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Show METHODS TO STANDARDIZE s MANUAL TRAINING RULES Supervisor Milton Clauser Discusses System in Address Before the Utah Educational Association Associa-tion at Annual Meeting. By MILTON CLAUSER, Supervisor of Manual Training, Salt Lake fity Public Schools. ( Explanatory Thn following in the remainder of Mr. Cliiuair's address ad-dress delivered before tho urtH and frnfts section of tho Utah Educational Educa-tional association at its last annual convention. WTT7T tho investigation into tho causes of retardation manual try i n i ng rccei od a new impetus, im-petus, fcianc educators saw, ; more and more, the real value, and con sequent eaurationul possibilities, of tho industrial Hubjecta. Tbey felt that the curriculum w.lb so largely made up of academic subjects; whero the work waa of Hound educational valuo and was given for this purpose manual training had a mure than ordinary value in hotti-j hotti-j ing children to school, i However, if manual training is given I merely as a bait to keep the retarded j boy for a few yearn more at tho aea-I aea-I domic subject, fear it will meet the 1 defeat that follows deception. But, if ; it is given as a means of culture to 'develop 'de-velop the 1 ' hand minded " boy to whoso best, development thinking in things is essential, I would sugest that these boys will not bo taken out of these industrial : classes, through which they have learned to see tho light, for the sake of making i up the academic studies they could not or did not. get. There are somo who would have inan-! inan-! nal training, or perhaps I should say jne-vocationai miming, "mtrouueo a j great variety of experiences" or fun-i fun-i da in ratal operations from different j trades, regardless of tho time devoted to the work, in order to assist pupils in t a choice of vocation. Introducing a great variety of experiences from different dif-ferent trades is a rather doubtful experiment experi-ment when one stops to think that one and a half hours a week in reality means about thirty eight-hour days in four or five yours. Especially so when wo rca-t rca-t Ih'.e as William Matthews says, that ' 'Up to the point of efficiency, when i one is learning a trade, or profession, there is comparatively little joyousnoss ' in one's labor." Some mastery in ono trade will enable tho boy to make a more intelligent choice, eveu in regard to other trades, than the very superficial super-ficial knowledge he can gain m thirty days, stretched out. through four or five Years, of a number of trades. ' , This pro-vocational idea has its gSbd points, but like so mauv of the move- i incuts T have already referred to, 1 fear it will lead to some more extremes.. A recent survey recommends work in more than a dozen different trades and mentions somo hundred different experiences, ex-periences, many of which, if they are to bo "real aud interesting experiences in various linos of the world's work," es it repeatedly recommends, would require re-quire from five to fifty hours and more, to accomplish. It further recommends that this industrial work should be supplemented sup-plemented by trips to shops and buildings build-ings in process of construction and the byst euiat ic discussion of things observed, ob-served, the taking apart and assembling of old machines and experimenting with the some, etc.; besides the close eo-rela.tion eo-rela.tion of all this with mechanical drawing and design. But note that even four hours per week through two yeftrs would mean about thirty-eight eight-hour eight-hour days in which to accomplish this f ractiona 1 part of our superman 's programme. pro-gramme. And when, after these ''real the results of these grade children's work shall come to light. I trust that at length wo shall bo blessed with the realization that these survevors, in the absence of vocational guidance, rIso missed their calling. They should have devoted their time to enemies. Educators will be inclined to accept the recommendations of these surveys without considering the necessary time allotment and the difficulties of organization organi-zation and procuring of teachers. The afore-mentioned survey further says, "to make shop work a real experience ex-perience in an industrial activity, the Teachers must have had some experience experi-ence in tho industry itself.'' Under the circumstances I am afraid that they will have to forego "real experiences," for, to quote the words of the same; surveyor as an editor, "there, is no such animal. Laying jokes aside, please do not understand un-derstand mo to ridicule The ideas put forth by this pre vocational scheme. These ideas have been cherished by many of us for years and it is because we nate to see them go the way of so many other good things that I have said what said. After all sorts of minor aims, motives mo-tives and methods, under a confusion of names, but all considered as a sort of manual training, had served their times, manual training had come to have such a reputation that in some places in the east if von are wise you vill not mention the name. To interpret in-terpret correctly the manual training rt is essential