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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1907)
1 0 I 1 D Manual Training- an 'f . 'i yf , - ... . .,. 7 ...... ... ', . . i' V- J , - (v - ... .. v s-- . Sj 1 i i v. . . j j 't'Ll i M; : ,,''-ri" ' ' " ' ' ' l .'" , . . "WOOD CARVINO XT CASS BCHOOI ' '' ' ' ,! " ', ', WOOD WORKERS AT CASS SC13TOOU ' ' '," ' " ' ' ,' CLAT MODKLINO AT CASS BCHOOT ITREE yeara aco manual train' in vii Inatalled In the graded achoola of Omaha. For aeveral year prevloua the ayitem had been In uae at the hlfli achoola hut ..i. h. ii.,.... T work nothing- had been added to the currl yuium of the gradee below the high achool iiw the War ' of training the mind, and nanda of children In other than the usual H-ngllah branches.' The present system la the working out of a plan of Superintend ent 'Davidson's, who. before committing himself to. the Idea of manual training of ny sort, spent eljrht years In Investigation and experiment to discover a system which would combine those elements he deemed essential to the fullest development of the child. Breaking of this preliminary work, tha superintendent said: "At the time manual training was first mentioned as an essential to . the child's education, tha Idea seemed to be to let the child decide for himself what he would do with the tools. He was given tools and material, and If ha wished to make a box of a mlnlatura house he was permitted to undertake It. and his success or failure depended entirely upon how he devoted himself to his task and how deft he was with the tools. This system did nothin for tha training of tha child -In tha way of spurring htm on to effort, and was soon abandoned In great part. Then cams tha Idea that tha children ahould make some time useful; but they were still permitted to do as they pleased regarding, the mak ing. This system still produced potterers.' A. few years ago a Mr. Larson came to America from Sweden, and he adapted tha loyd' system In use In that country to American conditions. Tha result was that the system known as tha Larson system was produced. In which the efforts of tha child -are directed toward making things wlilch are not only useful but ornamental. nd tha aesthetlq part of tha child's nature la developed. , ' These remarks refer, especially to what la known as tha "bench work" phase of manual tralnloc. but this . i . mi quarter of the system in use In the grade In a Jaj-ge number of buildings tn. Omaha, fur tha superintendent does not liold that tha mere hammering together of wood la all that is to be desired. While tha Lar on system took from the other systems something of tha "free development of tha young mind" by directing the efforts Of tha pupil toward the object It waa to make. and. placed duty to a certain ex- Omaha Y. , HEN the cornerstone of the new A TI Young Women's Christian As y y I soclatlon building at Seven- teenin ana ti. Marys avenue settled to place last Sunday afternoon, to hundreds In th large crowd that witnessed, the cei emony K. was the first tangible tvldenco of the proposed structure. Dut not so with the business women of Omaha. To them, hun dreds of them at least, the "building" has been a reality for more than a year, and very -detail of Its arrangement has been fixed and as familiar as though they had enjoyed It In reality as frequently as In Imagination. "When we get Into the build ing" has long- been a familiar - phrase among tha little army of women who "work down town" In Omaha, and who, ' frequently to the number, of W0 or 1,000, dally cheerfully make the best of the crowded quarters of th association In th Paxton block. That Omaha needs a building adequately equipped for this work for women la no longer questioned by thinking cHliens) neither is It often necessary to explain of what lhls, work for woman consists. In the course of two campaigns In which the Toung Women's Christian association has raised among the cltlsens of Omaha something over 1120,000 for Its lot and build ing. Its work has come to be understood and recognised as the factor It Is for the Iporal betterment of the community. . . Put lust what this new HOO.OiTO building Is to Include Is not quite clear to many, even among those who have contributed most- generously to tha fund. - Beginning with th'e basement which Is so high it has the appearance of being the first floor, Is the gymnasium, a model fur the purposes of women. It la 48x40 f ' . - . ... . . . , . . , ' ' . . - ; . . - ' i .... . k -. , ' ' '.', "' . ;. '.': . . ? - . , , , .. .. ' - From, J. n to nght ri-hop Wl'Vama. frs TTurfor'l Vrc. Byers, lfr TlMen Mia Bowman. toiailuH WilUAiui CU.NsiU.RA'ilMU TUB BTONC J-"- ' : ' -i I, ;r - .f"'.. u! '. ! j.