Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-06-24
MANUAL TRAINING MAKES MEN
Technical Course in Omaha High is
Bringing Good Results.
BOYS MAKE USEFUL ARTICLES
Oft-Repeated Complaint of Older Gem
GRAFTON that Graduates of Pres
emit Day Are Good for Moth
ing is Refuted.

Serious consideration of the good that
will come TO a boy or girl In undertaking
a course of study in the Omaha High
school Is always an important point. but
In manual training the question Is even
more pertinent.
Manual training and mechanical draw
ing, which constitutes the technical course.
consists of partial training in the use Of
tools in the grade schools, and two years
OF practical work in the high school. The
high school work demands that the stu
dent shall become practical with tools, but
shall make a drawing Of everything he
produces.
4 In the end the boy Is usually capable of
\naking for himself useful article, such
~ q settee. a table OF a chair Some Of
the boys undertake more elaborate work,
turning out clocks cabinets. and pieces of
furniture demanding the most exacting at
tention of the craftsman. Bought at a
furniture store such articles would bring
high prices.
The oft repeated complaint of the older
generation that boy who graduated from
the high school nowadays, is good for moth
ing. is answered well in any OF the lads
fwho has completed his two years OF man
I ual training. Not only is he able TO do
common carpentry or machine work with
tools. but he is generally capable of doing
difficult cabinet work in a style that would
do credit to many an older man of the
trade
He Learns 90 Work.
But most OF all. the lad who has been
two years in the department. under Prof
John f. Wigman. has learned TO work.
Mr.. wigman was never afraid OF work
himself. he declares, and he does not see
Nv la vha baa liza a., h.
training department should learn loafing
under him And ask any OF the boys who
have received credit for two years OF com
pleted work under him. and he WIN have
only the highest praise for the man who
has made him work, and through his sys-
TEN taught him that one great asset. in
dustry.
Technical training Is in the high school
merely q starter Of what a boy with a
leaning for such work wishes TO take
Upon graduation many boys so yearly 10
big eastern technical schools TO study the
courses provided there.
since the tearing down OF the old higt
school building the manual training de
pArtment has been placed in the basement
Of the new one This arrangement is onl!
Temporary, however, until the new wing OF
the north side is built when il will b,
shifted again TO a new home.
Prof. Wlgman has long wanted a four
year technical course in Omaha and II
preaching that today. His ideas, gained
from a study OF the work in larger cities
In the east. would enlarge the space al
lOttSd the boys taking the manual train
ing and mechanical drawing. and II pos
sible place them in a separate building
Omaha Is far behind other cities In ia
technical course for it's boys and girls
declared Mr.. Wigman. Not that We laol
anything for 4 twO-ytar course but that Il
not enough. The boy merely gets wei
started In two years.
FOur-Near Course Needed.
IF II were possible TO have a separat,
building for the students in the technfea