
TO good citizenship. il broadens the tacul-
.si yes snd eneouTs !fi healthy resPecs tor
goes UP all over the land, decrying the TACT
that the demand is greatly in excess OF the
supply.
Leader to All Professions
Manual training applies equally to boys
and girls, for the girls take up domestic
science and art in the schools. Time Is lack
Ing 20 explain fully the value of manual
training for girls, but you will not have
to wait long to see domestic science in the
elementary and high schools. in colleges
and universities in the state of Nebraska.
IL you go TO the university you will find
pupils with white aprons and caps on, max
ing use of their chemistry as an aid to do
nestle science.
There are among pupils busy hands and
sluggish brains. Put the hands to work,
/ will do some thinking. You may find her in
a short time In the sewing room, making
a new dress. This may be the firsi time
that she could concentrate her mind on her
work, and she may become one of the best
pupils, as result OF interest aroused In
manual training.
l went to Philadelphia some years ago
and visited Drexel institute. found the
school well equipped for cooking and sew
ing. One OF the professors informed me
that the teacher in sewing takes the girls
OF the graduating class to the dry goods
stores. to select, with the teachers assist
ance, the goods for their graduating dresses.
They take the goods to school, working in
pairs. they fit one another and make their
own graduating dresses This is applied
Mechanical Drawing First.
In the high school system for manual
training the first instruction a boy re-
ceiyes should be mechanical drawing, He
make. When the pupil has his drawing
finished. the instructor should ask for the
dullest jack plane iron in the room.
boy brings him a plane iron, dull and full
OF hicks. The instructor then takes the
class to the grindstone and demonstrates
to the class how to grasp the plane iron
with both hands, to press the elbows
closely TO the body, to lean forward and
to grind the plane iron.
Each pupil is all attention. Not a sound
is heard in the room save the plane iron
on the grindstone After few minutes
the plane iron is. ground and it has a wire
edge. The pupils sit on the work bench
in front of the instructor, while the in
structor puts the oil stone in the bench
wise, shows the proper position of the
the plane iron with both hands, and to
bring IT down on the oil stone to the hevel
hand a shade. for a second bevel few
long sweeps on the oilstone and the wire
edge is gone. The whole thing is done In
Ave minutes.
After. placing the iron in the stock the
Instructor win show how to raise and
the the lever from rom right to left He will then
get a piece OF material, ten inches long
and one and three hths inches rs, square,
is sharp, and the boy smiles, it's so easy.
The block Is sauged 70 one inch and q
ssndpapered. Each boy gets a block to
practice on. Then the fun begins, the
planes are dull. some have got hicks in
them. and trouble soon develops because
all want to grind. A few can get shay
ings and are happy. Soon the bell rings
and it's all over.
Points in Conclusion.
In conclusion, let me say that it is well
to bear in mind that we are living in the
Twentieth century and most progressive
age. The cause OF education must not be
permitted to lag behind the other forces OF
During the past. education in our high
schools has been too much matter OF
accident and tradition, as we are told by
no less an authority than President David
Star Jordan OF Leland stanford.
He said; For too long a time 1t has
been thought that the active brain could
only be developed by studying a certain
amount of mathematics or Latin. as a mat
ter of mental discipline; that studying and
analyZing certain amount of literature
led to love for the best in that form OF
expression.
II we are to judge by results. these
lauda BILE purposes do not seem to have
been fully accomplished. Nor can We hon
estly claim that schools are turning out
the high grade OF citizenship that their
long existence and the great amount OF
money spent on them would lead us TO
expect.
In fact. the coming school must be more
democratic In it's tendencies. 1t must be
OF such nature that there is prepare
ton. not only for so-called culture. but
for the trade, the arts and the commercial
pursuits.
Manual training. with all that this i'm
plies, must and will take its rightful place,
with. full recognition OF its importance in
developing the best grade of citizenship.
Il cannot neither will II yield its function
In favor of any other high school depart
ment