heir sewing to materially aid themselves in
meeting their school expenses. Considerable sewing is done for the
institution, such as making bedding and work aprons, hemming towels and
table linen. Custom work is attempted to some extent also, and by this
means sufficient income has been derived not only to keep the Department
stocked with material, but also to supply it with appropriate furniture
for preserving the work of the pupils and displaying the finished product.

Woodworking and Drafting.

George Williamson, Instructor.

The best method of Industrial Education is to keep the technical idea
preeminently in view, and to teach, first, those principles which will be
of real and practical use in an industrial life or profession. It is
evident that the great mass of the people must be industrial workers in
some form; and to teach them those principles of construction and drawing
which govern all the mechanical trades is to give them preparation for a
useful and successful life.

We want to teach them how to express intelligently by means of drawing
their own ideas or the ideas of others, and then to embody them in
permanent and useful construction; so that at least they may have the
start and impetus toward something better than a life of blind mechanical
drudgery.

The extent to which we can do this is limited by our time and opportunity.
At present our instruction in the Slater shop is confined to woodworking
and mechanical drafting. We have a course of lessons in woodworking for
the boys, of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, illustrating
progressively the common principles of construction in wood, and designed
to develop familiarity with and dexterity in the use of tools. In each
lesson the student receives a blue-print to work from; so that he learns
to measure by scale, and interpret a draft. At the same time he is shown a
perfect model to give him an ideal of good workmanship in the finished
product. He is not allowed to use the model as a working copy, because
that would counteract the influence of the drawing. The course is designed
to teach progressively the common principles of good construction, each
principle being repeated in different exercises so as to show its varied
application.

As far as possible we have a fourfold purpose in each exercise, viz.: To
illustrate a principle of construction; to develop a knowledge of tools
and skill in their use; to teach the use of working drawi