Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-11-08
MANUAL TRAINING IN PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.

Kansas State Agricultural College.
1t is the duty Of our public schools
TO furnish the very best education
possible to the children of our land.
All who have been students ofopopu-
lar education have long known that
the purely cultural studies and those
for purposes OF pure mental attain
ment did not give the individual the
broadest possible education to fit him
for the largest possible service in the
community in which he lives. The
leaders in educational progress some
years ago saw a change must come
in the old course of study, and while
all that was good of the old was re-
tanned, the course must be enriched
and strengthened by manual training
and industrial subjects. Thus, man.
Ual training, with its educational and
industrial phases was placed in the
school curriculum and has spread ra-
pidly through our entire country and
Is obtaining fuller recognition in
school systems Of all our states, with
the result that it is now taught in the
schools of more than one-half of the
cities of the United States, and many
of the remaining cities and towns are
developing practical and vocational
courses as rapidly as possible.
The present aim of manual training
Is to so operate our educational ma
chinery that it may give to the pupil
entering the professions, which are
also vocational in the broadest sense,
its educational values. To the pupil
who enters the great field of indus.
trial activity, he must have both edu-
cational and vocational values direct
ed toward industry. In making the
courses of study for our schools, we
must assume that each year will be
the pupils last in school, and our
course must be so arranged that the
pupil will get practical industrial
training from early in the grades till
he leaves. Statistics tell us that on
Ply per cent Of our students complete
a college or university course; only
per cent complete the high school
course, and only 20 to % per cent
complete the eighth grade. Comment
is unnecessary to show where practi-
cal educational instruction is needed
at the present time. Statistics also
show that manual training has in
creased to a marked degree the at
tendance in schools and that, in turn
enlarges the number completing the
course.
In early days the work of oul
schools as we all know, was directed
almost wholly to what was called me
tai attainments and cultural subjects
anything really practical, and espe
eially hand-skill, was looked upon a:
menial and undignified. Our earle
elementary schools and colleges pre-
pared for professions Of law, medicin
etc. This was good for the few. To
day all is changed, and we contend
that public education with public moi
ey shall educate all who grasp its ad
yantages for citizenship, development
Of character and the power to ear
a living. To do and not merely L
know how to do is being made tn
test in modern educational services
The world now demands action. an
measures all by results. To thin
about doing is well, but doing is bel
ter. Experience has proven that
man who does things may be as higl
| ly cultured as the man who thinks G
doing things. We want culture, bu
not culture that fails to produce
citizen who can support himself. La
us fellow teachers teach boys an
girls to become men and women !
the true sense, and forever ceas
teaching text books.
III Some of the people in the ruri
districts have felt that the old ordt
Of school work did not meet the nee
of their children, and consequent
they refused to send their children
school. Manual training, rightly plal
ned, will overcome their objection
for such schools, and tends to kee
the boys on the farms. where th
highest success Of many will be a
tained. There is no occupation whe
certain forms Of manual training
more needed than in rural district
Farm work needs system, model
farm machinery requires practic
knowledge as is found in manu-
training work. Farm boys do haV
manual work. but much is of Il
crude order, and what they need
directed work. Many of the stat