Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1909-02-13
Woodstock. VT, Feb. ID, 1909.
FOR MANUAL TRAINING
The School Board Calls for
a New Building.

q LNSW OuI@hAiS'
To the Voters of the Town of Wood
stock
Your Board of School Directors
would respectfully submit the fol-
lowing for your careful considera-
ton:
The present trend of education is
toward industrial training. The city
of Chicago has appropriated one
million dollars for the introduction
of industrial training in her schools.
The governor of Massachusetts gave
considerable attention, in his inaug-
ural address, to this phase Of educa
ton to make it general course in
their system, for many Massachusetts
towns already have manual training
in their schools.
The state superintendent Of edu-
cation of Maine in his annual report
recommended that the governor APP
point a commission to investigate
and report plan for the introduce
ton of industrial training in the
schools of that state. Many Of the
Western states have already intro
duced this in their schools. The
leading educators, thinkers and writ
ers of the country endorse it.
Last summer petition, signed by
about so of the prominent men of
the town, was presented to the Board,
asking for the introduction of man
ual training in the schools AS we
were already crowded for room we
could not grant the petition but as
we wished to inform ourselves more
thoroughly on this subject, and find
how it worked in places where they
had given it a fair trial, we directed
Mr. Wiggin to visit several such
places in Massachusetts,. He did so,
and this report we also place before
you. You will find it favorable to
the subject In towns where they
had tried it for ten or twelve years
they found it worked successfully,
and were enthusiastic in its benefits
to the pupils, and as factor in our
system of education.
1t is not fad " then, but a sue
cess of several years trial. To our
minds this point seems settled be-
yond doubt and if we are wrong,
then the leading educators of the
country are also wrong.
We cannot give industrial training
in our present schools; but we be-
lieve manual training would be Il
step in the right development of
them. By law passed by the last
legislature, if we act in time, we
would receive from the State $3.50
per year towards maintaining it, and
reduce the cost of maintenance by
this sum.
Again, in year or so the ques-
ton of room in the school building
will become a serious matter. Par
ents send their children to school
as soon as they arrive at school
age. With about GO pupils in the
Primary school this fall, we had to
crowd in extra seats to accommodate
them. Many..of these could be bet
ter taken care of in a kindergarten
W ithout extra expense. There can
be no doubt IN anyone's mind in re-
gard to the benefits Of kindergarten
to the young child beginning school.
Again, another matter which we
believe is as important, if not more
so, than any of the other subjects,
and which is too often overlooked,
and that is the physical development
of the pupil We believe we should
develop the physical body along
with the mind TO this end a gym
nasium under proper instruction.
would be of great value in making
strong, healthy young men and
women. We believe this is as inn
portant as their education that a
boy or girl should arrive at maturity
erect, strong and healthy. If they
cannot have but one, the healthy
physique is preferable.
The needs of the schools are, then:
First, kindergarten; second, man
nal training third, a gymnasium.
We cannot have them, or any one
of them, in the present building.
Wouldn't it be wise and business
like to erect a suitable building
-. ... -. lo,,a tIo,., Ill . Tho