to bear in mind that men jvho have inspected the work in all ports of tho country say that very many or tho manual training courses "of the west have mora vocational content than many of tho vocational courses of the oast. This quite likely ia the reason Or. tineiMon put manual training in his ri'ht hand column as belonging to tlioso Ktinlirs that have only uu appre-ciativo appre-ciativo value. This brings us to the present day movement, which we mifrht call tho vocational vo-cational si-hool movement. This means so many things to different people that iu on Id require a book to explain it in all its bearings. Whilo it is generally gen-erally agreed that vocational education should not be attempted below the high school there are some who would be- j Kin it or work termed prevocational education in tho grades. Vocational I education was primarily n protest against poor manual training, but it very soon eaniti to mean more than this. H is a pica that those entering industrial indus-trial life have just as much a right to an education adapted to their future needs as thoso entering the professions. Thero are somo who would have this vocational school a department of the general high school. They would have pupils tako their academic subjects with tho academic classes aud their technical subjects in the mechanic arts department. Others say schoolmasters accustomed to general education And it dillicult to forego tho opportunity to force pupils to overload with general education to the detriment of their opportunities op-portunities for vocational education. This influence makes itself felt through suggestion, advice and programmes built around academic courses, often perhaps unconsciously, but it is there. They also hold that for pupils entering the industries the academic subjects need a different emphasis, if not content, con-tent, from that which is needed for the professions. Hence we have the advocates advo-cates of separate vocational schools in which the general education shall be built around the vocational courses. Whether separated from the high school or not, in real vocational courses the shop courses are the major courses, other related courses the minors. In a technical school the scientific and mathematical courses are the majors and the shop courses among the minors, while in manual training courses they should be on the same tooting. If the industrial work of Utah is to tako its place in the curriculum along side of that of other states it must be given some standing. Mere tajk as to the value of industrial training will count for nothing when, by our actions, we treat these subjects as if they had no value. Proficiency or failure in" these subjects should influence a pupil's standing in like manner as do credits in any other subject. The content, the cultural value and utility of the industrial subjects is such aa to give them an estimable place alongside of any of the academic subjects. sub-jects. And where the results are unworthy un-worthy of recognition there must be something wrong with the nature of tho work, the teaching or the conditions under which the work is done. Let us improve the first two, but let us also remove this handicap of the lack of recognition, rec-ognition, a handicap under which those subjects that have the force of years of tradition back of them, could hardly hold their own. We hear on all sides that the curriculum must be enriched by these industrial subjects. Kither thn industrial subjects are worthy of recognition in promotions or all "this talk of enriching the curiculum aud adaptiner it to c.ommnnifv.Tippdq ic mnrr or less of a contradiction. This is not a plea for marks. For I agree with Superintendent Francis when he says: "Report cards, such as are handed to children at stated intervals inter-vals with averages in their several studies marked thereon, are educational barbarities." The marking system harms both the bright aDd the dull bov. The dull boy is very often driven out of school, while the failures of bright boys in after life, of which vou hear repeatedly, is due more to this false standard of comparing .bright bovs with mediocre boys than any other one thing. The bright bov 's 05 per cent when compared with the common lot is very ot'ten but 2r) per cent for him when compared with what he should do. Aud as long as teachers aud parents consider him a !." per cent bov, of little avail is the suggestion that he must not compare com-pare himself with the .loues boy. Manual training is not asking anv special advantages. It does not need them. It merely asks that now that it has proven its worth it receive recognition. rec-ognition. We are living in an age of multiplicity of occupations. But out-of all this multiplicity of interests the schools often select less than half a do;:en which they consider of major importance. im-portance. Failure in one or two of these subjects he may not. need prevents a child from receiving his future rights to the studies he wants and needs. How many prospective geniuses in the line of music, art, invention, industry, etc., have had tho life crushed out of them by this false educational standard which made