Review of reports of Division Industrial Supervisors for the semester ending October 31, 1913

Media

Part of Philippine Craftsman

Title: Review of reports of Division Industrial Supervisors for the semester ending October 31, 1913
Language: English
Year: 1914
Rights
Fulltext: REVIEW OF REPORTS OF DIVISION INDUSTRIAL SUPERVISORS FOR THE SEMESTER ENDING OCTOBER 31, 1913. lly(;L>:NS W. CAULKINS. Divi•ionSuperintenden\ of S.hoolo. THE ever-increasing attention given to industrial education and the need for more systematic and more efficient supervision of industrial instruction made it advisable for the Bureau to assign to each of the larger divisions an industrial supervisor whose duties are to carry out, under the direction of the division superintendent of schools, and within limitations, the Bureau's policy and plans for the promotion of industrial instruction. Industrial supervisors have therefore been appointed in twenty-seven school divisions. Along with their other duties they are required to submit semestral reports containing a general survey of the industrial instruction in the schools of their respective divisions. A review of these reports for the semester ending October 31, 1913, is presented in the following pages. SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENING. Probably the most notable success in extending school work to the homes of the pupils has been attained in gardening. Gardening is carried on in practically all central and barrio schools and the requirement that all gardening pupils shall have home gardens is being rapidly carried out. The principal aim in teaching gardening in the public schools is to raise the standard of living by providing the means for securing more and better food. This aim can be realized only by a full compliance with the requirements. A study of the local markets and of the distribution and cost of food products raised locally has been taken up systematically in certain divisions. There has been a notable increase in the amount of time devoted to the raising of vegetables by extending garden work throughout the entire year; in some sections it has been impossible to continue the garden work the entire year due to destructive bagnios, or to unusually dry or rainy seasons. To carry out this idea fully it is essential that a planting calendar be worked out showing the time for planting and harvesting each vegetable, and especially those adapted to the rainy and dry seasons. A plan for the rotation of crops will also be necessary. No doubt the 672 RE\'JEII' OF INDUSTRIAL REPORTS 673 garden bulletin, recently revised, will be instrumental in placing this feature of garden work upon a more satisfactory basis. The value of the crop harvested on each plot was recorded in certain divisions and by this means the amount of produce that should be raised on a standard plot or for a given area is determined. This may serve as a standard for the school or locality. Nurseries for the propagation and distribution of fruit, shade, and ornamental trees and shrubs have been established in a large number of schools. One division reports that 29,400 seedlings were raised during the semester. In one supervising district in another division over 20,000 seedlings were distributed, planted, and cared for. IMPROVEMENT Ofo' SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS. A number of divisions have undertaken the improvement of school premises in a systematic manner. A permanent improvement plan is first worked out for each school site. On the plan are indicated the improvements already made and the suggested improvements, including buildings, fences, outhouses, walks, lawns, trees, shrubs, hedges, playgrounds, garden, nursery, etc. A copy of this plan, drawn to scale, is sent to the General Office for approval. The plan, either in its original form or modified, is then blueprinted and copies are furnished the division office for the teachers and officials concerned. No changes or modifications of the plan are made without the approval of the Director of Education. A large number of permanent fences with concrete posts and woven wire were built during the semester. This is the first step in carrying out a permanent improvement plan. Arbor Day has been instrumental in drawing attention to the need for more attractive school and home premises. Lawn making and the planting of shade and decorative trees are receiving more attention than ever before. Sl-IOPWORK. The plan to place the supervision of municipal school shops in charge of the trade-school principals has brought about a higher standard of work in these shops. 1t is evident that there are too many idle shops. Many of these should be reopened as soon as conditions are favorable. The construction of hardwood furniture has been practically eliminated from municipal shops, and exercises; practical carpentry, and the construction of furniture for the home have been substituted. The course in bamboo and rattan furniture is not as widely introduced as is desirable. This work has been taken up in a number of 674 THE PHILIPPINF. CRA.FTSMAN schools with the idea of establishing it as a household industry. There is marked need for such a course in almost every town in the Philippines. COOKING. In a number of divisions cooking has been introduced in all schools giving the complete primary course. This has been made possible only by providing training for teachers at the normal institutes and by the provision of ample equipment and funds for carrying on the work. A number of cottages for teaching the housekeeping and household arts subjects were constructed during the semester. These cottages facilitate the work of teaching cooking, as they not only provide adequate room but make it possible to use the native stove and oven. The use of supplies that are available in the ordinary Filipino household is becoming general. The idea of providing instruction that may be applied at the pupils' homes should be kept constantly in view. PLAI N SEWING AND GARMENT MAKING. Bulletin No. 53 (Elementary Course in Sewing), issued during the past semester, was instrumental in extending and systematizing the work in sewing and garment making. This bulletin provides a progressive course in plain sewing leading up to the making of all garments usually made in the Filipino household, and it requires that many of these garments shall actually be made by pupils in grades three and four. This course was introduced into practically all central schools during the past semester. HOME INDUSTRIES FOR WOMEN. The industrial instruction provided for girls is of two classes with respect to the dominant aims of the instruction, (a) the work in housekeeping and household arts (sewing and garment making, cooking, and sanitation) which aims to improve living conditions by the direct application in the pupils' homes of the instruction received at school, and (b) the work in the household industries (embroidery, lace making, Irish crochet, and kindred subjects) which is designed indirectly to improve the standard of living by providing remunerative home work for girls and women after they leave school. There has been considerable discussion as to the relative merits of these two line;; of industrial instruction for girls. This discussion has been largely academic; there is slight opportunity for conflict between them as they have few points of contact. Their immediate aims are different. Both are essentially vocational, and both have REV JEll' OF INDUSTRIAL REPORTS 675 been dominated in too large a