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JAMES FORTEN ELEMENTARY MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOL.

[From the report of Hannah A. Fox, principal, for 1895.]

The majority of the pupils of the school are of Russian parentage, and many upon entering have no knowledge of the English language. Twenty-two per cent of the whole number enrolled were colored.

Our aim has been to blend the work of the kindergarten into the higher grades. In the kindergarten, elementary knowledge in many branches is begun, and an attempt has been made to carry on progressively these beginnings in the grades that follow. For instance, card sewing with worsteds is one of the occupations of the kindergarten. A systematic arrangement of advanced card sewing with worsteds is therefore taught in the first grade. It has been found that this drill prepares the pupils to begin with ease the regular course of sewing in the second grade, consequently there is no break in pursuing this branch from the kindergarten till the pupils leave school. The same plan is carried out in a sequential order in paper folding, paper cutting, parquetry, form making, and drawing.

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Simple science lessons in physiology, geology, zoology, botany, and chemistry are taught in each grade. The lessons in vocal music are continued, and are a pleasant and helpful feature. In the cookery department 61 girls from this school have received training and 383 girls from neighboring grammar schools. The attendance is good; the girls seem to be glad to avail themselves of the opportunity for drill in order, cleanliness, and the simple, wholesome preparation of food.

In the sloyd department 70 boys and 27 girls from this school have received training and 90 boys from neighboring grammar schools. The pupils appear to consider this work a recreation. They are always willing to remain after school hours to complete unfinished work. While the manipulation of the tools is regarded as the more interesting by the younger children, the working drawing, which in the advanced stage requires thoughtful consideration and nicety of execution, is preferred by the older ones.

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In the early days of the school, before all the rooms were needed for classes, one was reserved for sewing. Here all the necessary materials were kept, and the girls met for their lessons in this branch as in an ordinary sitting room. Now the materials are placed in closets in different parts of the building, and the sewing is taught in the class rooms. If a room for sewing purposes could be added to the building, the former more convenient and pleasant plan would be resumed.

SEWING.

[From the course of instruction in sewing, 1893.]

Instruction in sewing was introduced into the girls' high and normal school in 1880. The experiment was so satisfactory that in 1885 arrangements were made for a general introduction of the subject into the elementary schools of the city. Instruction is given to the girls in all the grades above the primary-that is, beginning with the third year of the school system.

Special teachers are employed. These are assigned to districts comprising adjacent schools, and they perform their duties in accordance with programmes which are arranged by the principals of the several girls' schools and the sewing teachers. There are at present over 1,800 girls in the high and normal school, and about 58,000 girls in the elementary schools, who receive regular instruction in sewing. There are 41 special sewing teachers employed in the public schools of the city. The city of Philadelphia provides each pupil with needles, pins, thimble, scissors, button-hole scissors, cotton (both for sewing and darning), dressmaker's scales, emery bags, and paper for drafting patterns. Muslin, bleached and unbleached, is also furnished. A square foot of this is given at first to each pupil, and the quantity is repeated as soon as the amount given is used. The city allows 6 cents per annum for each child engaged in sewing.

Garments to be made or mended are also brought from their homes by the pupils.

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS,

Third school year-first half.-Position: The proper position of the body during sewing. The correct method of using the thimble finger, the first finger and the thumb of the right hand. The proper position of the left hand for holding the work. Drill: Drill in the method of threading the needle. Drill in the proper method of taking a stitch and of drawing the thread through the material. Teach correct way of holding the scissors for cutting. Paper must be supplied for this purpose. Sew

ing: Hemming: (a) turning the hem; (b) basting the hem; (c) sewing the hem. Paper may first be used instead of muslin, to give the pupils practice in turning the bei with accuracy. Teach the pupils how to begin basting, how to fasten the thread when beginning a hem, the slant of the stitch and the direction of the needle in hemming. Teach the method of fastening a new thread in the progress of the hem. Overseaming: Overseaming on turned edges. Teach how to fasten the thread in beginning this seam, and how to fasten a new or a broken thread. Cutting: Teach papils to cut to a straight line. Pupils who sew reasonably well may bring towels, wash rags, and similar articles to be hemmed.

