Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1907-03-28


expired term, which terminates on
June 4th. Mr.. Redding was unanim-
ously elected.
BACCALAUREATE.
On motion of Mr.. Pursel it was ord
cred that the pastor of St. Paul's NJ.
E. church be invited to preach the bac-
culaureate sermon, on Sunday, June
2nd. The school term will expire on
June 4th. May 29th will be the last
day for actual recitations.
On motion of Mr.. Fischer it was
ordered that the schools be closed on
Good Friday.
Immediately after convening Monday
evening the regular order Of bust ness
was suspended and Leonard Foulke,
elected at previous meeting to succeed
ID. Aust LutZ, was sworn in, after
which he took his place in the board.
The following members were in
their places: Burns, Orth, Swarts,
Pursel, Fish, Fischer, Trumbower,
Heiss, Harpel, Grone and Foulke.
BOILED WATER.
The question of boiling water came
up for discussion. 1t was the sense of
the board that the limit has been pass
ed when the schools are exposed to any
danger from typhoid. On motion OF
Mr.. Heiss 1T was ordered that the
practice of boiling water be discon-
tinued for the present
TEACHERS AND MUSIC.
Borough Superintendent Gordy ex-
planned that the teachers are getting
along admirably with the subject of
music. He reminded the board that
the present is the first year since music
has been introduced that the services
of regular music teacher have been
dispensed with in our schools. That
the teachers, therefore, after short
trial are able to make such a credit
able showing lie regarded as conclu
sive evidence that they are able to
handle the subject properly. The di
rectors we're much interested and on
motion it was ordered that the teach
ers be requested to give public re-
cital of music in the high school just
prior to commencement.
JOINT COMMENCEMENT.
On motion of DR.. Harpel it was ord
cred that the grammar schools of the
borough hold joint commencement
this year, Borough Superintendent
Gordy to have charge of the exercises
MANUAL TRAINING.
Manual training for our schools,
which was made the subject of an
article in these columns a couple of
weeks ago, occupied considerable time
at the meeting of the local school
board Monday night. The widespread
sentiment in favor of manual training
seemed to be reflected in the interest
manifested at the meeting and the
ready acceptance .of the proposition
urged as relates to it's advantages.
There was no disposition to combat
any of the arguments advanced and
from indications it does not seem un-
likely that manual training in year
or so may be an accomplished fact in
Danville schools.
Borough superintendent Gordy last
night submitted an outline of manual
training to the school board, which
conveyed a vast amount of classified
information relating to definition and
description, considering the subject
with reference to local conditions, &c.
Manual training as a subject of
study in schools consists of exercises
in work of mechanical construction.
For boys it is usually form of car
pentry, in which they make foot stools,
baseball bats, bookcases, and library
tables. 1t has been found best to re-
strict the work to wood, since the
equipment is cheaper and the cost of
material is less and the exercises are
more easily performed.
The girls are taught to cook and
sew. This is sometimes called domestic
science, but it is nothing more or less
than manual training in it's largest
sense. In sewing the girls learn to
plan and to make aprons, sunbonnets
plain dresses. and bits of fancy wear
ing apparel. In cooking they are taught
not only the art of baking bread, cakes
and pies and preparing the various
meats and vegetables for the table, BUT
also the food value of the different
articles commonly eaten and the most
hygienic rules for making them.
The equipment of a wood depart
ment requires a qualified teacher, rath-
er large room for shop, about
dozen individual work benches, and
small kit of tools for each, instruments
for mechanical drawing, turning
lathe or two and a supply of we'll sea-
| soned lumber.
For sewing, in addition to a we'll
| lighted room and a teacher. appliances
for darfting patterns, scissors, Thin
bles, needles, lap board, sewing
machine or two, and different qualities
of sewing material must be provided.
The cost of equipplng and maintain
ing department of manual training