-.- -, .. : . t- i j Illl II I l I II III I Mill II l I" Mll " - - . . - .. ... L . BBWINO tent in tha place of free will. Superintend ent Davidson desired another phaae of work where that "free development" might have full awing. Long. Investigation ahowed him that manual dexterity and artlatlo feeling might be enveloped through clay modeling In a way not possible with any other material. . This was then adopted aa part of the manual training system. With this was adopted wood carv ing aa tending to give the pupil training . In patient and somewhat intricate . labor. To this, for tha glrla, -was added sewing, and-the four parts of, tha manual training system for the grades was perfected. At first some difficulty was experienced In securing, proper Instruments for 'the work-- Tools could, be purchased and work benches were manufactured for the pur pose, but as far as known there 'was no bench made at which 'clay' modellers could work with the least trouble In. the 'way of changing classes in the scbools. , Mr. Dav idson Invented and - caused - to be made the benchea now In use in Omaha. These benches . are so constructed that lncom- W. C A. Buildiii and Service ...., -i ' 'i. I .-. , v..--.- feet and twenty feet high,, with a gallery all around, and occupying Dart of the first floor. The lockers and baths are all In the basement and are most complete. Be sides the several showers and tubs, there will be the pool which, while not as large as the women might have wished, will be sufficient for all their purposes. This pool will occupy the bow on the north part of the building and will be on of tha beauty spots. A public lavatory, a svvdai laundry, slur reoLus. a vault a. Im sarrto por Important i i , . - ; i ill .-- ti. -CLAS3 AT CA8SsSCflbCfti 1 1 i i .-. v . r pleta work may be 'stored' and kept moist between classes,' and ' the shelves upon which this work ' Is .placed are sufficient for all pupils it work at one bench. , They are also made ao that the wood carving classes can store work and too.la In. draw ers, while ' other t'cfases ore using the benches. t " ,,"''. . Three years ego ,thV first class .in. clay modelling In' the .pubito .schools of Omaha waa organised at the , Cans school.' Clay was bought in tow's,' ,a.nd. models .were so cured from .various .places. One teacher waa employed and ' she , began her ' Work with children of .thVfifat' class of tlys Vlfth grade. .The children Vre '.required to mnke their clay images 'frofa '.models which' they can only measure, .with their eye, . except in extreme cases Where'; rough measure ments with the modelling tool is perVnlttfvl. ' After six months' penf'at'-clay modelling the children ' spend ' six'- months In ' wood carving. .Here for' the first time free-hand drawing is called to the' aid of the young designer. After ' selecting his model 'hi is' v . -' r- ' j WATCHINO tion, which extends the height of the entire building, the back' stairway ' and freight elevator, which may - be used for passen gers If necessary, and ' the heating plant will also be In this basement On the first floor tha main entrance on the Seventeenth' street .. side opens Into a beautiful corridor nineteen by fifty feet, and off of thla open the general offiocs with two small private ' offices for ' secre tarial use, the general, secretary' office, a waiting reora where rush may call and TIIE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: DECEMBER 1, 1907. Factor in required to. draw the design on paper. Corrections are made as necessary .until the design is- satisfactory to pirpll and teacher, when It Is transferred to, the wood through the medium of carbon paper. Then begins the real work of tha pupil' With the wood. Especially designed tools ' are given him and he la required to carve away the wood surrounding the draft of tha design, later smoothing down tha low surfaces. These exercises in clay1 and wood are common to both boys And girls. The divi sion of labor between the sexes comes with tha first half of the work of the sixth grade, when the boys go to bench work and the girls to the sewing room. '. , Iq the bench room are especially, designed work benches, so. arranged that each can be used by boys who are left-handed as well as those who are normal In the use of their hands.. t Each bench Is .supplied with those tools most generally ' required, while a tool closet contains tools' not so frequently needed. ' Here, as well as1 In the wood carving daises, the first work Is with y-v-'. . : . V7;H v ;-7 -; . - J. ;' : : . . ----- !:, few Or ' THE STONE AS IT WAS LOWERED INTO, PLACE. wsjt for their wives and sisters and per haps others. and the living room