Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-28

will be the speaker OF the evening, !
the theme of his address being School |
aac Work" Mr. Leayi:t is q speaker
of note and is at the head of the de-
pErtment Of vocational education of |
the Chicago university. A. G. Ander-
son, member of the board of educa- |
ton will make the presentation of the |
diplomas The high school orchestra /
will render some special music for |
the occasion.
JUNIORS ENTERTAINED.
The juniors last night entertained !
the seniors of the local high school 4!
at the annual excursion on the Miss !
issippi With the weather conditions
perfect, a large crowd was present
ana the moonlight trip was a success
! in every particular, both financially
and from a standpoint Of pleasure. 1t
! is expected that about fifty or seventy
five dollars will be realized from the
! trip on the river.
! With the close of this school year,
manual training has completed its
tenth year in the Rock Island public
schools.
The beginning was very small and
the equipment: one large bench, still
/ in use, and a few tools we're purchased
at the earnest solicitation of c. w.
Kent, both as an experiment and also
to test the demand for such a course
in the high school.
At meeting of the board of educa-
ton held April IS, 1902, it was moved
and carried, That manual training be
substituted for chemistry in the high
school course of study for the ensuing
school year" j. F. Darby, pTinci-
pal of the high school, was requested
to prepare plans for bids on manual
training equipment.
To provide for proper instruction
in the new course, c. ". Kent was
appointed supervisor of manual train
ing and was allowed 500 to cover
expenses incurred attending the 1902
summer school at the University of
Illinois.
The first contract for installing
equipment was awarded to Frank III,
Aug. 10, 1902.
Sept. 9, 1902, Mr.. Darby was allowed
the sum of $1,000 for the purchase of
more equipment and supplies.
The first years work consisted Of
knifework, chip carving and element
airy bench work and was so popular
that the increased enrolment for the
fall term of 1903 necessitated addition
al help. J. c. Miller was employed as
IN ha piryl, 4
voting all his time 70 elementary wood
work.
The knife work was then put into
the seventh and eighth grades for the
boys who spent 80 minutes each week
in drawing and sloyd work
So great an interest was manifest
among the teachers OF the first and
second grades at this time that they
: organized a class in industrial art
: work, to meet after school,
Il The next year this work, consisting
: of weaving, string work, etc, was in
; troduced in the lower grades, under
the direct supervision of Miss Abigail
: Dean, who had taught the art work
, for some years.
At the same time also Miss Dean
! introduced a sewing course into the
/ seventh and eighth grades that the
girls might have the training they
so much needed
Mr.. Kent resigned at the end of the
!. school year and c. ". Gibson was ap-
pointed supervisor, Aug. 90, 1905
; During the years 1906-06 and 1906
, OF, wood turning lathes were added
: to the high school shop equipment.
mechanical drawing and machine de-
sign to the high school course with
4 their proper equipments, and card
( board work was introduced into the
fifth and sixth grades.
! At three of the eighth grade school
buildings, wood shop centers -~.e
:. opened and partially equipped To
these centers. boys from the Other
j seventh and eighth grade schools came
/ for 80 minutes each week % receive
: instruction in sloyd and elementary
wood work.
}. J. c. Miller resigned Feb. s, 1907
to accept position in me ST. Loui:
e public schools, and was succeeded BIZ
, c. c. Grube-, who remained but {
:. short time
n Ralph McManus. formerly Of The
It Argus, was appointed IN his place anC
= served the remainder OF the term.
e At this time there were 76 boy.
s enrolled in the high school course il
e mechanical drawing ard shop work
j, Al the close Of the school year boti
I. Mr.. ellison and Mr.. McMenus resign
o ed and a. G. Hill was elected as super.