Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-24
Splendid WORK
is EXHIBITED
SKILL POSSESSED BY oTTuMWA
MANUAL TRAINING STUDENTS
Is REMARKABLE.
WOOD WORK VERY CLEVER
Street Car Waiting Room Show OF
Articles of Home Manufacture
Attracts Many--Diemer Ex
plains Art.

One unfamiliar with the splendid
work being done in the manuel train
ing departments Of the Adams and
high schools will be amazed to view
the result Of the semester's labors in
this branch now on display in the
street car waiting room, The first eN-
hibition of the students handi-eraft
was made last spring and was in
charge of r. c. Kelley. but at this
time tho turning lathe had not been
installed. The show now in progress
has work from both the wood working
and turning departments Harold
Diemer. instructor, in the department
at the high school is in charge. The
exhibition will continue until tomor-
row evening,
A Few Exhibitors.
Among the exhibitors whose work
show exceptional abilities are to be
found a number of pieces, the best of
which follow: A large oak library
table, SKI, made by Paul Crener; two
electric reading lamps. made by Har-
old Yinson and Harold Cook: a. large
oak book case made Jointly by Arthur
Woodrow and Edward Cook: q large
oak cabinet made by Edward Bissell,
fancy plate rail or holder made by
William Peck; screen made by Miss
Nellie Cremer; a. large Morris chair
made by Arthur IIollander-
In addition to these pieces there
sra several smaller ones, such as foot
stools, book stands. plate rails, tab,
orets, naallets, and also joints and
minor pieces showing how the differ
el.t larger pieces are made. The ma
iority of the work is done in oak and
finished in mission style although the
softer woods are used in MANY eases.
Diemer Explains Work.
Ever since the train of ideas of the
middle ages was discarded by the
spirit of modern times, the aim of ed
ucation has been to get more and
more into a close relation to reality
says Harold Diemer. life. not learn
ing, has become the end of education.
i% onesided theoretic action on the
mind Of the child has been replaced,
step by step, by more general de-
velopment of human nature. For the
last three hundred years there has
scarcely been any prominent spokes-
man for pedagogical interests who
has not insisted upon the Importance
of the training of the body besides
that of the mind, and upon the value
nf practice as the base of theory.
Object of Manual Trainina.
The object Of manuel training as
means of education Is twofold:
Firstly, it is to form q practical con-
trast to the other Instruction, which Is
mainly of a onesided theoretic char
scter. 1t will thus set to work factul-
ties in the child that would otherwise
remain unused in school.
Secondly, it is to form the prac-
Ideally starting point of the other dis
riplines that will thus become object
lessons in q, deeper sense Of the word
than was. the case till now. Nowadays
more than ever the race in later life
calls for training by means of
bodily labor already in childhood. Ac-
cording to it's fundamental idea man
,lal training is to begin along with the
school attendance, trying to enter into
an organic connection with the school.
1t takes it's starting point from the ma
tural interests and the want of prac-
ticsl activity of the child. III the
first place it rests upon the just
claims of the body and mind of the
child; in the second on suitable prac-
sicaI wants.
The system, keeping in view the
above named objects, is the result of
en Investigation of the various on-
feet of wood in every day life; it is
confined, for the time being. to the
use of wood and the common tools
hsed in working wood. The objects
chosen with a view of the. punil's gen
oral development allow of both rectil-
T1ear and curvilinear work in various
sforts of wood.