The Washington herald., 1907-06-17
By FREDERIC j. HASKIN.

There is more truth than poetry in the
assertion that the devil finds work for
idle hands Humanity is born to be active,
and when the activities are not trained
in some definite direction they viii de-
vote themselves TO whatever lies near
est. Because of this tendency jails have
been filed. reform schools have come
into use, and millions of dollars are being
used every year in the support of police
courts and penal institutions. Incompe-
tent and unframed hands have spoiled
factory work, have blundered over agri-
cultural fields. have tried dozens Of ave
nUes Of earning a livelihood. and, finding
defeat, have turned to vagabondage and
crime. The cry for skilled hands in every
walk Of life is stronger to-day than ever
before, and with belated recognition Of
the fact. the nations are trying 10 make
amends for long neglect
The United States was among the slow
est to take definite steps toward training
the hands and brain for specific uses.
Yet we have had the wisdom and the
example Of ali those who have gone be-
fore by which TO profit. Sir William
Petty In 1917 advocated industrial training
in England. COmonius believed In it,
Nine. de Maintenon wrote in defense Of
it, Locke and Rousseau urged its incor-
poratiou In the educational systems Of
their day. Thomas jefferson recommend
ed the introduction Of manual training in
the University Of Virginia and Benjamin
Franklin did not fail to include It in his
plans for an academy in Philadelphia.
Our adoption OF manual training in
public schools is traced TO Russia, the
nation Of Europe whose percentage of
population in common schools is lowest
Of all At the United States Centennial
Exposition in 1916. an exhibit was sent
by the Strogonon School, and the di-
rector Of the Imperial Technical School
Of Moscow made a report on their work.
Interested Americans then took up the
idea, and in twenty years time 149 cities
had put MANUAL training in some form in
their schools and private institutions were
taking It up with enthusiasm.
Mount Holyoke early introduced an in
dustrial department that pupils might
pay their way through by work, and at
Quincy. H., early In the nineteenth cen
tury, the Mission Institute introduced
manual training. From the time Of the
Renaissance TO that Of Pestslozzi and
Froebel, teaching had been by rote and
rhFaHr-
as late as the past quarter century Henry
George discovered "a little thirteen-year-
old girl who had no idea that the soil in
her fathers back yard had anything in
common with the surface Of the earth
that she studied about in her geography
Modern education means TO do away with
this lack Of application Of principles
Hands are set TO work to model land
sCapes, to draw designs ornamental and
useful, 10 make baskets, carve wood
sew, cook, model in clay, handle car
penter's tools. make hats, or shoes. or
clothing, as the sex or the talent decrees
More than two-thirds Of the cities in
this country having a population of 5000
and over have manual training in some
4Ai Ait- CNNA H-'fNf-rFNi AAei@ tAli cclAE b-tL4
expended In equipping the buildings for
the work, and these are not nearly
enough 70 supply the demand. In many
instances the classes are held in hastily
fitted rooms, or in the basement Of
schools, until the money can be had for
proper equipment OF specially built quar-
ters. Cotton mills, anxious TO get skilled
E.l- Irf l.lluk1I ma vfr
ing and textile schools in their mill
towns in connection with the elementary
school work. The Young Mems Christian
Association has industrial schools In al
most every large city which give train
ing in domestic science, hoUsewOrk, mil
linery, and sewing. and nearly every
State has opened similar branches Of
study, or has established institutions de-
voted entirely TO industrial and manual
training work.
In 1870 drawing was introduced IN the
schools Of Boston, but owing to the Puri-
tan adherence Of art, It had a hard fight
for existence, and little time was allowed
Il. In 1S21 q Boston private school intro
ducod physical science, music, and needle
work. the celebrated Dorothy Dix being
the teacher Of the last-named branch.
Baltimore had an opportunity to be the
pioneer in the matter Of introducing draw
ing in the schools Of the United States,
but did not take advantage Of It. William
Minine taught It there IN 1s48 and lost
his place because his ideas were deemed
so unoTthodOX and peculiar.
The agricultural college has become one
of the greatest factors in the modern
movement Of learning to do a thing by
doing It. Washington, who wrote much
on the subject Of agriculture, always had
in mind great national university where
the arts and sciences might be taught
after a practical fashion. Agricultural
societies go far back in American history,
Philadelphia organizing one in 17S5. with
Washington and Franklin as members,
and South Carolina organizing one the
same year. The Oneida Institute, one Of
the community lights that did not fail.
taught practical agriculture early In the
past century. In 1872 Columbia College,
New York. had a professor of agriculture.
The national Department Of Agriculture
came into being as a bureau in 1862, and
that same year Congress made a grant
Of land for each State and Territory for
the purpose Of establishing agricultural
colleges.
Since then other national appropriations
have been made, and in these colleges the
boys Of each State are learning by practi-
cal application the principles Of agricul-
ture. Horticulture. forestry dairying. agri-
cultural. chemical. mining, mechanical
sanitary, textile, civil, and electrical en-
gineering, veterinary science, and other
practical scientific branches. Since 1890
the government has expended nearly SO
O00.0o0 on agricultural colleges, and over
60.0o0 boys are now in attendance Boys
who attend these institutions return to
the farms to develop the resources there
after a modern fashion, TO introduce new