them believe thev were of no account ac-count if thev failed sin one of these minor "major subjects?" Why not replace this negative standard stand-ard which considers a boy a failure if he is weak in one of a' few subjects ! by a standard that will consider him a j success if he can do well any equal number of subjects? I should even go further and sav to the pupil who lacked one subject, if you can prove to us j that you can do auy worth-while thing well; play the piano or violin, keep house, or bake bread, raise chickens, hogs or potatoes, show superior abili- . ties as a salesman or artist, we will pass you to the hie:h school. It is not marks but equal recognition for the special subjects that we want. ' And with this standardization let us regard the teaehprs of this work as an j important part of the school system. T.ct us demand of the training schools that thev send us teachers with a broader broad-er outlook, teachers whose main inter-I inter-I csts will be centered in the child rather 1 than in a finished product. Let us have teachers who will put more effort ef-fort iu showing how to accomplish and less on testing models, who will think more of efficient habits of work and ! less on shadowy products, teachers who Jknow how and' can teach a few related ! subjects rather than teachers who have a smattering of a largo range of subjects sub-jects ami can teach none. I Since there are so few schools giving giv-ing degrees that have mapped out definite defi-nite and efficient courses for prepar-;ng prepar-;ng teachers for the various lines of industrial training. I would recommend that we initiate a system of certification certifica-tion that w-i!l encourage experienced applicants regardless of degrees, and that will eliminate all applicants whose mastery of techniquo is limited to a "Hatchet and Saw" knowledge of rough carpentry even though they hold a degree. Technique and teaching ability abil-ity are the two chief factors to bo considered. con-sidered. A talking acquaintance with the course of studv in manual training on the part of the grade teachers would have a tendency to create an intelligent intelli-gent appreciation of the work in the community or would put manual training train-ing teachers in that healthy state of aggravation that an eastern teacher found himself in upon his inability to give a reason for his teaching a certain cer-tain thing when the superintendent said, "Either find nut. cut it nut. ' nr irnt- out." b VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE THROUGH EARLY YEARS OF PLAY. By Mrs. Oliver 0. Kalston; Explanatory This is another of Mrs. Ralston 's short articles on vocational vo-cational guidance. One of the series appeared last week. Bridging the great chasm between the school and the groat work-a-day world is increasing in its importance to the educator, the parents, and the employers. employ-ers. They are realizing that the transition tran-sition from school to work should be gradual and smooth as is the change from one grade of school to the other; that children leaving school for the great work-shop should be able to ap- i ply their "book-knowledge" to the question of bread-and-butter. W are just awakening to the truth of the fact that early experiences of tho child should affect his future as the early life of the animals affect their future. The little kitten probably does not know that he is training his muscles and his vision that he may acquire ac-quire his future food when he watches for the least motion and endeavors in a hundred different ways to seize the moving objoct, but we know that his senses must be trained to discover the mouse and that his muscles must be adapted to the task of capturing that mouse. The play of all young animals is in reality that accumulation of experience ex-perience to bo used later in the life vocation. Does it not follow that children chil-dren should have this previous training train-ing before they give up their school and enter the trades and industries? The child in all things obedient to the impulse of nature hides none of its emotions. In the playing child we li recognize rec-ognize the anxious care of nature to 'discover men to each other." Even the adult who has learned to conceal many of his likes and dislikes is less on his guard when he plays. The child has perfect abandon of self and can' freely enter into his play and thus reveals re-veals his character which is gradually unfolding through the experience which play develops. Every new play is a j new experiment and this in its turn j gives rise to new knowledge, new feel- ' inga, new desires, new acts, and new abilities. Play and playthings, therefore, there-fore, can serve as excellent culture-implements if the supervisors understand where to use repression, expression and tho value of these stimuli in giving proper results. These experiments performed during play are making such indelible impressions impres-sions on the mental and physical being J that every minute is previous and valuable val-uable since the child is not. getting ready to live, but is actually living. Psychologists tell us that the first : twelve or thirteen vears of a