Graham guardian., 1916-03-19
MANUAL TRAINING
Is 8 .iay Successfully Taught
in Stafford and Thatcher
Schools

M"nuHi raining in Stafford and
lha;cHc, schools has reached high
stage Of ptotici"ncy and is becum-
ing one Of thr NEST instructive, rs
wei a. TN most interesting studies
in the scho@i work
Y ry !rW Of the parents know of
j. the progress being made in manual
! training in our schools, and the fol-
lowing article by Prof. R. S. Davis.
instructor in manual training in
Stafford and Thatcher schools, will
en- .ighlen them in the merits Of this
new work in the schools in this
valley:
Although many people know that
manual training has taken a forward
place in the schools of our country,
few rea ize the scope, aim or results
Ut this work.
Manual training may include any
work that is carried on in the shops Of
the country. Anything from jew
eiry work to blacksmithing or foun-
dry practice, and from toy making
to house building, is included by
this term. The type of work given
is determined by the industries of
the locality.
On account of the lack, in the
majority of the schools, of equip
ment, which approx,mates that found
in even second class mill, foundry,
blacksmith or machine shops, it is
impossible to deal with any of these
industries in definite way from the
standpoint Of teaching the trade.
Therefore, the aim must be the
general education along the lines Of
the local industries and the appica-
rion Of the school training to the
shop prub,emS as found in after
life. 'rhe chief difficulty lies in
making the theoretical practical, SO
that the boy will grasp the relation
ship of schro! to life problems more
Clearly.
s. far as possible nearly all shops
welcome jobs given them by towns
people, These are completed by
The students with the guidance of
tn instructor. To illustrate: In d
small Penusl lvania town, whose
chiei inddstry is foundry work, pat
t2lEmaNinR was taught in the high
S'hon!. One foundry obtained a
Iarg" contract for miscellaneous
castings, to be completed in very
Short line. They were unable to
sCcure patternworkers enough to
I'll TIE order in time and a. last
resort appealed to 'hr school authol-
iJirS for hSSis ance The result was
tie completion of the patterns in
the scho1i shop. out of school hours.
by the boys. Or course, this case i,
unusual, but gives a glimpse of the
pDsSlbi1titS.
liz our oWn schools there has been
finished many commercially valuable
products, some of which are: Sand
tables, blSkpt bail hack-tops, turn-
ing pole and jumping standards,
waSlrhaSkrtS, doors to book cabinets
and jattic" windows, all for the SAT-
;. ri schools; saving the school a nice
1T g sum if thrs,. things had been
pu u"chaScd
In #ddit N, two shoot-the chuteS
have been comp eted, one under con
tract for Lone Sar and the other
for the local school. The latter is
now on the play ground at the main
bujtdjng
Much work has been don. for trwr
people. such as 'etter flies, foot.
stools. ironing boards. tables, phonc-
graph cabin is, typewriter tab 'eS,
h>ok shelves, chicken coops, pig and
chicken trouphs, besides the articles
made for the boys families and the
hoys rhems Ives. The boys receive
a small remuneration far work done
for other people. bat all work for
the school is don" rec.
Du ing the construction of the
new High School building, classes
will visit and make note of the pro.
grrss, studying the best methods
Of construction, materials, design,
strength Of concrete mixtures, etc
Glasses in session from 800 till
ll:3O a. m in Thatcher, and from
200 to 400 p. m, in Stafford. Any
one Interested will be gladly wei
coined.
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