Manual Training

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

in modern education, the training of the hand and eye in the use of typical tools, suitable materials, and mechanical methods, as well as in practical drafting, including the best methods of both freehand and accurate instrumental drawing of objects already constructed and of objects to be constructed. In practice the materials specially used are wood, iron, steel and brass; lead, tin, zinc, paper, leather, sand, textiles, plaster, and clay are taken chiefly as substitutes for more intractable and expensive materials. Draftings include plans, elevations, sections, line and brush tinting and shading, lettering, methods of surface ornamentation, sketching, etc., with both pencil and pen. Manual training may be regarded either as a part of a person's general education or as a definite step in the acquisition of a livelihood. As introduced into the curriculum of schools it may subserve both ends. Manual training schools are broader in their scope than the technical or trade schools, though they are the logical outgrowth of them. The idea of introducing tool instruction in the curriculum with science, in such mathematics and language a way that no one feature should be subanother was early underordinate to , taken at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, at Worcester, and at the Washington University at St. Louis. Three shops were organized in St. Louis in 1877 where special students in the mechanical arts could have some training, and in 1879 the St. Louis Manual Training School was established and the school was opened in 1880. It had a great success. In 1882-1883 the National Educational Association took up the matter and soon manual training became a part of the curriculum in high and elementary schools in all the large cities of the country. Separate manual training schools have also been established in many cities. The present tendency in manual training is toward definite vocational training, and the work is carried on, as far as possible, under natural conditions. In man ual training schools which are for general training no moderate literary or scientific work can be out of place; on the contrary, a large share of the time must be given to literature, mathematics, and science. Shop instruction is given. The instructor at the bench, machine or anvil explains the principles to be used or illustrated and executes in the presence of the whole class the day's lesson, giving all needed information and freely using the blackboard. When it is possible the pupils make working drawings of the pie piece or model to be executed, and questions are asked and answered, that all obscurities may be removed. The class then proceeds to the execution of the task, each at a separate bench and with his own tools, while the instructor gives additional help to such as need it. At a specified time the lesson ceases and the work is brought in, commented on and marked. It is not necessary that all the work assigned should be finished; the essential thing is is that it should be well begun and carried on with reasonable speed and accuracy. In a manual training school, properly so called, no attempt is made to cultivate dexterity at the expense of thought. MANUEL II., born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1889, two years after Crown Prince Luis, with the title of Duke of Beja, King of Portugal, 1908-1910. Scandalous stories were circulated about his life in Paris before he came to a throne to which he succeeded in Feb. 1, 1908, when his father Carlos I. and his brother Prince Luis were assassinated. He was acclaimed King May 6, 1908. On Oc. tober 1910, the Republicans abolished the monarchy and Manuel fled to England, finding refuge with his mother's brother, the Duke of Orleans at 1913 Manuel married Princess Augustine , Twickenham. In Victoria of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. MANUEL I., COMNENUS (man'u-el kom-ne'-nus), Emperor of Constantinople; born in 1120. He was the younger son of the Emperor John Comnenus, whom he succeeded, to the prejudice of his brother Isaac, in 1143. His long reign was almost a continual succession He obtained several victories of wars. over the Sultan of Iconium in the year of his accession; the next year carried on, war with Raymond, Prince of Antioch; and in 1147, on the arrival of the crusaders at Constantinople, under the Emperor Conrad and Louis VII. of France, he is charged with having flattered the Germans with promises, and by treacherous guides led them on to destruction. The French were received with great honors. Roger II., King of Sicily, having invaded Greece and carried off immense spoil, Manuel made war on him, and took Corfu. Revolts of the Servians and Hungarians afterward occupied him, and in 1168 he made an unsuccessful expedition to Egypt. In 1175, he was again at war with the Turks, with alternate defeat and victory. He died Sept. 24, 1180. MANUEL PALEOLOGUS (man'u-el -ē-ol-o-gus), Emperor of Constantipal nople; born in 1348. He was the son and successor of John Palæologus. The Turks having invaded his dominions, he applied to the Latins for succor, but without effect, on which he resigned his scepter to John Palæologus II., his son, and took a religious habit. He died in 1425.