Arizona republican., 1922-01-01
INDIANS ARE GIVEN
PRACTICAL TRAINING
At PHOENIX SCHOOL

Practical education is emphasized
in the course of study at the Phoenix
Indian school. The culture value of
education is not neglected, John b.
Brown, superintendent of the school
pointed out. but rather subordinated
to the practical needs of the child's
environment. The school aims to
provide that form of training and in
struction which leads directly to self
support and productive efficiency.
A large amount of productive work
is necessary in the Indian schools, the
educators point out. In the first
place, these schools could not possibly
be maintained on the sums appropri-
ated by congress for their support
were it not for the fact that students
are required to do the washing, iron
ing, baking, cooking, sewing; to care
for the dairy, farm, garden, grounds,
buildings, etc, an amount of labor
that has in the aggregate a very ap-
preciable monetary value.
This plan requires the Indian stu
dent to work half a day and to at
tend class room exercises during the
other half. With studies properly
adjusted to the students mental
status, and with non essentials and
useless repetition eliminated from the
course, this condition is not a handi-
cap to the progress of the student.
Indeed, it has been demonstrated in
schools for whites that pupils can
complete a grade a year even when
taking academic work but half a day
and doing vocational work during the
other half.
Three Branches of Study
The course of study is separated
into three divisions: "a primary, (2)
pre-voca tional, and go vocational
The primary division includes the
first three grades, the pre-vocational
division includes the next three grades
and the vocational division contem-
plates a four-year course above the
sixth grade.
The first group is the beginning
stage, the second group is the find
ing stage, and the third group is the
fitting stage. In the first six years
the course parallels the public school
courses in the essentials of academic
work. During this period the prin-
ciples are to be taught and the appli-
cation of them is to be made just as
soon after instruction as possible
The knowledge of Industrial and do
mestic activities at this stage centers
more or less around the conditions
essential to the proper maintenance
and improvement of the rural home.
Find Best Vacations
This is the period when the boys
and girls, through trying out their
capacities, are finding that activity
to which it is thought best to apply
themselves definitely in the voca-
tional period. The course has been
planned with the vocational aim very
clearly and positively dominant, with
emphasis on agriculture and
home making.
The character and amount of aca-
demic work has been determined by
its relative value and Importance as
means Of solving the problem of the
farmer mechanic, and housewife. All
effort is directed toward training In
dian boys and girls for efficient and
useful lives under the conditions
which they must meet after leaving
school.
Girls have sewing, including dress
making and the finer branches of
needlecraft, millinery, cooking, laun-
dering and general housekeeping. All |
these departments are we'll equipped. |
Boys are required to- do a prescribed |
number Of weeks work in each shop |
and in each branch of agriculture |
during the pre-vocational years. This |
includes harness making and shoe re-
pairs, plumbing and sheet metal work.
steam and gasoline engineering, cleo |
trio wiring and care of motors. car |
pentry, painting, farm, garden and |
airy, with separate Instructors. |