The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-11-02
EXCELLENT WORK
BY YOUNG LADIES
MANY ATTENDING EDUCATIONAL
CONVENTION SURPRISED AT
The SPLENDID WORK DONE BY
VALLEY CITY NORMAL SCHOOL
Pupils.

Many OF those attending the educa-
tional convention who have seen the
exhibit In room Of the high school
building will be surprised to learn that
some Of the most excellent pieces are
the work OF young ladies Of the Valley
City normal school. in their regular
work In the mechanical science course.
i We are told that substantially none
Of the pieces are the product OF over
time or after school work as the pupils
have their dairy programmes so ar
ranged that overtime work is not
usually possible. The desk and chair
Of which we present a picture are
the work OF two young ladies' Of the
school,
II is indeed fortunate that orr nor
mai school can train ladies to do such
work Tor with our state law encourag-
ing the introduction of industrial work
into the rural and other small schools
there Is no alternative but to employ
lady teachers for the shop work in
these small schools. This need keep
no young man from entering this field
for the demand for young men for this
work is far beyond the supply.
The exhibit though remarkable in
number Of pieces shown and the super
Tor grade OF work, is yet Of chief inn
portance as an illustration OF what can
be accomplished by a new system of
school shop work which the Valley
City instructor. Mr.. Selden calls me-
chanical science.
We are told that the work is begun
In the sixth grade OF the model school
and continued in the grades and the
normal school The material used is
wood until the fundamental principles
Of working solid materials are well
understood and then the pupils take up
the working ofBcopper. iron and steel.
Already the school is supplied with
equipment for working copper and for
blaclSsmithing.
What is mechanical science is often
asked of the one in charge OF the ex-
hibit. From the circular handed us we
quote the following:
Mechanical science covers the laws
on which the working Of solid materials
depends. 1t makes the work of the
school shops the demonstrating OF prin-
ciples instead OF the studying of tool
piled to great variety of manipuIa-
tons, or tool processes, giving the
pupi1 the power to adapt himself to a
wide range OF industrial activities, and
also supplying educational value in
comparably beyond that resulting from
equal time given to the study of crafts
manship."
From this it appears that the ideal
of this line Of work is to teach mech
anical work broadly so that the pupil
on leaving school can adapt himself |
to any line of work that he is likely
to attempt. The farmers boy who has |
already learned the principles of truing
surfaces win be able to true q board |
for a shelf, level a place for a corn
crib, make box, a wagon pole or a |
singletree. He would also find 1t an |
easy matter to enter any of the wood
working trades He would likely pick /
Up the special kinds of any trade so
readily as to insure hts success.
He win also have many of the prin,
ciples Of working metals. He will
know how to use measuring instru-
ments, squares, hammers, cutting tools
and in short he will have learned the
chief facts about the use Of nearly all
.ooIs.
There is certainly no question about
The merits Of the system Of work
shown. II this system shall prevail
throughout the state OF North Dakota
We may well be proud OF our schools
Ind invite our friends from neighbor-
ng states to come and see very ad-
yanced line Of school shop work.