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Next, by a brief talk, and with necessary demonstration, an expla nation was given of the greater economy of employing "industrial methods."

Jigs were made for facilitating some of the operations and for securing greater uniformity in the product. The class was organized into different groups of from two to six boys each, each group performing one of the several operations involved in the making of the box or the cover. There were the box cutters, cover cutters, stayers, pasters, fitters, and gluers. There were those who assembled, inspected, packed and counted the boxes, and there were the assistant teachers-foremen in embryo.

Of course this was not all done in one lesson. By the time 750 of these boxes were made and packed ready for the supply team, the boys had gained at least a glimmer of light on five points of superiority of this, the industrial method, over the method first employed: First, that there was greater economy in the use of material. Second, that much time was saved, since it was not necessary to lay aside one tool and hunt for another at the completion of a single operation. Third, that the skill increased very rapidly by performing the same operation. many times. Fourth, that a standard of accomplishment in a given time was established, below which no self-respecting boy wished to fall. Fifth, that a "good" box could not be produced if any of the group of boys did "bad" work.

In passing I must note and answer one objection which some advocates of "educational" manual training will make, namely, that the frequent repetition of the same movement is not educational since it becomes practically automatic-a matter of the spinal cord. Be that as it may, the boys show an ever increasing interest and delight in their work as they become more and more skilful, for there is a keen joy in mere accomplishment which is by no means a matter of the spinal cord, but of an intelligence which is much higher. It should also be noted in this connection that, from time to time the groups were changed so that, in the end, all the boys had performed several, if not all, of the different operations.

The second project was a box smaller and more finely constructed than the first. Sixteen hundred of these were made.

In speaking of the methods used in making the later projects it is only necessary to note two points in which they differed from those first employed: First, in the earlier project the groups were chosen

with reference to the ability of individual boys and the difficulty of the several operations. In the later, the groups were formed by taking the boys in order, just as they came, and a "foreman" was appointed for each group.

Second. A system of "check" was introduced which made it possible to trace poor work to its author-thus fixing responsibility. After the completion of the second project some calculations were made to ascertain the increase of efficiency and it was found to be about 400 per cent.

Subsequent projects have been vellum-covered pencil boxes, for use in high school drawing classes, and "Harvard" covers of vellum with leather backs and corners. Of the former about 475, and of

the latter about 800 were made.

This is a brief outline of the work thus far done. The time is taken from the manual training, drawing and arithmetic, but it is believed that little is lost. The boys are required to keep careful record of time, material and output and to make computations based thereon.

A spelling list of 60 words has already been sent to the regular teacher (an addition to the vocabulary of the boys), including the names of tools, materials and processes. The word "industrial" is one, and in it the boys are much interested.

In a two or three years' course, the manufacture of articles of other materials will undoubtedly be undertaken, and drawing, mechanical and freehand, will become a part of the work, as will also design. It is rather early to speak with certainty about the interest with which the boys will follow this work, but the indications are all extremely favorable. The boys do not seem to object to giving their work to the city, but rather appear to be pleased that they can contribute something to its support, and that, in these days, is of no small consequence. Interest seems to be awakened and held by the mere productive activity—by the industrial processes themselves, and it has not been necessary, thus far, to bring in the motive of ownership, which is prominent in the regular manual training work. The boys were interested when the supply team called to transfer their boxes to the supply roms. Some rivalry has been noted between different groups and some boys have asked to be allowed to work at home.

What are the results to be? Frankly this is an experiment and a very new one and we prefer not to predict results. It is hoped that

the training received will itself add something to the efficiency of the boys, but it is also hoped that it will so atract them to industrial pursuits that they will seek admission to more complete industrial courses which may be established later.

It is hoped that the experiment may demonstrate that the place to begin industrial training is in the public schools, and that in this way only can our schools be made truly democratic. Until very recently they have offered equal opportunity for all to receive one kind of education, but what will make them democratic is to provide opportunity for all to receive such education as will fit them equally well for their particular life work.

