J12 " INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
The aim of the instruction in Girls’ Sloyd (this term embraces in Sweden all kinds of 
aandiwork) is: 
I. To exercise hand and eye ; 
II. To quicken the power of thought, 
II. To strengthen love of order ; 
.V. To develop independence ; 
V. To inspire respect for carefully and intelligently executed work ; and at the 
same time 
VI. To prepare girls for the execution of their domestic duties. 
The instruction has two objects in view : (2) It shall be an educational medium ; (b) 
it shall fit the girls to practice life. 
But if the desired aim is to be reached, the fundamental principles of pedagogics must 
se applied to manual training. 
Formerly satisfaction was felt with purely mechanical skill in manual training, when 
she only thought was to procure even beautiful stitches in sewing, while the practical 
skill required in measure-taking, cutting out, and planning a piece of work was wholly 
reglected. 
The introduction of the sewing machine has developed entirely new conditions. We 
must now teach our pupils something the machine cannot perform, namely : to take 
measures, to draw patterns, to cut out, to put together and to arrange garments ; also 
;0 train them to skill in darning, mending, and marking, at the same time that we teach 
them to take correct stitches. This desired result is not easily attained, but experience 
has proven that it is best reached by : 
(1) Practical demonstration on the subject ; 
(2) Progressive order with regard to the exercises. and 
(8) Class instruction. 
(1) Practical demonstration in sewing is accomplished by means of a sewing frame 
_plansch), and in knitting by means of large wooden needles and colored balls of yarn. 
At the same time blackboard drawings are constantly being made. ¢ With a piece of 
chalk and a blackboard a teacher can work wonders,” 1 once heard a clever teacher say. 
Even if this was somewhat overstated—as I readily admit—it is nevertheless true that 
a teacher who understands the value of these media, can by their help reach remarkably 
good results. French schools furnish fine proof of this. 
As no one is born a master, and as we cannot afford to cast away material at hand, 
it is necessary, until skill is obtained, to make use of preparatory exercises ; but much 
judgment must be exercised in their use. 
i consider it to be a great mistake to keep pupils engaged, term after term, with pre- 
oaratory exercises, which they may not put into practice till long after, and by the time 
;hey are needed have perhaps forgotten. As soon as an exercise is well learned it should 
ase applied to something useful, either in the school or at home. In this way the pupil’s 
-nterest is awakened and strengthened. The child will, in such a case, see a result of 
ts work such as it can understand. And, moreover, the parents’ sympathy with the 
nstruction is won. 
(2) Progressive order with regard to the exercises. The exercises are planned and 
carried out in the most strictly progressive order, so as to enable the pupils to execute 
well the work required of them. Nothing is more discouraging to see than a badly exe- 
cuted piece of work. “One cannot expect more of a child,” is given as a kind of ex- 
cuse. This may sometimes be true, but one can expect that a teacher will not give a 
child exercises beyond its capabilities, and before which it must fail. To fail continu- 
ally has an injurious effect on a child’s character. 
No ; let us take simple exercises, let us execute them well, have our aim well in view, 
and not be discouraged even if the result looks plain and simple. In other words, in 
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