MANUAL TRAINING AND ITS NEW CHANCE. In spite of both its friends and its foes, manual training is still thriving. In the past few years it has been neglected, disowned, apologized for, sinned against, and even attacked, but after all the excitement and confusion it may be found at the same old stand "sawing wood" as usual.

A good many teachers are now even willing to admit that they are manual training teachers and not Vocational teachers after all. Only a short time ago, almost every village school that had any sort of a shop announced "vocational courses." Ridiculous things have been going on. One case comes to mind where a "vocational course in pattern making" was being offered in a village where the teacher was the only pattern maker employed, and he was employed as a teacher.

It's time now to get back to a good, sensible defense for manual training as a necessary part of every boy's education. In this age of loafing, when home duties for boys have disappeared, and when the readymade world offers almost no constructive activities and no experiences that lead to industrial insight, there is imperative need for those shop activities that give contact with materials, that demand physical and mental adjustment to manipulations and processes, that lead unerringly from cause to effect, that require of the individual the most effective self-criticism and appraisement, and that finally give some notion of what the industrial work is like.

The development of the junior high school just at the time when people are coming to understand that the major portion of the shopwork in most high schools. cannot be, and should not be, definitely vocational, offers the most wonderful field for the modern, enriched, variegated courses in manual training or the industrial arts.

This is not a plea for a return to the old cut-anddried manual training of 25 years ago. It is a plea for the introduction and development of shop courses as an essential part of the education of boys in the elementary and high schools without any necessary regard to the future occupations of such boys. Such courses should be used so far as possible for guidance purposes, but if a boy had already chosen law as his future profession, that would be no reason for excluding him from the shop courses. On the contrary, it would be a most important reason for insisting that he should have the breadth of contact and experience that such courses alone can give.

There should, of course, be definite vocational courses for the comparatively few who will take them in most high schools, but the plea here is for a return to manual training courses in their proper places, called by their right name, and taught by teachers who do not care to disguise themselves as "vocational teachers." THE RELATION OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY TO OTHER VOCATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS. Ever since the passage of the Smith-Hughes Law there has been much speculation at to the future of the National Society for Vocational Education. This organization, as everyone knows, had a long and successful career as the National Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education. To it and a few of its leaders. who had the backing of some wealthy friends of the movement, is due the enactment of the Smith-Hughes Law as well as the legislation in many of the states. After this objective was attained, there was considerable feeling that the work of this organization had been finished.

Following numerous conferences and discussions, it was finally decided to continue the organization under the much broader name that it now bears and to use its prestige and influence in furthering the interests of this essential type of education.

In very recent years, the Society has found itself in competition with another organization, the Vocational Education Association of the Middle West, by virtue of the fact that it has held its annual meetings in the Middle West and at a time very near that of the Mid-West meeting. The competition, although not intended, has nevertheless become very real. Since the Middle-Western Association leaders have all along been ardent members and supporters of the National Society, it naturally developed that the Mid-West meetings have been fully equal, and some think in many ways superior, to those of the National Society. From the mere standpoint of meetings, attendance, programs, etc., the two associations have covered quite similar, if not the same, ground.

There is a rather well defined impression abroad that the time has come when the National Society can draw a large and representative attendance only when the meeting is held in the Middle West. The INDUSTRIAL ARTS MAGAZINE shares with the Manual Training Magazine the opinion that something must be done to remove the element of competition between these two organizations.

Some time ago, Dr. Prosser in a conference with leaders of the Vocational Association of the Middle West, voiced the desire for some sort of a scheme that would make the National Society a kind of delegate body whose delegates might be sent from regional as sociations such as that of the Middle West. Others have followed this with a proposal to have the Nati nal Society meet each year with some regional association in a spirit of cooperation and helpful conference

Such a scheme on the broad lines mentioned above has in it the thoroughly American principles of coordination and representation that will encourage strong regional organizations and yet save the National Society as a clearing house for all the groups that may be formed in the different sections of the country. We trust that some solution may be found that will prolong the usefulness of the National Society and at the same time give encouragement and assistance to any regional organization that can perform a needed service. SUPPORTING OUR ORGANIZATION. Every teacher should consider membership in one or more organizations related to their work as necessary to successful teaching.

