810 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION L. 



Freedom to head-teachers to frame curriculum, but a useful, and at same 

 time scientific, division of school above infant stage into juniors, children rising 

 to tlie age of twelve, and seniors, children of and over twelve. Simple forms 

 of handicraft and courses of object-lessons suitable for the junior stage. The 

 schemes of all classes to be carefully co-ordinated by the head-teacher. 



In the senior stage the curriculum to be arranged in two divisions or on 

 two sides, which may be termed the literary and the constructive. Half the 

 school accommodation for seniors to take the form of classroom, half the form of 

 workshop. Boys to work in two shifts, morning and afternoon, alternating 

 between classroom and workshop. Division of subjects of curriculum between 

 the two sides. The literary side to lay stress on independent study on the ' note- 

 taking ' basis, mathematics to be common to the two sides; and the handicraft, 

 while admitting of a measure of absolutely free work, to be closely co-ordinated 

 with a scheme of practical physics, in which mechanics will hold a prominent 

 place, practically all apparatus and rough working models being made by the 

 scholars. 



2. Educational Handwork : an Experiment in the Training of Teachers. 



By James Tipping. 



The Educational Handwork Association has during the last eight years con- 

 ducted a most interesting experiment in the training of teachers in educational 

 handwork. 



This vacational course has met annually during the month of August in the 

 Municipal Secondary School, Scarborough, and has attracted an increasing 

 number of teachers from every part of the British Isles, and not a few from the 

 Continent, the Colonies, and America. 



The aim of the promoters has been to make handwork better understood, 

 and, indeed, to demonstrate its value and necessity in an ideal scheme of general 

 education. 



The need for mind-training through muscular activities has been urged by 

 educationists of all times, but administrators of education have not so readilv 

 appreciated the psychological aspect of the problem, and consequently have made 

 the mistake of developing the work for its economic value rather than for any 

 truly educative ends it might serve. 



The purely utilitarian aspect of the various forms of manual activity has been 

 the means of leading them away from the true intention of the work with the 

 usual result that the ' means ' have been mistaken for the ' ends,' the ' avenues ' 

 to knowledge have been mistaken for the ' goal.' 



Manual training as an industrial training has no place in the ordinary school 

 curriculum, but as a factor in mind development its presence is essential. 



Probably the term ' manual training ' too readily suggests industrial activity, 

 and to this extent it is somewhat of a misnomer; hence the reason why this 

 Association favours the Title Educational Handwork, because it more readily 

 expresses the essential difference between industrial activity and muscular 

 activity, which leads to brain training. 



The predominating feature of handwork is the use of a variety of tools and 

 materials and the adapting of them to given ends. The more materials used thi 

 better, for each has its characteristic requirement in the way of handling and 

 moulding into due form. 



In the development of schemes the central ideal has been to give due con- 

 sideration to the two points of view — namely, the technical and psychological. 

 So far as children are concerned, the latter is essentially of primary importance, 

 whilst technic as such takes only a secondary place; but from the point of view of 

 the teachers' needs both are requisite. 



Preference to the schemes of work on exhibition emphasised the fact that 

 whilst the technical courses provide for the development of the teachers' 

 executive powers, every opportunity has been taken of developing suggestive 

 ideas for the application of such knowledge to the children's needs. Power to 

 initiate such schemes as will apply to the varying capacities of the children is 

 what is aimed at, rather than the following of set schemes worked in the training 



