The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-08

lected. The accommodations in the
way of buildings and conveniences are
for the most part admirable. The
buildings are modern and attractive in
exterior lines and proportions, and in
terror arrangements, with modern san
itary appliances for health and comfort
of pupils and teachers. Most of the
rooms are decorated with pictures and
other works of art which are no small
element in the cultivation of good
taste.
Studies in Grades.
/ The course of study in the grades is
based upon the historically funda-
mental common branches. Reading,
arithmetic, spelling, writing, language,
! geography, history, physiology receive
| the attention due their recognized i'm
] portance Instruction in these is sup
plemented by the study of music,
| drawing. and in grades above the
fourth, by manual training. which
] takes the form of sewing for girls,
wood working for boys, and basketry,
| wood carving, and clay modelling for
boys and girls alike. The purpose in
| the manual training studies is not pri-
: marty to teach trades as means of
! livelihood but to give an opportunity
, for contact with things, to give facility
/ in handling tools and materials of
4 varied forms to supply for the city
child the advantages which are the
| common inheritance OF country chill
| dren, who find in the wholesome coun-
try life more useful things to do than
/
| manual occupations are not only train
| ing in facility of hand but they afford
a most valuable form of mental Gull
ture not equaIed by the socalled intel
| lectual studies. 1t is believed by those
who have given much thought and
study to these matters that controlled
and regulated muscular occupations
create brain substance, which partially
accounts for the capacity for sustained
| effort mental or physical, of those who
| in early life have received the benefits
of physical development and training.
In Topeka the manual training
movement was inaugurated in 1902 in
the Branner school under the leader
ship of superintendent w. NJ. Davidson
and Mr.. J. H Mcbride, who was then
principal of the Branrer school. The
results were so marked that this form
of education has been made a feature
of the Topeka schools and it is doubt
full whether any city has manual train
ing in elementary schools on so sound
or practical a basis
Manual Training.
In 1904 the city voted bonds to fur
nish rooms and appliances for manual
training in a number of the schools and
provided for the following schools:
Branner. Buchanan. Central Park,
Clay, Grant. Harrison, Lafayette,
Lowman Hill, Mckinley, Monroe, Polk, !
Potwin. Quincy, State Street, Sumner,
Washington. The equipment of the
schools for manual training has come |
about gradually, as the expense could
be borne: and I trust that the time is |
near when the remaining buildings will |
be provided with the necessary rooms |
and apparatus for is form of teach |
ing.
Practical Subjects.
In the grades as should be the case
il. all public education. the emphasis is |
On the practical subjects, the things |
which will affect the life and character |
in any subsequent occupation. Reading !
is studied not only as mechanical
process. but with reference to the appre- |
citation of good literature, which is it |
self an education: arithmetic is taught |
as a practical matter of daily concern; |
in grammar. the object is to teach the |
proper use of language in oral and writ |
ten form; in writing and spelling the
purpose is wholly practical; in geogra- |
ply distant places are made real |
through pictures and by collecting sam |
pie products of different regions. Uni |
ted States History is regarded by any /
child as the study of his country: and |
nowhere in the world is loyalty more in |
evidence or patriotism more ardent !
than among the children in the public |
schools.
Courses of Study.
In order to avoid the overcrowding
of the elementary course of study, def
mite action has been taken during the
present year by transferring to the high |
school physical geography, which for
many years has been an Eighth grade |
study. This change has been made in
order to give time for more thorough
review of the common branches in the
highest grade of the elementary
schools. In other respects the elemen-
tary course has recently been simph-
fed with good results.
Character of Pupils.
No one could visit the Eighth grade
classes throughout the city without re-
ceiving a distinct impression that the
1c 4oII al rt anT h in
telligent, and resourceful. These chill
dren have an education far above that
of the average adult. and with hardly
an exception they could become inde-
further schooling. However, the great
majority of these Eighth grade chill
dren have no thought of bringing their
formal education to a speedy end. The
advantages of the high school are so
apparent and the transition from the
S-A the 9-B or high school grade is
so easy and natural that there is act
ually less falling off between the Eighth
grace and the high school than between
the Seventh and the Eighth.
High school Attendance.
The following table showing the en-
rollment of the high school for SER
les of years presents interesting evil
dence of its growth and popularity:
1S9S-1S99 .......... --........ $50
1SS9-l9OO -........-.. ....--. 14o
1900 1901 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 800
1901-1902 1000. ........... SSS
1902-1903 ............. ...... 9O2
1903-1904 ........ ........... $50
1904-1905 .......... .......... 1880
1905-19O6 ......... ......... 1929
19O6-1907 ........ ............ 1853
1907-190S ........... .... 1918
19OS-1909 .......... $500. 1916
This is the more remarkable in view
of the fact that the enrolment in the
elementary schools has remained prac-
tically stationary for the same period
of years until the present, which will
show a gain in numbers. Therefore the