The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-12-06
Domestic Science.


read the following paper:
From time immemorial man has
worked with his hands, and his time
and attention have been utilized in
the production of things both useful
and ornamental" Necessity very
often was the mother of invention"
and the need for food, shelter and
clothing led to the gradual develop
ment of industries from the simple
handwork to the elaborate products
of the factory system Of today.
| Whether then through necessity or
simply because of joy in expression
f! through the hands the world Is to-
day ''rich treasure house" stored with
wonderful products which man has
created. Froebel in his study OF the
| child realized that the natural activi-
| ty of the child could be used in his
| physical, moral and intellectual de-
velopment. He believed in training
| the head, heart and hand. For some
time kindergarten training was pre-
carious feature in education, but now
| that 1t has been incorporated into
public schools and colleges 1t seems
an assured fact that children will re-
ceive some of their early training in
the kindergarten. Hero the child
improves in his ability to express him
self with his hands, by working out
his crude ideas through the materials
offered.
When the child passes from the
kindergarten to the grade school too
often the change is an abrupt one.
There is lack of the old time free
dom. Children begin to loose in
terest and their attention is often
forced rather than spontaneous.
AS help in aleviating this diff
Guilty hand work has been dntroduc-
ed into many schools, sometimes in
correlation with other studies, but
more often in an occupational way.
Hand work as manual training Is
most effective when taught in rela-
ton to other work of the grade so
that there Is unity and harmonious
development. By manual training is
meant not simply work which is
spontaneously interesting and keeps
the child alert and active but work
which is educationally effective.
The effectiveness is in the hands of
the teacher and will be worked out
by her if she understands the theory
back of real manual training. Per-
feet and accurate work should not be
expected from young children, but
the age and ability of the child must
be considered and results judged &C
cordingly.
The child is naturally a worker
We know that the happiest child is
the busy one. To keep him at work
he must be interested in whatever he
is doing. 1t must be something
which he can understand and can
finish in reasonably short time.
| will speak especially of the work of
the 3rd and 4th grades. The work
in these grades the children are in
terested in doing things they like to
make things that they can use and it
is upon this desire to do" that this
work is based. We work mostly with
raffia and rattan in these grades.
No material has opened up a larger
field for children's work than raffia.
Many charming and useful articles
are made from this. In the third
grade we have made raffia napkin
rings and picture frames and are now
starting on a knotted raffia bag
These are not difficult for the child
rem to make and considering the time
put upon this we think the children
do remarkably good work.
In the study of various kinds Of
hand work for children one will find
that they are more interested when
they can work with color. So we let
them use colored raffia to decorate
the articles they make.
In the fourth grade the children
are weaving rafiia mats. These are
made on a foundation of card board
and then woven with white and color
ed raffia. Later We will weave simple
baskets of rafiia and rattan. The val
lie of this form of manual training
can not be overestimated Hand and
eye are trained to accuracy. Mus
cles OF the hand are strengthened,
judgment and creative instinct is
stimulated and inventiveness is Gull
tivated. Because the idea prevails
that manual training requires an
expensive equipment many teachers
fail to see the opportunities present.
ed on every side. Rather than be
discouraged at the outset because of
the lack Of money for a material
equipment the teahcer should see in
the situation the opportunities for
the children to come into closer rela-
ton to nature.
There are many materials which
the children can procure for the pur-
pose of practical work in school.
Sand is to be found in most places.
This is invaluable as means of rep
resenting geographical relations.
Clay serves variety of purposes and
Is purchased at little cost. Different
seeds and grasses and corn husks
are used in making mats and baskets
The change from hand work into a
course of domestic art occurs in the
fifth grade, when the girls apply hand
sewing to useful articles. Most girls