Valparaiso High School - Valenian Yearbook (Valparaiso, IN)

Page 32 text:

DOMESTIC ART. INCE the use of the needle is one of woman’s finest arts, a Domestic Art Department was installed in the Valparaiso public schools in September, 1907, and has continued to flour- ish under the able direction of Miss Mae McKinnis. The work is systematically arranged. Mat weaving, knitting, braiding raffia, and hemstiching are taught in the primary grades. The next three grades design and weave baskets, crochet, do drawn- work and make aprons. When the seventh and eighth grades are reached, sewing machine work is introduced and undergarments are made from patterns drafted by the pupils in class. During the high school course the art reaches a higher standard and art needle work and leather work is executed. It is here also that the work of the amateur modiste begins, for all sorts of garments are made from the modern sale patterns. Periods of forty minutes per week are devoted to Domestic Art by the first five grades; but the time is doubled in the seventh and eighth grades and high school. This department is one of the most beneficial in the public schools, a statement which is proved by the attitude of the pupils and the results of their labors. A M A N 1 A G R UENERT.

Page 31 text:

COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT. HE Commercial department of the Valparaiso High School consists of three divisions, Phonography, Typewriting, and Bookkeeping. The system used for Phonography is that of Isaac Pit- man, an Englishman, who invented and published it in 1837. Iu the past half century this art has entered the field of business and revolutionized the whole method of business correspondence. This branch consists entirely of the practice of business forms, general office and practical work, reading printed phonography and speed dictation. One who takes a thorough course in this subject will, at the same time, acquire a considerable knowledge of English. Such a course will en- courage close attention, and will compel prompt decision and instant action. These are elements of the highest educational value. Phonog- raphy is very helpful even in private use and with sufficient study is easily mastered. The touch system is the method used in Typewriting and it is con- sidered the best system along that line, as it enables one to write much faster, keeping his eyes upon his notes while transcribin g them upon the machine. The students are taught the mechanical parts of the machine, which is essential to every stenographer. Accuracy first, and then speed are the two important factors of Typewriting. It includes the copying of legal forms, letters, envelope addressing, and tabulating work. Dictation is given personally to each pupil, enabling him to write from forty to sixty words a minute. Typewriting is the most practical thing in the whole field of education and it is growing more in demand every day. The course in Bookkeeping is, perhaps, less extensive than the others, but is such as to give the student the knowledge of accounting, besides the practice of keeping a systematic record of business trans- actions, and the state of the business in which they occur. The teacher, Miss Young, has had extensive business experience, and is therefore especially competent to have charge of this department. LIIISE ROESSLER, —

Page 33 text:

THE MANUAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT. HE Manual Training department of the Valparaiso public schools was established by the alumni of the High School, August 31, 1908. The first teacher in the department was Mr. Wallace, who held the position for two years. Mr. Wal- lace, of course, had some difficulties to overcome because the work was new and he had the task of getting the work started and run- ning well, but “Pappy,” (Mr. Wallace) soon had things in working order and lots of good work was done during his management. In 1910 W. (1. Davis became director of the department and he still holds the position. Mr. Davis proved to be a very competent and pop- ular teacher and the manual training department continued to thrive and its efficiency to increase. The department under Mr. Davis turned out work increased in quantity and quality. When the department was established the Manual Training room contained only work benches and tools, but in 1912 two turning lathes were installed. The power for these lathes and for the grindstone is furnished by an electric motor. The manual training department is certainly a valuable and im- portant feature of the school. It has been said that, “Man is a tool- using animal; nowhere do we find him without tools; without tools he is nothing; with tools he is all,” and the manual training department is certainly a place where one may learn to use tools. Two great results of instruction in manual training are power to do, and ability to appre- ciate what is done by others. When a person has made with his own hands a piece of furniture, it gives him a very real and valuable idea of the real worth of things that are produced by the sweat of the brow, and this side of an education certainly ought not to be neglected. Manual training begets a habit of self-reliance and develops the char-