Construction Work for Rural and Elementary Schools Part 2

Whatever may have been the true origin of the art of paper-making, it is now lost in obscurity. It is almost certain that the earliest form of paper was the papyrus of the Egyptians and that they were the first to use it as a writing material. They manufactured it from the stem of the papyrus plant, from which the name _paper_ comes.

It is also known that the Chinese were versed in this art before the Christian Era, and that they made paper from the bark of various trees, the soft part of bamboo stems, and cotton. In India and China the practice of writing on dried palm and other leaves still obtains. It is probable that the employment of these fibrous substances, together with observation of the methods of paper-making wasps and other insects, led to manufacturing by pulping the materials and spreading them out.

As the Chinese seem to have been the pioneers in so many great inventions, so also they appear to have been the inventors of this art.

From the Chinese the Arabians learned, in the seventh century, the craft of making paper from cotton, and they established a manufactory at Samarcand in 706 A. D. Here the Moors learned the art, and through them it was introduced into Spain. It is thought that the Moors used flax and hemp in addition to cotton in their manufacture of paper. The products of their mills are known to have been of a most superior quality, but, with the decline of the Moors, paper-making pa.s.sed into less skilled hands, and the quality of the paper became inferior.

From Spain the art spread through the other countries of Europe, and as factories were established further north, where cotton was not a product nor easy to import, the necessity of subst.i.tuting some other material probably led to the introduction of linen rags; but when they began to be used is uncertain. England was far behind the other countries of Northern Europe in introducing the industry of paper-making.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SCREEN--SIX-BY-NINE-INCH CONSTRUCTION PAPER]

In the United States to-day paper in all varieties is manufactured to an enormous extent, and almost exclusively from vegetable matter. The book and newspaper trades demand an untold quant.i.ty.

There are three great types--writing, printing, and wrapping paper.

Writing paper is made from rags and wood pulp. The staple for wrapping paper is old rope, and in some cases jute. The best writing and printing papers, however, are made from rags. From these as staples, all other varieties are developed, and we have paper for every use to which man can apply it.

Paper folding and modeling is not an ancient occupation, but a modern device, yet to the child it has a utilitarian value not to be overlooked. His nature demands that he be employed, and change of occupation is conducive to his happiness. Nothing is quite so restful to him as to do something with his hands; therefore, with his blocks he builds a house, fences it around with his splints, and strews the ground with imaginary trees and animals. He lives in this nursery play, and in it he is happy.

When he enters school, should he have only books? No, his hands still demand employment. He is now led to fashion from paper what he has already made with his blocks and toys. He is occupied, he is interested, and he is cultivating concentration and industrious habits.

Is this worth while?

Begin the lessons with a talk on the manufacture and uses of paper. By a story, an a.s.sociation or the suggestion of a future use the child should be made to feel that he is doing something worth while. This will accentuate the interest and deepen the impression.

All models given may be increased or decreased in size if the proportions are adhered to, but the dimensions stated are those commonly used.

A MODEL LESSON

_Aim_--To construct a windmill or pin-wheel.

Each child should have a five-inch square, a slender stick five inches long, a pin, a ruler, a pair of scissors, and a lead pencil.

The children are supposed to know that every piece of paper, laid in position, has a back edge, a front edge, a right edge, a left edge, a right-back corner, a left-back corner, a right-front corner, a left-front corner, and that, in tracing, the forefinger of the right hand is used.

Three questions after each direction will be sufficient. The questions aim to have a complete statement in answer, and to develop an unconsciously correct use of the verb. This may appear slow at first, but soon the replies will come quickly and the answer will be correctly given.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WINDMILL, A]

_Teacher_: "Children, lay your papers on your desk parallel with the front edge of the desk.--John, where are you to lay your paper?"

_John_: "I am to lay my paper on my desk parallel with the front edge of my desk."

_Teacher_: "Mary, where did you lay your paper?"

_Mary_: "I laid my paper on my desk parallel with the front edge of my desk."

_Teacher_: "Willie, where has Mary laid her paper?"

_Willie_: "Mary has laid her paper on her desk, parallel with the front edge of her desk."

_Teacher_: "Trace the back edge of your paper.--Anna, what are you to do to your paper?"

_Anna_: "I am to trace the back edge of my paper."

_Teacher_: "Harry, what did you do to your paper?"

_Harry_: "I traced the back edge of my paper."

_Teacher_: "Jessie, what have you done to your paper?"

_Jessie_: "I have traced the back edge of my paper."

_Teacher_: "Each child place the forefinger on the right-back corner of the paper.--Charles, what are you to do?"

_Charles_: "I am to place my forefinger on the right-back corner of my paper."

_Teacher_: "Anna, what did you do?"

_Anna_: "I placed my forefinger on the right-back corner of my paper."

_Teacher_: "Laurence, what have you done?"

_Laurence_: "I have placed my forefinger on the right-back corner of my paper."

_Teacher_: "Take your ruler and lay it across your paper from the left-back corner to the right-front corner.--Margaret, what are you to do?"

_Margaret_: "I am to lay my ruler on my paper from the left-back corner to the right-front corner."

_Teacher_: "Draw a line connecting the left-back corner of your paper with the right-front corner.--James, what did you draw?"

_James_: "I drew a line connecting the left-back corner of my paper with the right-front corner."

_Teacher_: "Alice, what have you drawn?"

_Alice_: "I have drawn a line connecting the left-back corner of my paper with the right-front corner."

Now have the children draw a line connecting the reverse diagonal corners and proceed as follows:

_Teacher_: "Find the point where the lines cross. This is the center or middle point of your paper.--Albert, what are you to find?"

_Albert_: "I am to find the point where the lines cross, which is the center of my paper."

_Teacher_: "Measure one inch from this point on each of the four lines and place a dot.--Sara, what did you measure?"

_Sara_: "I measured one inch from the center of my paper on each of the four lines and placed a dot."

_Teacher_: "Lay your pencil and your ruler down. Place your paper on your desk parallel with its front edge and lay your left hand on the right-front corner. Turn the paper until this corner is directly in front of you. Take your scissors and cut along the ruled line from the corner to the point one inch from the center.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WINDMILL, B]