with its big bow window on the St. Mary's avenue side and that Is to be furnished In old mission and made one of the home spots of the city. In the service portion Is a lavatory and the gallery of trie gymnasium occupies the larger portion of this floor. Off from the gallery is the office of the physical director, with th examination room and a private stairway leading down to the gymnasium. On the second floor is the same corridor foyer, fifteen foet long and twelve feet wide. Opening off of this Is the 'library, a beautiful room on the north aide, fifty" feet long with a balcony out over the bay window, and the ideal north light for reading. Here will arranged a circula ting library occupying one-half of the room and In the other half a reference library with all tha magaslnes and papers neces sary to a well regulated library. ''On thla Boor also Is the business office. ' where everything pertaining to the management of the building and lunch room will be carried on and the board room .and club - room with its own serving room and dumb waiter extending from th basement to the fifth Boor. .The main entrance to the auditorium, which will occupy part of two stories, also opens Into the corridor of this floor. The auditorium will seat 600 persons and Is so arranged that it may also be entered by a stairway from the 8U Mary's avenue side quite Independent of the rest of the building, so enabling the association to use it for purposes of revenue. On the landing part way between th first and econd floor Is th office of the extension secretary. On the third floor is the targe assembly room, which will seat 2u0 persons and will be used for the large classes and for some of the lectures and tnustcales. ' On this floor also are a check room, two class rooms and the balcony of th auditorium,' besides the Covenant room, a place Bet part exclusively for prayer and religious work and study. - -- Omaha Public School System WORK SHOP AT THE HIGH the, pencil. After the design to be repro . duced Is settled upon the pupil Is given penoll, paper and ruler and drafta tha declgn of his article. Particular attention is paid to these designs, the object belngs to.inake them so plain that any, boy can ' work from the design of any other. After the work of the design is approved, by the teacher the . boy goes to the lumber pile and selects such lumber as be needs. From this time on every movement is decided ' by the notes and lines on the , drafting paper. , The completed article is finally ' sandpapered and covered with a coating of shellac,-, and . ready to .be placed : in, the ' exhlDlt of tha school or taken home by the pupil., . . , Th. workj In, the sewing room: la along .similar lines, although more attention Is (pald;to sewing in Itself, than to- designing I and , drafting. After six months at the bench, or In . the. sewing room the boys and . girls go back to clay modelling., and six months later to the wood carving benches. Then follows six months more ' of bench It Will aa assess v .' ' . 'j. ',. ine enure rouitn floor is devoted to th school of domestlo science. The large main room will be used for the cooking achool wber mistress and maid may receive In- tfiuttlnn Tn. . A 1. 1 - . stfuotlon. Rooms for dressmaking and millinery classes, with proper fitting rooms, and .also a model bedroom for the teach ing of chamber work will also be on this floor, as well as Instruction rooms for everything pertaining to a school of do mestic science. Including the supplementary woiK to th model laundry in th base- ' 1 - ii " J T I 1 l , i , : .4 . . ".. : sLi' f .'-, . Tj.:, ) V. r . .. ' - - . .... -Hr-'; , .- " ' - ' T "' ' jy , i " ' .. : ' !. : ',.... . - - ' ' , . ... n : . PART Or SCHOOL. werk and sewing, and then six months of clay modelling, the grade instruction end ing with wood carving, which occupies tha last halt-W -the eighth grade work. The time devoted to this work la 100 min utes a week to each child, there being two recitations of fifty minutes- each. While the manuaj training system In use at tha high school does not articulate upon that of the lower grades at this time, they are coming closer Into contact as thi years pass, and In tha course of time It is to be expected that the system will be made uni form. The Larson system Is In use In the lower grades, while tha Woodward system Is that used In the high school. This sys tem waa Installed before the work In the grades, and meets all requirements at this time, being the system In use in all of the high schools of the Mississippi valley. Here, in addition to work of a more advanced character, but somewhat similar to that in the grades, the turning lathe and scroll saw are added