child's! life are. the most impressionable and the most adaptable years. In spite of this fact children have been allowed to wait until these years are spent before they become familiar with any vocation, voca-tion, any of the vocational requirements or what the world lias for their partiou- i lar individuality. -j But these conditions are not to be general very much longer since parents ' are endeavoring" to see that the play must be constructive. They the in- j ! formed parents are no longer content for tho child to have something to keep i I him quiet and busy; but they plan that j his play shall be accomplishing some-j ; thing for his future. The alert teacher j who does not have too many children I to care for has even a better oppor- j tunity during the school age than the j parents to detect the child's character- j istics and know in what direction he ' should be guided vocationally. She will j probably not know his particular voca- i tion, but she should know, after a few I years, what the general trend of his J interests and abilities is; and, by keep- : ing the subjects alive with concrete examples, familiar to him, she can guide him to the understanding of a voca- , tion and its meaning to him. Then after this guidance he will soon be able j1 VU- uj- .:it t make him proficient in his particular vocation. Having been guided to work that is his own and made proficient in it, the i child cau enter the world feeling j equipped and capable of being a useful j citizen. His vocation will not bo drudgery to him. After all. the man who has found his place in the world makes play of it. If Edison's work were nor play to him he could not J physically endure the hours that he J gives to it. Pleasure and happiness in-I in-I crease the bodily processes so much that j ninny times recuperation keeps pace I with the consumption consequent on efficient ef-ficient labor, leaving little or no physical physi-cal exhaustion. A X X 0 U X C E M E X T S . The Franklin Parent-Teacher association associa-tion wiil hold its next regular meeting at the school next Thursdav afternoon, March 2P, at 3:30. Miss Ellen Lees, head of the school nurses' division of the citv board of health, will speak on "Children's Diseases. Piano solo, Miss Knlah Ahr. .nd gen eral business. POIlclI O1' McDonald. Mc-Donald. Vcu"' 1i!tey. Question box and discussion. Recitntion. Kvf reshments will be served following the pro 12m m me. The Edison Parent-Teacher associa-i associa-i tion will hold its next regular meeting I nt the school nert Monday at 8 p. ni. President Gny C. Wilson ot' the L. V. S. university will speak 011 4 Co-operation In'tween Home and School.'' A splendid splen-did musical programme will be provided by punils of the school. All are cordially cordial-ly invited. Tho Hawthorne Parent-Toahcr association asso-ciation will hold its next rpelar meeting meet-ing at the school Friday, March 3d, at b" p. m. The Jefferson Parent-Teacher association asso-ciation will hild its next regular meeting meet-ing in the Th irtieth ward chapel, on Thursdav, March 29, at 8 p. m. Superintendent Super-intendent Ernest A. fmith will deliver The ail dress and a bovs ; chorus wijl render 'The Tinker's fhonis.'' as sun ;n the programme criven last year under t:i'? auspices of the Home and School lea cue in the Salt hake fhater. The Lincoln Pa rent -Teacher associn-ir.u associn-ir.u will hold its next regular meet in ::f the school Thursday, March 29, at S p. m. P. J. Sanders,-director of boys' and girls' club work, will deliver an" illustrated il-lustrated lecture on "School Gardening and Other Club Work.'-' Dr. Ernest A. Smith will deliver a short a 'dress. Beginning next Monday. tarch 26, at l:3u p. m., JJr. Kaphael Olson, baby specialist, spe-cialist, will deliver the first of a series se-ries of weekly talks before the members of the Riverside Parent-Teacher association, asso-ciation, at the Riverside school. AU are cordially invited to attend the entire series of lectures. The Training School Parent-Teac'hcr association wiil hold a meeting in the kindergarten room 01! the school Wednesday. Wednes-day. March 2. at 8 p. m. Dr. Ernest A. Smith v.-ill deliver the address. A fine musical programme will he rendered. This is the meeting postponed from the l;')th inst. All are eordiallv invited to attend. The folio wine; re-snlut ion was unani-mou-lv adopted at the last meeting of the Lowe!! Pa rent -Teacher associa tiou : In view of the luenent economienl eond ii ion en tai led hv our present naMoual affairs and the imperative necessity of u?ing and conserving our food products to the greatest advantage, we, the members of the Lowell Parent-Teacher association, do iieartiiy indorse the efforts of our city commission to establish city markets in such plaees as will best serve the community; and we herebv pledge our patronage of such markets. The motion picture committee of the Home and School league will hold its monthly meeting at the library Mondav, March 2fi, at S p. m. The feature film of the boys' and girls' matinee to be given at the Paramount-Empress theater next Saturday, Mar'h 3L at la-.ir, a. m.f will be ''Jack and the Bean Stalk." |