Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-07
Record of Activities

For twenty-three years Mr.. wigman was a n employee Of the
Union Pacific shops. From 1868 to 1887 he was a pattern maker.
and in the latter year he was made foreman of the pattern shops, a
position which he held until he left the shops in 1891. In that year
he was appointed to be head of the manual training department OF
the high school.
While he was in the shops he was active in shop affairs. He
was a leader in organizing the Durant engine and hose company and
wrote It's constitution and bylaws. On May 10, 1869, the day when
the last spike in the Union Pacific road was driven in Ogden. this
fire company appeared in the parade through the streets of Omaha.
rivaling Solomon in all his glory in the brilliancy of their uniforms
and helmets which had been furnished by the Union Pacific. "Blr'
Fawcett was chief at that time and John E. wigman was assistant
chief.
Manual training is the modern system Of education. and John
E. Wigman is it's prophet
The words manual training" II the open sesame to his speech.
1t is his hobby. Next to his family, no doubt. he loves It best OF
earthly things. The ideas of Peter Cooper when he established his
institute in New York City in 1854 should be carried out in all the
schools of the country, says Mr.. Wigman. And he is doing his best
to carry them out here.
He has developed manual training in the high school from q
small department with only two small rooms and a total of forty
pupils to one of the largest and most important departments OF the
school, occupying FIVE rooms and enrolling this year ass pupils.
"And there are no schools in the country that turn out finer
work in manual training than the Omaha High school," he says
ton in New Haven at the Transmissssippi exposition, at the Greater
America exposition and at the St Louis exposition. Everywhere
Omaha stood at the head of the column, though in many cities much
more money is devoted to this branch than here.
His Great Ambition
"My ambition is to see a building erected in Omaha exclusively
for manual training, thoroughly equipped for that purpose with a
carpenter shop, pattern shop, blacksmith shop, machine shop and a
domestic science and sewing department Out of the 100000 aP-
propriated for building schools in this city q sum ought certainly
be set aside for the building of this most important department"
Who is this 7O-year-Old man who talks about ambition and
speaks of his high hopes for the future when he has already arrived
ut the three score years and ten of mans mundane span? To look
at the little man with the firm, step and the rudy face one would
not take him to be more than fifty years of age. He has original
ideas upon the art of keeping young. He has been a gymnast all his
life and a devotee of outdoor life. To this he ascribes in part his
great vigor. But there is something more important.
1.-THE new system of longevity" he declares, involves interest
in things going on about you, keeping up with the times or a little
ahead of them. taking an interest in the affairs, the hopes and ambt
lions of the rising generation. That's what kept old Pete Cooper
alive and active up to his ninetysecond year."
Into the minds of the boys whom he teaches he drills the rugged
selfreliance of his own life with many an epigram and sentence
sermon. THE boy that is able and willing to go to work in overalls
and black shirt will soon be wearing a picadnly collar and a boiled
shirt and bossing the mel under him" And be points proudly to
the many boys who have gone out from his department and today
occupy high position IN the busy world.
Mr.. wigman is a member of the Lutheran church ana Of the
EIks' lodge. He lives with his wife at 1897 North TwentyIhrst street
They have four children, William wigman. who holds a responsible
position with the United States Supply company; Mrs. Kate Moves
man of Butte, Mont