=Manual Training.=--Manual training was introduced into the Reformatory in 1895. The number of men who had been in the institution for a considerable period of time and upon whom the ordinary reformative measures exerted little influence rendered the adoption of some other means absolutely necessary. The men, with whom the ordinary methods failed, belonged to the defective classes already described as mathematical dullards, deficient in self-control, and stupids. The habits of vice seem to have wrought such a destructive work upon the will-power of these men that in order to repair it some potent influence would have to be brought into operation. The conception was to entirely disengage the mind of its connection with the past and to concentrate it upon healthy, useful and interesting work. Habit produces character, and if the old habits of thought could be destroyed and new ones implanted it would naturally follow that the character would be improved and developed. The character of the normal man requires for its development a moral, religious, intellectual and physical training, and the abnormal man requires the same, in a greater degree. It was with this knowledge that the managers introduced manual training into the Reformatory. As the usefulness of manual training (Sloyd) is described in a preceding chapter no more need be said upon its value as a factor in education now. It needed the greatest skill on the part of the managers to adopt the various Sloyd exercises to the requirements of the different defectives, but each year has given additional proof of their success, and its inclusion in the reformatory system was amply justified. In 1899 it was discontinued on account of the small appropriation that was made for the maintenance of the institution, making it necessary to curtail expenses. Before the abolition of Sloyd the following course was employed for defectives:-- (With each year the group was divided into three terms, there being 17 weeks in each term and 35 hours in each week.) GROUP I.--(Mathematical Dullards.) FIRST TERM. Mechanical drawing, Sloyd, athletics, and calisthenics, clay-modelling, and mental arithmetic. SECOND TERM. Card-board construction takes the place of clay-modelling. THIRD TERM. Wood-turning instead of card-board construction. * * * * * GROUP II.--(Deficient in self-control.) FIRST TERM. Athletics and calisthenics, geometric construction involving the intersection of solids, etc., wood-turning, pattern making, mechanical drawing and Sloyd. SECOND TERM. Athletics and calisthenics, wood-carving, clay-modelling, mechanical drawing and Sloyd. THIRD TERM. Athletics and calisthenics, chipping and filing, moulding, mechanical drawing and Sloyd. * * * * * GROUP III.--(Stupids.) FIRST TERM.