isa-normaladvance-1909-00169

Description:	THE NORMAL ADVANCE169student in such a way that the developmentwhich they begin in school is continued throughlife. It is a fatal error to assume, as is not infrequently done, that because a subject is particularly high as a practical subject that it islow in educational value. Viewed by its effectsupon the entire life of the individual, quite theopposite is found to be true, and generally themost practical subjects have the highest educational value. Manual Training is both educational and practical. It connects the schoollife with the after-school life of the studentin a way which no other subject can do. Itsavors of the kind of activities that a boy orgirl is called upon to do after leaving school.The schools for the masses must be able togive the best instruction for the greatest number of its pupils. Our students cannot all become lawyers, doctors and professional men.In this connection let me make the followingquotation from two of the most prominent advocates of Manual Training: Dr. Woodard says:If schools are to be adapted to social and industrial conditions, if they are going to educateartisans as well as artists, mechanics as wellas scientists, craftsmen as well as merchants,without pretending to know which shall bewhich, the general plan must be exceedinglybroad. All the fundamental elements must beincluded. Our system of education should besuch as to encourage our students to take upthe various industrial pursuits rather than todespise them. Our schools must equally lead to-all progressive occupations and equally affectall classes. This does not mean that our schoolsshould teach a trade but that our schools shouldfit children so that when they leave school theymay be equally prepared to take up any occupation. In other words we should teach the elements which lead up to a general foundationof the various occupations.Mr. Ham brings into clear relief the evils ofwhat he calls a one-sided education when hesays: There is absurdity in taking a largemajority of the children of any community andeducating them as though in life they were tobe chiefly concerned with literature and art andnot at all with labor and industry. * * *We do not live by literature but by labor. Ibow to no one in my love of the beautiful inliterature, but I detect greater beauty in greater use. There is to me more sentiment in alocomotive or a steamship than there is in thewords of Shakespeare. Fulton, Stevenson andMorse are grander figures in the progress ofman than a score of the first statesmen of theirtime.Manual Training is important as a means ofproperly training the powers of expression.Modern Psychology has pointed out to us theimportance of the power to do. It has emphasized, the necessity of motor activity as conditioning all mental growth. It would have usbelieve that there is no adequate impressionwithout expression. When an impression isreceived, it must be re-acted upon in order tomake it of any value. Now, a child may express himself in various ways, through music,gesture, language, either oral or written, andthrough some of the manual arts. Includedin the Manual arts are Drawing, Painting,Modeling and Construction. These stand inspecial relation to child life. The child entersinto the industrial commercial activity and intothe life of the world through his hands and hisbrain. In general he is not interested in thingsoutside of his immediate environment untilthat interest is stimulated through the work ofhis hands. The child is a motor being. Heis full of activities and must give play to hisgrowing muscles. Above all things he mustuse his hands. I have never known a childwho did not love to make things. The motivefor making goes beyond the mere doing. Itrepresents the fulfillment of an inner desire onthe part of the child to express himself intangible form. Manual Training affords manyopportunities for the development of the childthrough self-expression or motor activity. Itis along these lines that Manual Training findsits greatest usefulness in the lower grades.Manual Training is an important factor in
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/34199
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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