It is hoped that the experiment may show that differentiation should be made possible for our pupils before the end of the present elementary school course-as is indeed already the case in Boston with those boys and girls who elect a classical education. This need for an earlier differentiation is based on psychological as well as social reasons and is gaining wide recognition.

If the experiment at Jamaica Plain provokes discussion and induces others to seek, within the public school system, a solution of the problem of vocational training instead of handing it over to the business interests, at least one important result will have been achieved.

DRAWN BY E. E. SHEPPARD

A COURSE OF STUDY IN MANUAL TRAINING.-IV.'

I

CHESHIRE LOWTON BOONE.

T may be well to review concisely the reasons for using paper and cardboard construction and to state in what part of the elementary school such work will be of most service.

(a) After the rather free and unrestricted sand table exercises of the first two years, there should be taught in the third and fourth grades such things as will demand accurate construction and a good deal of planning by the children. They should learn to measure with skill and rapidity and to cut material with accuracy. The problems offered should permit of some decoration and should be immediately useful. Such things as desk pads, portfolios, simple booklets, calendars, envelopes and covers, are suitable. They involve the constant use of the ruler, a variety of processes, and the things when done are at once available for use.

(b) The reason for putting this work into the upper primary grades is, that children at that period show utilitarian leanings which should be satisfied with a material that is possible from the technical standpoint. Secondly, some decoration and lettering should be introduced as a foundation for the future shop and craft work. Thirdly, it is quite desirable that the rudiments of good workmanship and method be implanted early. The type of exercises, indicated in this paper seems to more nearly fulfill requirements than any other one kind, and the writer firmly believes it advisable to handle one class of problems long enough to achieve a degree of expertness.

(c) One finds in existing courses of study several forms of construction, materials and exercises, which are harmless enough in themselves, but have so narrow a range as to be not worth using. Basketry, to be distinguished, should be pursued by older. (grammar) pupils. Weaving, as primary children must do it, means practically ? the making of small rugs. There is the possibility of a little design, but after the second rug the variety ends. Pottery-making also should come a little later to be most profitable. To get the most out of clay work, children should be old enough to appreciate the kind of design possible in and for clay and to devise forms and decorations for themselves.'

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Aside from the condition that most constructed things should have a utilitarian raison d'etre, there is in all cases some desirable sequence of processes to be observed. Most of the things herein suggested are made of cardboard (strawboard) covered with cover or bogus paper or book-linen. Book-linen is difficult to fold, measure and paste; it should be used sparingly at first.

The first problem may be the making of a picture mount, calendar support or small blotter. The foundation is a rectangle of stiff cardboard covered with paper of good tone. The cards should be cut to size. Cover paper, in pieces large enough to complete the article, is given out with the card. The following are typical directions (to be illustrated by drawings on the blackboard):

(1) The sheet of cover paper must furnish two pieces, one about 3/4" larger each way than the card, and the second exactly the same size as the card (Plate I, A and B).

(2) Lay the given cardboard on the cover paper near a corner, leaving the proper margin, and trace around it. Measure the right-hand margin on the other two sides (dotted lines) and cut on them. This is the front cover (A).

(3) Lay the cardboard on corner of remaining piece of covering and trace around; cut on traced line. This is the back covering (B).

(4) Cut off corners of piece with margins so that cut does not quite touch the corners of tracing (C).

(5) Lay cardboard to fit the tracing, fold over the marginal laps and paste' these down. No paste is to be used on the inside of the covering (D).

(6) Cut off 14" from a side and an end of the back cover (B) to make it a very little smaller than the card and paste on the back. Use paste only on the edges'.

These directions cover the fundamentals of covering and pasting. If the object is a calendar, some brace or other device may be added for keeping it upright on the table or for hanging.

DESK PAD.

The desk pad is made of cardboard about 9" x 12". This should be covered after the manner indicated above; in this respect it is the same problem as the calendar, but in large size. In addition there are

1Common library paste, flour paste or mucilage. The first is best to handle. It is suggested that large surfaces be not covered with paste. It is hard to accomplish without liquid paste and long brushes. For most purposes in the grades it is not necessary.

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