Part 16 (2/2)

IV Do with the second grade the girls have do This do to it thanwhich passes under that name The children at Oyler have a peculiar need for domestic science, because in many of the homes e of domestic arts is so rudihters So it coirls all that they would have under intelligent direction in a normal ho frohth to one-fifth of their entire ti and sewing they are carefully trained in buying They s cheapest at that ti them in a way to yield the maximum of return For example, they are called upon in January to buy a 50 cent dinner for six persons Laura Wickersham's cost list is:

Soup hetti 05 Cheese 05 Bread 05 butter, etc 08 ---- 053

Gus Potts, a estion:

Meat 020 Potatoes 05 Cabbage 05 Bread 05 Milk 04 butter 05 Coffee 05 ---- 049

In their cooking laboratory they learn to cook sirades, where they must prepare entireis equally practical The girls learn to patch, darn, he into hoent needlework has ever been done--where frequently a darning needle is unknown--they teach the mother and older sisters how to sew, until whole families, under the influence of one school child, i Certain sewing days in school, called darning days, are sacred to the renovation of worn-out gar from home

The Oyler systen--it has no such ainorant of the si of coanized to take care of their children by teaching the Commercial Products in the Grades

No less practical is the work of the boys in the shops, since the great ned to fa shop practice Instead ofuseless joints and surfaces the boys turn out finished, rade boys, with the aid of the instructor, have built a drill-press fro about Now they are at work on an engine Elaborate products you will say, for eighth grade boys, yet these boys are likely interested, they do their task with zest, and linger about the shop after school hours are over--anxious to coun

Boys in grades two to six h school h stock there were produced thirty-six handles, a record which soht envy These saazine rack, of rather elaborate design, and an umbrella rack for each of the schools in Cincinnati

These racks, displayed in the offices of the various principals, would stand corade factory product The boys are now engaged ina desk book-rack (a scroll saw exercise) for every school teacher in Cincinnati When they have finished there will be more than a thousand

Besides these routine class exercises the Oyler boys are privileged towhich appeals to them and for which they can supply the material The schooladvantage of this, the boys sharpen the home knives and hatchets, make axe handles, umbrella racks, hall stands, stools, sleds, cane chairs, and repair or make any product which fancy or home necessity may dictate

VI A Real Interest in School

Let no one infer that the acadelected at Oyler Far froht with consummate skill by a corps of teachers who enjoy the work because they find the children interested Strange to relate, an interest in school came in at the front door with Mr

Voorhes' new plan for applied education The wild boys and dishevelled girls of the West End, who had erstwhile hated school, came now to participate in school activities with an interest seldom surpassed in public or private schools

”You see,” Mr Voorhes remarked, ”a day a week in the shop or laboratories is just about enough to keep down the high spirits of the older ones, and at the saive them an applied education of which they feel the value That one day of practical work did the trick It ood as pie”

Mr Voorhes' plan arrived It won the interest of the children and later with the assistance of the Mothers' Club and the kindergarten it won the sympathy of the community

VII The Mothers' Club

Like all of the other school centers in Cincinnati, Oyler has a kindergarten and a Mothers' Club, around which the change in co has centered, until Mr Voorhes describes them as ”the most important influence that ever caarten here, as elsewhere, has had a life and death grapple for existence In the West End, dominated by its conservative, Gerartens fell on deaf ears At last, afterofan organization; at thethere were thirteen children and five onistic, or at best suspicious

”I went around and played with every one of those children,” said Mr

Voorhes, ”talking to theto persuade them that this was not failure, but merely the forerunner of success The next day I went into every grade, saying to the children:

”'What was theyesterday'

”'Oh, she couldn't leave the baby'

”'Leave the baby! Why, of course not No one expected her to leave the baby Tell her to co'”