The entire design of the book is not merely to set forth a few plans and drawings for the construction of shop projects, but to give the work the broadest possible application, and thus develop the most points of contact with the various industrial activities of the community.

On the second page of each lesson will be found a simple working drawing for the making of the project as shown in the photograph. These working drawings have been so constructed as to be free from unnecessary technicalities, and to leave as much latitude as possible for the exercise of the judgment of the student. In fact, it has been the effort to make the drawings absolute only in so far as the principles are concerned. On the latter portion of the page will be found "suggestions for original designs." It is not the thought that these suggestions shall cover all of the possibilities which might enter into the construction of the lesson, but they are intended to show the student opportunities and to give him different types upon which he may base his judgment for an original idea. Many teachers may choose to have their students make complete working drawings of their own. In this case it would be well to study the working drawing set forth in the lesson and discuss the various ideas given under the suggestions, pointing out very carefully just which parts will permit of variation without violation of principles. After this sort of consideration (and not before) the students might be called upon to prepare their own working drawings.

The entire spirit throughout this text is to make only absolute principles ironclad, and to leave the way open for every point which will admit of the introduction of the personality of the student. The teacher may quite frequently, particularly if he has had good training and long experience, have other methods that are just as good and possibly even better for his particular class than those set forth in the book, and in such instances he should most certainly feel at liberty to weave his own suggestions into the product of the shop. There are so many possibilities in the various lines of mechanics that no text-book can presume, nor would it be desirable to pretend, to set forth all of the possible and proper ways of doing a piece of work.

On the third page of each lesson will be found "working specifications." The purpose of these specifications is to guide the student so he will undertake his work systematically and will follow his efforts consistently. No attempt is made to show him how to perform each operation nor to "feed him with a spoon" on processes where the exercise of his own capability is most desirable. However, for each process there are references to the supplement, where there will be found, clearly set forth by halftone illustrations and simple discussion, definite methods of performing each operation. It is the idea that where a student is capable of doing the work without assistance it would be detrimental to his best progress to offer him unnecessary aid. However, it is very essential that a means of relief should be available if occasion arises where a student is in need of such help. This will be found a great assistance to the teacher who, when he finds a boy incorrectly performing any process, may simply direct him to turn to the supplement and correct his error. This will place the boy on his own resources, will develop his power of research and instill habits of self-reliance. It is needless to say that the teacher's time will be thus saved to an extent which will increase his capacity many fold. These references will apply also to the subject of tool-sharpening, wood-finishing and drawing.

There is such a wide difference of opinion regarding the relation of drawing to shop work that it is difficult for a text-book to be so prepared as to conform to the ideas of all instructors. For that reason, while throughout this book working drawings are presented, yet in the supplement considerable attention is devoted to the subject, and sufficient material is offered for the average teacher to be able to direct such work in mechanical and shop drawing as should accompany the industrial subjects in the grades for which this text is intended. There is no limit to the amount of geometric construction which may be offered in mechanical drawing work; however, in order to make this work as practical as possible, abstract problems have been reduced to the minimum and the production of shop drawings has been emphasized. It is left to the option of the teacher as to whether this drawing work is to be taken up as a separate subject and given a specific period per week, or whether it should be given as a part of the shop work and each student be required to prepare his own drawings for each project before undertaking it.

For the staining and the finishing of the models only a few suggestions are given, for it is felt that this matter should be left very largely to the taste of the student and the judgment of the teacher who best understands local conditions. Instead of giving specific instructions for the finished work on each lesson, references are made to the supplement for the kind of finish which would be appropriate. The matter of color and number of coats and fineness of polish is merely suggested and left for its final decision to the instructor in charge.

Under the heading, "Original Projects Employing Similar Principles," there will be found a number of suggestions which will furnish additional kindred work which may be utilized as local conditions suggest. There may be adept students or those who wish to work extra hours for whom these suggestions will be found quite beneficial. No attempt is made to furnish drawings or illustrations, but simply a few guiding suggestions are given for the purpose of directing the attention of the student to the principles which should be observed. For undertakings of this character it will be necessary for the students to work out their own designs and make their complete working drawings. These projects will offer possibilities for home work, for contests on outside efforts and for the making of things which may be used in school exhibits or auction sales, which are sometimes resorted to in assisting to raise money. Students should be encouraged to give considerable attention to these original projects, but care must be exercised on the part of the teacher to prevent violation of principles, and the students should be led to see that their originality must cover only such points as will admit of modification without destroying the function of the article. For illustration, in making a T-square, the shape, length, width and thickness of the head, also the dimensions of the blade, are largely matters of personal choice, but that the edges of the blade and of the head must be perfect, straight lines, and must be set at right angles are absolute principles which the originality of the maker cannot in any way modify. In almost every project there are some such absolute principles which are inviolable, and these (and these alone) are the things upon which this text endeavors to be ironclad.

The review questions and problems found at the close of each section are given as an aid to the teacher in developing the correlation between the industrial work and the other subjects, particularly with the arithmetic. These problems are not all arithmetical, however; they deal with number conception, not with the idea of presenting the problems under a classified head, as they are often found in arithmetic, but so arranged that they will test the judgment of the student and make him feel that he is dealing with real questions rather than that he is handling problems which were made only for the sake of furnishing him something to do. These problems will serve as a guide in preparing as many others as the time and needs of a particular class may dictate.

The "suggestions for community research" constitute the connecting link between the work of the shop and the activities of the home and the community. The teacher should lay great emphasis upon this work, for there is no other way by which so much community interest can be aroused as by having all of the students constantly on the alert to gather information from the activities about them and carry it into the schoolroom. Parental support can be most heartily enlisted and the good will of the community acquired by having the students enter into this co-operative plan of civic development.

The reference work indicated in this text will give the students a margin of technical information which they may impart to their parents and neighbors in return for their practical ideas and experience, and thus every factor of the community will profit by the encouragement of this research work. This movement is replete with possibilities in connection with reports and discussions in which both students and patrons might participate, in parent-teachers' clubs, farmers' institutes and other community gatherings. There is no way more sure nor more economic in making a good citizen of a boy than to develop his interests in community problems during the period of his plastic age.