Membership entails more than the paying of a membership fee and the acceptance of benefits. Each year we are confronted with the dilemma of school organizations which attempt to sustain membership by the devoted interest of a few "honored officers."

One solution of this difficulty is given by a successful minister who says, "I find it necessary to give every person in my church something definite to do for the church before he becomes a good church member." Confession of need and acceptance of benefits have never been adequate installation for a member in good standing. This idea of giving every member something to do is the secret of executive ability though it is not always the best way to get things done quickly and well. There is a proverb of organizations to the effect that "Committees work effectively in inverse ratio to their size." Also we are reminded that "if you want a thing well done, do it yourself." In the organization that seems lagging we believe a little more of the preacher's method is advisable even though some members shirk their duties. Perhaps the appointment of an employment bureau would insure activity. Let this bureau be composed of persons of a variety of interests charged with the obligation of finding something for every member to do. Let the motto of the organization be "no innocent bystanders." It is evident that the chronic ailment of organizations is the indifference of members who join to be served rather than to serve. MAINTAINING THE PROPER BALANCE IN DRAWING AND DESIGN.

We trust that the reaction now setting in all along the line of school work may not lead teachers of art to reduce their efforts in the direction of good design. For a long time the drawing and art work in the schools took the direction of the pictorial and the ornate. In recent years, however, the tendency has been toward design and the decorative in the development of correlated courses in the industrial arts. Indeed there has been some danger of undervaluing the importance of drawing as a matter of representation.

The reaction will naturally swing back toward the pictorial with the emphasis on the technique of drawing. The danger is that after the recent riot of individuality and originality another period of copying and dic

tation may reappear, thus combining and emphasizing a number of practices that have taken a long, hard struggle to adjust to their proper places.

There is a perfectly proper balance that should be maintained in school courses between the pictorial and the decorative, between the original and the copied, and between drawing for skill in representation and design for application. Any tendency to swing away from this balance in any direction is unfortunate. We hope that the interest developed during the last few years in the decorative arts and in the socalled applied design, may not diminish, but that along with the interest in design there shall always go interest in drawing and the ability to draw.

MACHINE OR HAND-MADE.

Americans lack fine craftsmanship and the appreciation of it. Conditions of life and industry in America do not develop craftsmanship that compares with the handwork done when fine things were hand-made.

It is idle, however, to lament over unfortunate results of changed conditions when the general results are favorable. Who would revert to the social conditions of the middle ages in order that fine craftsman

ship might prevail?

Our commodities are now machine made in quantities and at cost that makes it possible for most people to live in comparative luxury. Though inferior in craftsmanship, these modern commodities are not less useful than the old hand-made products.

In general the modern manufactured product is better adapted to use and less ornamental than the old time hand-made product.

Hand-sewed; hand-carved; hand-painted; handmade are expressions that imply the thorough, painstaking execution of a trained individual and are used as selling inducements on that impression.

In fact the hand-made article of the present time is liable to be poorly made and poorly designed. Much of the hand-made stuff sold to American tourists abroad are not only bad in design but flimsy in material and execution. Americans are the victims of the hand-made hoax both at home and abroad.

It is high time that art instructors in America devoted their teaching to the qualities that are inherent in the materials, methods and uses of manufactured, machine made goods. It is futile to anticipate. a revival of hand-made goods and the craftsmanship that is developed by handwork. Let us learn the merits peculiar to well made, machine made, but humanly designed products. Let us be careful to avoid the imitation of hand-made products in the design of machine. made goods and let us develop our aesthetic appreciation of design consistent with material, method and use. With the aid of science the form, color and texture of machine-made products can be adapted to aesthetic standards, with more beautiful results than was possible to the medieval workman.

The Eastern Arts Association including sections for teachers and supervisors of art, industrial arts, vocational subjects, home economics, part-time work and teachertraining met in convention at Rochester on April 6, 7 and 8. Convention headquarters were at the Hotel Powers; the meetings and the educational and commercial exhibits were centralized at the new Madison High School Building.

This was the thirteenth annual convention of the Association and in the opinion of many of the delegates present it was the most successful of all. The sectional meetings had been organized to meet the specific needs of the various branches of education represented. This arrangement served to attract specialists of national reputation, and it gave each delegate an opportunity to secure help in his particular field of work.

