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Show PUBLIC SCHOOLS' MMJUALTRAillG Tbe value of manual training in the schools needs no defense, as attested by the wave of manual traluing that Is Hweeplng the entire country. Mr. Thatcher of the High school, when asked by a Standard representative ai.'out hla work, said that the tendency seems to be to place the courses ou a raoro solid footing my adopting thorough mechanical principles, and not manual training that is merely , busy work with tools or the making of decorative knick-knacks, but well oigauized constructive work. We do not mean that the methods are mechanical or that the aim Is to make Industrial machines out of the stu-tlfutu, stu-tlfutu, but on the contrary, the development devel-opment of the mind is of greater Importance Im-portance than the training of the I hand. I Every 6tudcnt is trained to lay out his own work and to be his own director di-rector rather than be directed. Of ; course, methods of execution are ex-' ex-' plained and illustrated to prevent the formation of bad habits, and the Instructor In-structor watches each step of the ; work. The equipment of the High school is equal to any so far ns bench work Is concerned, tho board having spent considerable money for high-class cabinet-makers' benches, each bench being furnished with an ample kit of standard i; ratio tools. Some machinery ma-chinery Is to be Installed In tho near luturc. A manual training depart-ncnt depart-ncnt was also equipped at the sub-high sub-high this seasou, so that the grades f.re offered opportunities In that line. The course that Is given consists oi, getting out and trulDg up stock, making exercises, such as splices, mortise and tennonnd dovetail, and then applying some of the principles learned in some larger constructive work, tables, bookcases and tool chests being examples. Last year tiio department made twenty-three tables, ta-bles, complete, varnishing and all, for the kindergarten department of the city schools. We are now making easels for the art department. Instruction In-struction !s also given in the care as well as In the use of tools, Including grinding, whetting and saw filing. Mechanical drawing Is essentially ! a part of a manual training course In nechanlc arts, the work In the shops being made from drawings. We am j to give a thorougn elementary course in drawing and are getting good results. |