NOTE.-Pupils should be required in all the grades to express in correct English all that has been taught.

Third school year—second half.—Review work of preceding grade. Special attention to be given to the proper use of thimble and scissors, to threading the needle, and to the direction of the needle in basting, hemming, and overseaming. Sewing: Kanaing seam (unequal basting to be used for this seam); backstitch seam; backstitch and running seam; half-backstitch seam; the raw edges of all seams to be overcast; towels, napkins, and desk covers may be hemmed; sewing bags, pillow slips, oversleeves, iron holders, and bibs, to be made. Drafting: Bibs and simple straight waists with strap over the armholes.

Fourth school year-first half.-Review work of preceding grades. Special attention to be given to the proper use of thimble and scissors, to the threading of the needle, and to the direction of the needle in basting, hemming and overseaming. Sewing: Reversible seam. Plain fell sewed with running stitch, strengthened by occasional backstitch, finished with hemming; square patches; sheets and tablecloths to be hemmed; pillow slips, dust caps, penwipers, underwaists, with seam over arm, to be made; books to be covered; four-holed buttons sewed on. Drafting: Yokes; underwaists with seam over the arm; under waists with seam under the arm; covers to fit books.

Fourth school year—second half.-Review the work of the preceding grades. Special attention to be given to the plain fell. Sewing: Gathering, (a) placing or stroking the gathers; (b) sewing the gathers on a band, using half-backstitching, the band to be finished with hemming. Darning: (a) Stocking darning; (b) dress Carning (straight line). Making: Plain aprons; children's dresses with yokes; children's aprons with waist and skirt, and underwaists with seam over and under the arm. Books to be covered; shoe buttons sewed on; worn garments to be mended. Drafting: Underwaists with under-arm and shoulder seams; drawers; children's aprons with waists and skirts; children's dresses with yokes; infant's nightdress. Fifth school year.- Review work of preceding grades. Sewing: Making narrow bens and fells. Tucks (threads should not be drawn to secure straight tucking). Stocking darning, patching, and angular dress darning. French fells. Angular patch made. Fine gathering, with band hemmed to the gather. Buttonholes: (a) cutting; (b) overcasting cut edges; (c) barring; (d) buttonhole stitch; (e) mending the thread. Drawers, combing capes, shoe bags, stocking bags, aprons, underwaists and plain skirts-to be made. Drafting: Drawers; underwaists with one dart and with spring to fit the hip.

Sirth school year.-Review work of preceding grades. Sewing: Special attention to be paid to buttonholes. Bias seams of all kinds. Gussets. Stockings re-soled. Herring-bone stitch and feather stitch for flannel garments. Buttons without eyes or shanks to be sewed on. Circular patch made. Gored skirts, chemises, blouse waists, nightshirts, and flannel skirts-to be made. Drafting: Chemise; gored skirt; dress sleeve; nightshirt; blouse waist.

Seventh school year.-Review work of preceding grades. Sewing: French gathering; gathers to be overseamed to a band. Buttonholes with tailor finish. Cutting, fitting, and making plain garments. Special attention given to nightdresses, corset covers, and men's shirts. Drafting: Corset covers; nightdresses; men's shirts, and nightshirts.

Eighth school year.-Review work of preceding grades. Sewing: Cutting, fitting, and making garments of all kinds. Special attention to men's shirts and to dresses to fit pupils. Drafting: Dress waists; skirts; and sleeves.

II. MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOLS.

THROOP POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, PASADENA, CAL.

[Statement of Charles H. Keyes, president.]

The Throop Polytechnic Institute, of Pasadena, Cal., was founded by Hon. Amos G. Throop in 1891. The institute comprises three distinct departments-a sloyd school, a inanual training academy, and a college department. Manual training is one of the leading characteristics of the institute.