to the tools, and some of the articles made under the direction of for 1 ment Hie rooms for th maids emnloved n the building, together with their lockers nd valory. will also be located on thla r. nd last but by no means least, th st rim that ' ret rat tnr tha Hr-A K.,.1- rest room that ' retreat for the tired busi ness-women. It Is so arranged aa to in sure perfect quiet and will be equipped with many couches and soft lights. Th fifth floor . will be given entirely to th cafater, a lunch room, kitchen and serving rooms. Luncheon will be served on th same plan aa In th present quar- Provide j ' TH. THROMO THAT WATC3UJZ) TUB CBU tha director of tha school are rightly cotx aldered excellent examples of manual train Ins school work. ' At this time, under eight teachers, ap proximately 2,000 pupils are taking manual training in. the grades, and with three teach ers and one bead of department, about 260 children are taking Instruction In this work In the high school. The first manual train- ' ing department In the grades was opened at Cass school three years ago. A year later a room at Pacific waa equipped for the work. Last year rooms were opened at Comenlus and Mason schools, and at tha beginning of this year a room was opened at Lake school for regular work, while half time work waa inaugurated at Walnut Hill, Saunders, Columbian, Windsor, Leaven worth and Monmouth f?ark buildings. It Is the Intention of the board to extend th system to other ward schools aa rapidly aa possible, although the work will be slow) in some wards, on account of the crowded conditions of some of the buildings. In tha work of the department it has been found that natural talent goes farther than experience In producing good work. This is especially so In clay modeling, whera pupils In the eighth grade are aurpassed by many In the fifth grade In accuracy of de sign and certainty of execution. In soma . of the exercises pupils are required to do . sign "from memory, and In these exercises the younger pupils seem to excel. At Cass achool, the cosmopolitan school of th city, there la something of a rivalry between races. In the classes air Japanese, Chinese, negroes and Syrians, as well as pupils from almost every country of Europe. Th teacher points out a model of a lion's head, the work of a Japanese boy of 14, as a sample of what Is to be desired from pupils of this age and experience In the school. In wood carving one of the clearest cut de signs Is that produced by a Chinese boy of about the same age, while In free-hand drawing a negro boy receives commenda tion, and the work of a Syrian at the bench. Is one of the best samples shown by th teacher. The work of th nuplla Is encouraged by a mild form of rivalry, the best samples, all bearing the name of the makers, being kept on display, but the display aa at pres ent shown la of the average work. Ar rangements are made whereby pupils, upon payment of cost of material, which is In considerable, may take their work horn and many of th- homes In wards where th system Is In vogue display with pride th handiwork of a son or daughter. Members ters but In addition to this there will be a dining room where patrons may be served by psylng a little more for the service. Summed up, the building may be consid ered as an administration building, a rest ing place, a lunch room, a night and a day achool for educational purposes, a Blble school, domestlo science training school and physical training school. It will afford wholesome social lire . for hundreds of women who would otherwise be condemned to loneliness or seek the questionable en tertainment aJTorded by tha cheap placea of amusement and It will supply an Influ ence that must give moral tone to th young womanhood of Omaha. But th question Is frequently asked why the build ing Is to include no dormitories, and many whose subscriptions have been solicited have declined to contribute to the fund because the enterprise makes no provision, for housing women. Several very good reasons exist why th Omaha Toung Women's Christian associa tion should not combine the dormitory plan with Its other work. First, the asso ciation has not enough money to carry th building up to th proportions necessary for dormitories and it canpot go in dabt for any part of Its building. It Is sug- w ,, . might be eliminated, then, to make room for tn, dormltorlea. but thos In touoh wth the association's work, know that not ."UW 1111 HOI a single one of Its present branches can b given up without- losa to a greater num ber of women than could possibly profit by the Installation of dormitories. By abol ishing the lunoh rooms and th school of "vlr" -vun-a, u (Continued on Pur rjv.i v