degree by the ideals of a liberal rather than a vocational education. The former is prescribed for the girls of all schools of primary and intermediate grades; the latter has been optional in the past but the present tendency is to prescribe a certain industry or industries for the schools of each locality. Both are essential and they should receive equal consideration in working out a properly balanced program. The work in embroidery, bobbin lace, and Irish crochet has shown much improvement during the past semester, due largely to the use of approved designs and to specialization. More attention was given to the selection of suitable designs than in the past. Furthermore, it is only by specializing in one line that the degree of excellence in workmanship is reached that will enable the Philippine product to compete with the lace and embroidery of European centers. BASKETRY. Progress has been made especially in modifying utility basket..; of various types and improving them. Conspicuous examples are the "Union" bamboo basket, the karagumoy baskets of Albay, and the Pampanga whorl-sawali basket. The baskets thus evolved can be produced on a commercial scale with less effort in training workers than is required for the production of baskets with which the people are unfamiliar. If the people are more or less familiar with the materials used, the methods of their preparation, and the weaves, it is relatively an easy matter to train a large number of workers. The fact that commercial baskets must be strongly made so that they may withstand rough treatment in shipping has tended to eliminate many of the more flimsy baskets. Jt is also essential that baskets should either nest or telescope, especially the larger ones. Considerable attention has also been given to the time element in basketry; it should be more generally understood that it is unprofitable to use two pesos' worth of time in making a one-peso basket. Many baskets are still made with too fine weavers; this often increases the cost of production without adding to the value of the baskets and often weakens them. ABACA WORK. Work with abaca is becoming more general as the variety of uses to which it can be put are becoming more genera1ly known. Some of the articles which are found to be profitable and adapted for school work are slippers, coiled baskets, trays of abaca fiber and lupis, and articles of macrame. Some very 676 THE PHILIPPINE CRAFTSMAN good cushion covers and handbags of pinolpog embroidered with colored abaca fibers have been made. The dyes especially prepared for abaca fibers have been used with excellent success. The coiled baskets made after designs furnished by the General Office are superior to any baskets of this type which have been produced heretofore. Abaca slipper-making as a home industry has become established in at least two provinces, and has proved to be a profitable undertaking. SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT. The problem of securing and handling supplies and equipment used in industrial classes has been solved in the majority of divisions. In a number of divisions, however, it is apparent that this important matter has not been given the attention it requires. In some provinces the provincial treasurer places a large order for material for the schools of the entire division, sufficient for at least one semester. This is distributed to the towns and paid for as soon as it is received. These orders are placed long enough before the supplies are actually required that there may be no delay in the work due to lack of material. Whether the supplies are ordered for each municipality or district separately or for the division as a whole it is important that this matter be attended to several months in advance of the Lime when the supplies are to be used. Bulletin No. 49, Industrial Fiber Plants of the Philippines, gives a comprehensive list of plants furnishing materials for baskets, mats, and similar articles, together with the methods of preparing them for use. The information contained in this bulletin should be of assistance to industrial teachers and supervisors in the matter of securing and preparing material for industrial classes. DESIGN. The attention given to the question of design by the General Office has been the means of raising the standard of work produced in the schools, especially in embroidery, basketry, and cabinetwork. The fact that practically all articles produced in the industrial classes must be made after designs approved either by the division office or the General Office has eliminated the greater part of the unsatisfactory designs used in the pa~t. The museum feature of the industrial instruction is bein'g used more extensively each year. The General Office museum is extending its influence by means of traveling exhibits of designs, patterns, and models. Smaller exhibits have been established in many provinces and towns. Well-constructed models REVIEIV OF INDUSTRIAL REPORTS 677 with good designs are invaluable in securing the best results in industrial instruction. This feature of the work should be extended. On the whole the reports of the industrial supervisors indicate that progress is being made in all lines of industrial instruction and that these lines are being adjusted to provide for the actual life needs of the pupils. The handwork of the lower grades is designed to lead the pupils to discover a capacity which may influence them in deciding upon a vocation. A basis is thus laid for a simple vocational guidance plan reaching down into the primary grades. Industrial education makes intelligent consumers as well as intelligent producers; this is brought out in the emphasis laid upon lines of work having a direct bearing upon the home life of the pupils. Rattan chairs, largely shown at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, attracted a great deal of attention and may have been a valuable suggestion since followed out by foreign furniture manufacturers. They had been made in the United St.1.tes for some years previous, but the advertising thus given this class of goods brought them into greater favor. At that time the tendency to very elaborate patterns was marked and some of the earlier styles would excite amusement now, when modes and ideas of good taste have changed so materially, and become much simplified. The fans, palm leaves, hearts, and other curlycues then popular, are now out of date. There seemed to be a belief that the more curves the rattan could be distorted into the better would be the possible demand. Cane generally was used for the seats and back3 of such monstrosities of "decorative" art. The tendency now is to conform to accepted decorative designs such as have been handed down from the classic periods. (A. W. A.) Vacant lot gardens in our large cities represent a form of practical philanthropy that is attracting favorable attention throughout the country. In Philadelphia, according to the last annual report of the Philadelphia Vacant Lots Cultivation Association, the land is lent free of charge by the owners. The association spends about $5 a garden for plowing, fertilizer, seeds, etc. Each garden is assigned to a family, which pays $1 the first season, $2 the second, and so on, until the fifth season, when about the full cost is collected. In 1912, 442 families were assigned gardens, averaging about one-sixth of an acre. The families spread the fertilizer, and plant, cultivate and harvest the crops, supplying their own tables and selling any surplus. (Scientific American.)