The primary idea in the work is educational rather than preparatory for higher technical study. It chances, however, that a large number of students come to us and after taking our work for two or three years go out to labor successfully as tradesmen and mechanics. To that extent the school is incidentally a successful teacher of some trades. None of our manual training work is obligatory, although more than 280 of the 313 students take some manual training.

The institution is independent of all other schools or institutions beyond keeping up its relationship for admission of students from public schools and the transfer of students to Berkeley and Stanford. It has a prospective endowment of about $60,000 when the final decree of distribution of the Throop estate shall be received. Beyond this it depends for its support upon the tuition, which for the ensuing year is $105, and upon the gifts and donations solicited for its support. During the last two years we have secured $49,630 in the shape of gifts.

The total plant is valued at about $110,000. The annual expense of maintenance varies from $25,000 to $30,000.

The very large election of subject-matter under the advice of teachers and parents is characteristic of our work from the secondary school age upward. Attention to the peculiar wants and demands of progress of the individual made possible by keeping the number of pupils in a class below 25 is also a peculiar feature of our work.

SHOPWORK.

Woodwork.—The work is given to the student by means of a blue print taken from a working drawing. From these he constructs his model. These drawings are made with the greatest care and accuracy. Helpful notes in reference to the work accom pany each drawing. This method acquaints the student with the reading of accurate working drawings and the working therefrom. After the model has been made, hə then makes his own working drawing from it.

The course in joinery is composed of eighteen progressive exercises, involving the construction of sixteen different joints, the drawing of analytical and free-hand curves, and the use of fifty different tools and machines.

The student is allowed to exercise his individuality ir. the exercises in inlaying and cabinetwork. These exercises are made from his own drawings and after his own designs, which are submitted to the instructor before the work is begun.

The course in turning consists of fifteen progressive exercises given in the following order: Center work, face-plate work, chucked work, and long work.

The problems in woodwork are taken in the order of joinery, inlaying, turning, and cabinetwork. This work is calculated to be finished by the average student in one school year, working one and one-half hours daily.

At the end of the year there will be held a written examination upon the methods employed and the technical terms used in the work.

Forging.-Mechanism of and care of forge; preparation of forge for fire; building and managing fire.

Instruction in the care and use of tools.

The processes involved in the year's work are: Drawing, bending, upsetting, different kinds of welding, punching, drilling, fullering, swaging, cutting cold, chipping, cutting hot, splitting, twisting, filing, brazing, hardening, tempering, and ornamental ironwork.

Hardening in water and oil, tempering or drawing, temperatures and colors used, and processes in tempering tools for wood and iron work.

At the close of the year each student will be required to design some special piece involving the various elements of forging mastered.

Pattern making and machine work. The work in pattern making alternates with that in the machine shop. The course commences with the simpler forms of pattern making embodying the fundamental principles of the subject, such as allowance for shrinkage, finish, etc. Later, more difficult work is taken up, involving core making. Each student is expected to make for himself or assist in making patterns for a finished piece of work. For example, during the past year one student has made patterns for a breech-loading brass cannon, 20 inches in length; another, a full set of patterns for an 8-inch swing wood lathe; another, a set of patterns for a 2-horsepower waterwheel-Pelton style; another, a set of patterns for a gas engine of new design; the balance of the class have made a full set of patterns for a 4-horsepower automatic steam engine with valve of new design.

One molding bench is provided where the students test their patterns.

Work in machine shop comprises chipping and filing, use of taps and dies, reamers, etc., hand-tool work in speed lathes, work on engine lathes, turning, boring, screwcutting-outside and in.

During the course each student will work on the following machines, besides the lathes: Planer, shaper, drill press, and milling machine. All special tools are made by the students and tested with micrometer calipers.

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Special attention is given to accuracy in measurement, finish of work, care of tools and machines.

