The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1914-03-27

en-. ,rade in those schools he is Offer
eL . addition to the academic course
the opportunity to learn drafting, |
printing, sheet-metal work, foundry
and forge work, plumbing, heating,
electrical work, cabinet-making, pat
tern-making, machine-shop work, or
painting
"All of these departments, in addi-
ton to many others, are housed in a
single building. In fact, everything
| from the kindergarten to the highest
classes are included in this same
plant. They call their schools plants
in Gary, yet the Emerson school, the
! first of these advance-method school
buildings, requires but little more
space than the average high school
in city of similar size.
"Oue feature which Immediately inn
presses itself on the visitor is the abb
sence of force. Human nature in child
or man rebels at being forced to do
anything. The courses in Gary schools
are purely elective. A program of
studies is mapped out, but the pupils
take those which they prefer Thus
they are led instead of being driven,
and with the result that they love their
school, it's work, and, putting forth
the best that is in them, accomplish
the greatest results. None of the in
dustrial courses is compulsory, yet all
the classes are filled
For instance, boy wishes to study
! drafting. He first obtains permission
from his parents, bringing them into
close touch with the school work He
enters that department under the tute-
lage of an experienced man. He takes
up the preliminary drawing, then goes
into further details. He is given plans
to draw, which means that he must
solve the problems of floor loads from
his textbooks. He must study the
/ theoretical to do the practical. AS he
progresses he requires additional in
struments. These he supplies for
himself Should he not make proper
Roadway in this line he is allowed to
drop it and take up another"
The work in the school is handled
like that in large manufacturing
plant, as is shown by the following
instance, given by the author;
"a number of new desks are re-
i CURED. The drafting-room is called
upon for plans and details; these in
turn are passed to the various depart
ments with orders for a certain num-
Der of the article which they make in
that particular department. These
departments make requisition on the
stock rooms for the raw material re-
quired. Pupils in charge of these de-
partments deliver the materials and
charge it. The completed product is
charged to the school or department
to which it is delivered. Costs of each
operation are carefully computed, us
ing the union scale as to wages. This
places fixed value on the work and
the pupil is interested in producing
greatest results at the least cost
"In addition the work done is such
as to save the schools the cost of out
side labor. They are working now on
plans in their drafting-rooms for
schools which are to be built, the
printing-shop does the bulletin, an
nouncement, and some textbook work
All through each department the same
procedure is followed. In short, the
industrial departments in Gary
schools are self-sustaining to the point
of paying for all material used and for
the cost of the instructors. 81
But it is not all work at the Gary
schools. Prominent in the planning
of grounds and buildings was the al
lowance for Fairgrounds, which as
sumo the proportions of parks. These
grounds are at the disposal of the pu-
5 school hours and out Everywhere is
the spirit of freedom, the spirit of
7 honor, of clean manhood, influences
1 which tend to develop the initiative
1t is in this environment that the chill
dren of Gary are being raised The
: superintendent has made the schools
> and grounds the most popular place in
2 the city. Thus the backgrounds or
l the shops get the time which under
: other circumstances would be devoted
5 to the streets and alleys
Nor are these schools for the young
: alone:
: Another fact of interest is the work
done by adults at night. The man who
is forced to earn living during the
: day, who is in machine-shop, for in
: stance, wishes to learn some operation
! which will not be given him in his
daily work until he is capable He
, | goes to school at night He talac nm