The program committee consisted of: Frances H. Bacheler, Public High School, Hartford, Connecticut, Chairman; Arthur F. Hopper, Plainfield, New Jersey Public Schools, Leon L. Winslow, New York State department of Education, Albany, and Irene E. McDermott, Public Schools, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The local committee consisted of: James F. Barker, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Rochester, N. Y.; Chairman, and Helen E. Lucas, Director of Art Education, Rochester, New York; Secretary-Treasurer.

Assisting the local committee were twelve sub- committees under the immediate direction of various members of the superivsory and teaching staff of the Rochester Public Schools. These committees had in charge registration and local membership, hospitality, accommodations and transportation, program publication, school exhibits, commercial exhibits, membership exhibits, music, points of interest, finance and business, museums and art exhibits, and luncheons.

Attendance and Exhibits.

Never before in the history of the organization were the interests of the delegates better provided for. There were sections for elementary teachers, junior and senior high school teachers, and special teachers in various industrial and art subjects and there were attractive general meetings equally interesting to all.

The attendance included delegates from all of the eastern states among whom were noticeable an unusually large number of new members, young men and women with enthusiasm for better organization of their instruction and anxious to secure the benefits of the experience of the older members. Nine ex-presidents of the Association were in attendance, presidents who had in past years "builded better than they knew." Never was there a higher type of good fellowship. The publicity methods of the past year had resulted in increasing the paidup membership from 508 to over 800, or about sixty per cent increase. Nearly one thousand people were registered.

The exhibits were unusually helpful. The school exhibits gave a birds-eye view of eastern art education which would be difficult to duplicate. The commercial exhibits were never so full of new ideas and inspiration. There were in all eighteen educational exhibits and 29 commercial exhibits, making a total of 47 in all.

Music was an important feature of the convention. The combined orchestra of the East and West High Schools of Rochester, consisting of a hundred pieces, rendered the orchestral selections; the vocal numbers furnished at the banquet were given by high school pupils. All music was in charge of Charles F. Miller, director of music in the Rochester Schools.

Service of the Officers.

The success of the convention was due to the untiring energy of President Fred P. Reagle, assistant superintendent of schools, Montclair, New Jersey, and the able assistance and cooperation rendered by Frances H. Bacheler, the vice-president; Frank E. Mathewson of the William L. Dickinson High School, Jersey City, New Jersey, the secretary; and A. H. Wentworth of the board of education, New Haven, Connecticut, the Treasurer. The officers received the undivided cooperation of the local committee and its subcommittees.

It is with justified confidence that the association looks forward to an equally successful meeting next year at Providence, Rhode Island, for, Frances H. Bacheler, director of art education, Hartford, Connecticut, the present vice-president was elected President for 1922-1923 and Frank E. Mathewson, through whose excellent publicity work the association is largely indebted for its increased membership and interest was elected to succeed himself as secretary. This publicity work directed by Mr. Mathewson was certainly a powerful factor in the convention's success. A newsletter was issued each month which kept the members informed as to the progress of the Association in its plans made for the convention. (It will be of interest to members of the association to know that the Newsletter will be issued monthly with a different artistic cover design each month made by a member of the Association.) Mr. A. H. Wentworth was elected to succeed himself as treasurer of the Association. The new, vice-president is E. A. Reuther state director of continuation schools, Trenton, New

The new council members elected to serve for a period of three years are: Augustus S. Rose, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island; Frederick W. Putman, Technical High School, Providence, Rhode Island, and, E. A. Cherry, Stanley, Rule & Level Company, New Britian, Connecticut.

The retiring council members replaced by the election of the men whose names are given above are: Edward C. Newell, Springfield, Massachusetts; Helen E. Lucas, Rochester, New York; Theodore H. Pond, Baltimore, Maryland, and Edward C. Emerson, ex-officio, Boston, Massachusetts.

The Program.

A summary report on the program follows: The convention proper was preceded on Wednesday evening by a dinner and conference of shop teachers and supervisors at the Powers Hotel. Dr. W. T. Bawden, assistant commissioner of education, United States Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C., was chairman of the conference, the subject of which was "Measuring the Student's Progress in Shopwork." About forty teachers were expected to attend. When this number was tripled the doors had to be closed. The conference proved to be an appropriate introduction for the convention. So great was the help derived from this stimulating and informel meeting that many requested the consideration of opening governmental conferences as a permanent feature of future conventions. The discussions at this meeting centered about the idea that "the successful teacher visualizes a definite goal to be reached, formulates some means of measuring the progress he is making toward the goal and adopts some method of determining when he has arrived."