Example of work done during the past year: Making planer bolts, face plates for wood lathes, mounting chucks, finishing of castings made from patterns in above list. Three engines are being made from the steam-engine patterns, one of which has been finished as class work; the other two are being made by two students, each one doing the entire work on the engine alone.

Fain sewing five days a week, two periods a day. The fundamental principles of hand sewing, basting, running, hemming, hemstitching, tucking, felling, sewing en lace, darning, etc. Machine sewing. Plain stitching, hemining, tucking, and gathering. Continuation of plain sewing. Practical experience in shopping by each papil. Neatness and accuracy demanded in the work.

During the year a complete suit of underwear must be made by each pupil; also a shirt waist, a cotton dress, and a wrapper or dressing sacque. Same preliminary study in designing for the dressmaking course will be done.

Modeling and carving.-Modeling of simple leaf forms, followed by the various styles of historic ornament from the cast and from the flat, including original designs, masks, busts, and bas relief. Instruction in the principles of decorative designs as applied to wood, metal, and stone, the principles of form and proportion involved in designs of various kinds, and the adaptation of modeled ornament to different surfaces.

Istruction in the care of tools; their use by practice in cutting to a line and to a given depth; Egyptian and Greek ornament studied and expressed by lining and incising; the Moorish, Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic-Roman, and Renaissance styles in succession, advancing from simplest to more complicated forms.

Special work on busts and full-length figures from the antique, the successful completion of one of the latter being required of each pupil wlio receives the regular credits for this course.

The principles of design studied by taking the scroll framework as a basis for developing surface patterns, continuous scrolls, and the various form of radiating designs; practical application of these principles to designing and ornamenting furniture, such as easels, stools, chairs, jardinieres, bedsteads, desks, etc. The successful completion of a piece in Italian Renaissance is required of all students before they receive the regular credit for this course. The growth of woods and their adaptability for various uses is studied, and pupils are taught to select material and have it cut and dressed. They are also instructed in working drawings, light carpentry, and in finishing work in various styles of polish.

Carving in the round is begun with work on heads, and followed by full-length £gures.

Cooking. The fundamental principles of cookery and practice in the preparation of vegetables, soups, meats, cereals, biscuits, eggs, cost of materials; care of a kitchen; serving a simple dinner.

Instruction in preparation of more complicated dishes; bread, fish, oysters, pastry, croquettes, game, etc.; care of silver and glass; setting and serving a table; table etiquette.

Extrees, salads, desserts, cake, jellies, and creams; giving of entire breakfasts, luncheons, and dinners; ordering; proportions of food needed; garnishing; short course in invalid cookery; carving.

Presentation of the physiology of nutrition by special lecturer.

In connection with cookery, the following topies will be taken up: Classification of foods; water, boiling, simmering, its action on starch and albumen; practical application in cooking meats and vegetables; composition of foods; the cheapest and most wholesome foods; the greatest amount of nutriment obtained for 25 cents; digestion, assimilation; study of yeast plant; properties of carbonic-acid gas; fermentation, lactic, vinous, acetic; baking powders, soda, cream of tartar; flour, composition, food value; adulteration of foods; tea, coffee, alcohol, their effects on the system; disinfectants; spices; general plan of household work; house cleaning; care of every portion of a house; preparation of a dietary for six persons for one week, not to exceed $10; invalid cookery, dietary; table etiquette; duties of a cook; duties of waitress; special lectures on chemistry of cookery, bacteriology. Throughout the year dietaries and nutrition will be kept constantly in mind, the object being as much, or more, to study the scientific principles of foods as to prepare palatable viands.

Dressmaking.-The course in dressmaking is devoted to the principles of drafting a basque and sleeves from actual measurements; cutting, fitting, and finishing a basque ; entting and making a skirt; choice of material, price, quantity and amount needed; cutting of fancy fronts to basques; pupils are required to plan an entire dress with written description of it before beginning, including collar, trimming sleeves, etc.; making of dress.

