Overview for Chapter 1:8: The Evolution of Industrial Arts Programs During the 19th Century
I-INTRODUCTION
Most of the institutions that Albert F. Siepert (quoted in box on left, above) studied rganized definite curricula between 1910 and 1920. "It is therefore apparent", Siepert says, speaking in 1918, "that the pioneer days are still with us".
The Massachusetts Normal Art School, established in 1873, was among the first schools in the United States to offer courses of this sort. but discontinued the training soon afterward. The Trenton (N. J.) Normal School offered certain technical courses as early as 1890, or a little later, but, Siepert continues, "it was only the man of unusual ability who would be selected as a special teacher of manual arts". About the same time, Pratt Institute [in Philadelphia] developed a combination art and manual training course. However, for courses in pedagogy, for which adequate provision was not made at Pratt Institute at that time, some of these students later went to Teachers College, Columbia University.
The first definite organization of a course to prepare special teachers of manual training was made by Teachers College in 1891. Charles A. Bennett, principal of the St. Paul (Minn.) Manual Training High School, was appointed head of the department of manual training. Under his leadership, the first course in the pedagogy of the manual arts ever given for an advanced degree. In a large measure, he planned the Macy Manual Arts Building, which became the model in arrangement and equipment for many other schools.
Source: Albert F. Siepert, "Courses of study for the preparation of teachers of manual arts" Washington, DC: Dept. of the Interior, 1918, page 5 (United States Bureau of Education, Bulletin no. 37.)
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