Mr. Robert H. Rodgers, specialist in industrial education and teacher-training in the New York State Department of Education, stated some of the objectives to

be realized. He introduced his remarks by stating that shopwork is now recognized as a permanent part of the curriculum justified on general grounds of its contributing valuable educational experiences varying according to established objectives. He said that the determination and recording of students' progress in terms of the accomplishment of specific objectives is essential to effective instruction. Established objectives, he held, would be a first requisite for measuring a student's progress. For school work of any kind offered without well

FRANCES H. BACHELER, Hartford, Conn.

President-Elect, E. A. A.

defined and explicit objectives must be aimless and ineffectual. Objectives for the various kinds of shop work, be held, should be variable; variability depending on certain common factors; capacity and interests of students; time, equipment, and the facilities available. Mr. Rodgers maintained further that the providing of means to attain the objectives is a requisite for student progress. His discussion from this point on dealt with outlines of instructional material, the organization of units of instruction, special teaching methods and efficient class management. Mr. William E. Roberts, supervisor of manual training, Cleveland, Ohio, presented some methods of recording completion of successful portions of work and measures to prevent omission of essential factors. Verne A. Bird, director of vocational education, Utica, New York, suggested some objective tests of performance of attainment. He called attention to the fact that the standardized subject test is more applicable to shop work than the general intelligence test. An open discussion followed and a summary was presented by Professor A. D. Dean of Teachers College.

First General Session.

The opening of the first general session of the convention took place on Thursday morning when President Fred P. Reagle introduced Doctor Herbert S. Weet, superintendent department of public instruction, Rochester who gave the delegates a cordial welcome in an inspiring address. A brief response of acceptance was made by President Reagle. The second address of the morning was given by Dr. Arthur D. Dean who chose for his subject, "Dedicated to the Spirit of Adolescent Youth." His address centered about a discussion of the junior high school. Doctor Dean began by saying that few know what is back of the junior high school idea. Then he entered into a discussion of what constitutes the junior high school, differentiating between the real junior high school and the so-called schools of that type.

He said that there are hundreds of junior high schools in name but only about ten in all the United States that are true to their name.

"The junior high school," said Doctor Dean, "is not a glorified grammar school nor is it a supplementary senior high school nor a merging for economy of grammar and senior high classes taught by teachers paid grammar school salaries.

The speaker then discussed the spirit of the junior. high school saying that it is best revealed in the 65 clubs at Washington Junior High in Rochester and that the junior high is a new and wonderful market place where all the outside world's best things are brought and distributed to adolescent youth. Doctor Dean said that if he had his way every junior high school would have over its front entrance "Dedicated to the Spirit of Adolescent Youth" and in its rooms and corridors there would be no pictures of Greek and Roman ruins but pictures depicting the spirit of youth, and he would have all the decorations bear out that idea, "for," he said, "If there is ever a time when God comes close to men it is in adolescent youth." He mentioned as other places where there are true types of junior high schools, Montclair, Trenton, Los Angeles and St. Louis.

In discussing the subject "Organization of the arts in a Junior High School," Mr. Arthur Irving, Principal of the Buckingham Junior High School, Springfield, Massachusetts, emphasized his points by frequent illusions to the junior high school work as it is being carried on under his supervision in the City of Springfield.

Importance of the Teaching Profession.

The closing address of the morning was given by Doctor A. R. Brubacher, President of the New York State College for Teachers, Albany, New York. This address was inspirational in character. The speaker succeeded in convincing the audience of the supreme importance of teaching as a profession. Doctor Brubach

er's address may be briefly summarized as follows:

"Recognition is the best measure of the value of any service. In the case of teaching, this recognition may be financial, social or professional. The financial recognition has in recent years seen vast improvement. Initial salaries have increased more than three hundred per cent. who have seen long service have not increased proporUnfortunately, however, the salaries now paid to teachers tionately. Teachers of twenty or more years of experience, are in numerous instances teaching for almost the