In connection with the dressmaking the cultivation of taste will be studied. The proportion of the human figure. Dress as appropriate to individuals; sketches for dresses made in pencil and color. Harmony of color in fabrics.

With the foregoing special attention to bearings of dress on health; how to dress to preserve health and strength; rational dress reform studied; presentation of physiology of dress by special lectures.

During the year three gowns and a house jacket or waist will be required from each pupil.

SLOYD SCHOOL,

The urgent need of educational manual training in connection with the work ordinarily done in public schools inspired the establishment of a sloyd department in the institute. Pupils will be admitted to this department who have completed the usual third year of the public school. The work, as arranged for this department, consists of two lines: (1) The ordinary bookwork and (2) that of sloyd proper.

The sloyd department consists of (1) teachers' training classes; (2) students' classes; (3) children's classes.

Admission so the teachers' training classes can be gained only by persons who are graduates of high schools, normal schools, or colleges, or by persons passing the special examinations required.

The studies and manual work in this course are classified as follows:

Manual work.-Mechanical drawing; completion of 36 sloyd models; the completion of 12 wood-turning models; sharpening and care of tools.

Theoretical work.-The psychology of sloyd; pedagogy of sloyd; history of sloyd; mechanics of sloyd; study of materials, botanical structure and properties of wood, etc.

Sloyd and drawing are correlated. They are in fact inseparable, for there is an inner organic connection between those subjects.

As no methodical work in material, especially wood, can be done except after the performance of some outline drawing, the drawing must precede the woodwork; and one of our capital aims is to combine manual instruction organically with drawing instruction, for without this organic connection the sloyd, as well as any other form of manual training, will not effect mind training.

The course in drawing includes the following subjects: (1) Geometrical constructions; (2) principles of representation; (3) representation in reduced size by the use of scales; (4) projections, orthographic and isometric; (5) inking and tracing; (6) perspective, linear; (7) blue printing.

The drawing involves not only inventional and descriptive geometry, but also an appropriate amount of free-hand drawing, and teachers who complete the sloyd course will also be able and prepared to teach what is termed industrial drawing.

The students' classes, distinguished from the children's classes by the advanced work and the age of pupils, are formed for young boys and girls, who take up this branch of study with a view to obtain that broad and important culture which comes from the education of the eye and hand in connection with the training of the mind.

Admission to these classes may be gained by boys and girls of 14 years of age. The course for these classes consists of the making of 24 sloyd models; the making of 15 wood-turning models; mechanical and free-hand drawing.

The aim and end of the instruction in these classes is not chiefly to prepare for any other specific department of the institution, but to cooperate to the mutual and general end the harmonious development of mind and body.

The drawing in these classes is a complete course in industrial drawing per se, inasmuch as special importance will be given it, and that it involves, in addition to free-hand drawing, such intellectual problems as will make it not merely an eye-andhand training, but ideally a mind education.

The students will receive one lesson a day of an hour and a half, and the course will extend through the entire school year. The wood turning will begin at some suitable time in the second term of the year. Carving as well as wood turning are introduced for the sake of broadening and cultivating the æsthetic ideas of the students, and also because this refreshing extension of the work has been found to gain for the students a large fund of distinct ideas from which they otherwise would be cut off.

The children's classes are by far the most important functions of the sloyd department. The course begins with elementary work. The first year's course is characterized by the geometric motives in the outlines of the objects. It proceeds from the simple, straight, oblique, and round forms, and advances step by step to higher and more complicated forms. No abstract, meaningless exercises are performed, but each exercise results in some finished article, as labels, key tags, table mats, vase stands, cutting boards, keyboards, triangles, pencil sharpeners, shelves, brackets, picture frames, etc. These are methodically arranged in a progressive order, which is followed, so that each child receives a successive training of the thinking powers in connection with the training of the physical powers.

The drawing, free-hand and constructive, is a conspicuous part of the work in

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