The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-24
Manual Training in
Richmond Public Schools

practical Drawings are made by the
pupils, and from these, or from blue
prints. are obtained the dimensions
and directions for tho construction or
the article. Accuracy is insisted upon
and the instructor carefully inspects
tho work ut each, stage or the process.
| The instruction is In large measure
! individual. After tho article is con
Istructed 1t is suitably finished in stain,
/ ellac.tvnrnish, etc. The articles made
| vary from time to time. depending
1 largely on; the skill and special inter-
Tests Of the classes. Some OF the ar
ticlcs made last year are key rack,
coat-hanger, braclSet-shelf. stool, towel
| roller, knlfe-box, bird house, sled, tn
.Ebouret table, umbrella stand. checRnr-sl
| board and tool-chest. Different woods
/ are used chiefly pine poplar oak, gum
4 and cherry. The possibilities OF. this
work arc Very great; the boys have |
been intensely Interested, and the re-
suits are Very crcditablc, considering
! tho fact thataour boys get only one
4, year Of this work, whereas in most
4 places two and often three years are
4 given to it,
The work of the seventh grade girls
is alsosmore practical and on a larger
scale than that OF the grades below |
4 me sowing processes learned in the !
preceding grades are here applied to
the making of simple articles of cloth |
ing and horse use. During the pres
ent session some of tho girls have
made articles of clothing for their own
Il personal Use, and they were naturally
very mpcl&lntcrestedin the work Great
"a possibilities, the interest. taken. n tho
work Ind the satisfactory results
already obtained, amply Justify this
form OF work in the SCHOOL,; AS mon
toned above. this work furnishes many
!. points OF departure for studies in the
other branches of the school. notably
I geography. In some schools the girls
OF this grade have continued work in
baskatry, paying special attention to
deslsn$in form and color. The fexhib-
It's OF baskets from this grade have
7 been quite attractive and such work,
: while not@so promising in many re-
0 spccts as sewing, has CONSIDERABLY
: value on the art side
i, Owing to the generosity OF n num-
d Dor of private parties we have been
$ able to Introduce industrial classes
= into our CoIored High and Normal
: school This work includes bench-work
:, in wood for the bays and sewing and
: cooking for tho girls.
g Every boy in the school is given In
g struction in woodworking during tho
IS four Years of the school course, and
: every girl gets two years of sewing and
= two years of cooking. The work having
y been recently begun there 4 is as yet
!. none of a very advanced character
= The boys do about the same grade Of
= work as the seYenth-year boys in the
il white schools. AS theS;pupils advance
3 the courses will le properly graded, and
lei they will ,nlso DO adjusted to41it TO the
RS work in the elementary schools.
y, The aim Of the teachers in charge OF
Of this industrial work is to lnakerit as
s. practical and helpful as possible, com
IL,
X, gets two and a half hours each week
re of this instruction. While It is not hopcc
%. TO turn out skilled workers in this shor
- - time, 1t is believed that those who &c
~, out from the school with this training
~ will be better equipped for useful lie
and will be- possessed With higher ideals
he and timer ideas of lie and it's duties.
IL The.spublic is cordially invited to visl
re the classes nj work i'll manual trainin,
al, In any of the grades and any q tn
he school buildings. Tho work Is III pro
Ills gless at the Cblored High and Norma
School every school day for the girls
lie and every day except Friday for. tn
m boys, and the program for the scvent
Of grade centres" is MS follows: Rellevu
ng School, Wednesdays and Thursdays
ed. Central School, Tuesdays; Madiso
lso School, Mondays and Fridays.
ON ANhilo we are proud OF the worl, W
have done In manual training we al
is conscious of many shortcomings. w
t,,o realize that much remains to be done
,vs and, In order TO bring our work up
,,,. the desired standard, considerable equiv
IN ment Is yet needed In some Of tt
IL, grades. When we get our new he
o's ,'.,' -, w ~ - :. nv, :,
opportunity for getting Instruction
wood and metal work, domestic art, d
- nestle science and fine arts--such I;
'o'S opportunity as is furnished by nearly
oot of the large cities Of America. We ha
me many plans for expanding and impro
ach Ing the work in the near future; a,
eek while VIC cannot expect to accompi
Nat everything in q year, nor in many yea
ned still we believe we can justly claim
one be going forward all the time.
cry JULIAN a. 3URRUSS