The practical sloyd actually dates back to that time, when the human being had acquired the ability to place the tips of the other four fingers against the point of the thumb, though at that time it surely was no science, merely hard necessity.

A better illustration has never been written of the mutual working of the brain and the hands spurred by necessity than we find in "Robinson Crusoe."

During the last centuries thoughtful pedagogues in Germany, in England, and in France have earnestly urged the necessity of observing not only the brain power of a child, but also the development of dexterity. But as the brains invented machinery and the machines could provide the necessities of life so much more easily than the hands did, the training of the latter became more and more neglected both at home and in school, especially amongst the greater nations.

In the little country Finland, far up at the Polar circle, there emanated a law in 1866 to the effect that Sloyd should be of the same importance in all the state public schools as were the literary subjects.

It was Sloyd in wood, in metal, in knitting, sewing, spinning, weaving, straw - bast - chips - wicker - and root work, etc.

Then about a decade later on there arrived a Swedish gentleman at one of the educational exhibitions of Finland. He took particular interest in the wood Sloyd, and being a rich man and interested in educational enterprises, he made propagation for this branch almost all over the civilized world. And that is the reason that now-a-days most people with the word "Sloyd" understand only woodwork. He also worked out a system of his own in wood Sloyd that goes in educational circles under the name of "The Swedish Sloyd System".

From Finland, from Sweden, from Denmark, the Sloyd ideas emigrated to the United States. And many signs point out that they may have a greater future there than at any of their birthplaces. Different Sloyd systems are varying as to the details, but the most of the great educational aims are mutual for all of them.