Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 36.djvu/808

788 Some idea of how Sloyd is succeeding on this continent may be gleaned from the following extract from the "Midsummer Report of the Sloyd School" at No. 10 Warrenton Street, Boston:

"This school was started by Mrs. Quincy A. Shaw. It is superintended by Mrs. F. S. Fiske. The Sloyd instruction is given by Mr. G. Larsson, formerly a teacher in the normal school at Nääs, Sweden.

"The school began in November, 1888, in the Warrenton Street Chapel, the intention being to show the principles of the Swedish method of manual training—modified, however, according to American requirements. The course from November 1, 1888, to July 1, 1889, has been carried on with continually growing interest on the part of the pupils. As the course has been free, with no obligatory attendance whatever, it is astonishing to see with what interest and attention it has been followed, not only hj the grown-up pupils, but especially by the younger ones.

"The number of pupils who have received instruction is above one hundred and forty; of these, fifty-three were lady teachers, twenty working-girls, thirty-seven boys between the ages of ten and sixteen years, ten young men, and twenty from the Horace Mann School (deaf and dumb).

"About fifty of the pupils have begun the normal course, but the time has been too short for any of these to finish the series.

"The pupils have to complete a copy of each model as exactly as possible before they begin the next number.

"As soon as they have completed the series, they will have a few lessons in sharpening tools; also get practice in teaching pupils; and by short discussion obtain some knowledge of the different systems of manual training in wood, their advantages, disadvantages, etc."

Since this report was written the school has steadily increased, so that now the pupils number over two hundred. Of these about eighty are boys, the rest being chiefly teachers from the city schools. There are two courses provided, and a third more advanced course will be added if necessary. The time required for completing a course varies from one hundred and fifty to two li mid red hours, according to the pupil's ability. The pupils are divided into classes of twenty each, and these meet at stated times, generally twice a week, the lessons being usually of two hours' duration. Admission to the school is limited to teachers, boys l'i(>m the public schools, and deaf-mutes from the Horace Mann School. Tuition is free.

The following table of the first six models, in a series of twenty-five, shows that the order of the exercises is the essential quality of a series of models: