INTRODUCTION
There are a number of well defined reasons why bookbinding may justly claim recognition as an educational factor in our schools.
In the first place, the permanent and vital character of the book in one form or another has given it a place of respect in all civilizations. The book is the final form of all enduring literature and indeed of all enduring thought. It is the epitome of the printer’s, the engraver’s, the illustrator’s, the designer’s, and the binder’s art, and is the meeting point of all the crafts.
So the book idea appeals very strongly to people both in and out of school. Bookbinding is perhaps the most logical and consistent of all the crafts, in its development from the simple to the more complex forms. In this easy gradation, is repeated the history of the book itself and of its development.
From this point of view, books fall into four rather distinct classes.
1. The simplest idea of binding is the holding together in some manner, a number of single leaves. So the attention is directed simply to methods of fastening together leaves of related matter for convenience in handling.
2. After this simple convenience has been met, the matter of protecting the leaves forces itself upon us, and the attention is turned almost wholly to devising ways of making durable and beautiful covers. The various forms of separate covers are made to accomplish these ends.
3. Later, the attention turns back to the book proper and the different methods of putting together a number of sections which become necessary in larger books made of folded printed sheets. The emphasis now naturally falls upon this new feature of fastening sections together, and so, various methods of sewing are developed.
4. In the fourth division, the emphasis goes upon the covers and the decoration. Here come in the tooling, lettering, inlaying and such processes as are usually included in the term finishing.
APPLY TO CHILDREN’S WORK.
Not only is the book idea enduring and vital, and its development logical and consistent, but the book work may be intimately related to the other activities of the school, the pupil bringing about with his own effort the satisfaction of his own distinct needs.
In making books for spelling, reading, language, nature study, art, etc., these needs and relations are evident.
These books with their stories, their covers, and their end papers, offer abundant material for illustration, design, lettering, etc., in the art work.
Again, the bookbinding work in its elementary aspects of construction is peculiarly adapted to children. This is evidenced by the fact, easily demonstrated, that children do as well in their particular grades of work as matured but inexperienced people can do in the same grades of work.
Aside from the logical development and the genuineness of the problems presented and their intimate relations to the other work, perhaps the strongest argument in favor of bookbinding in the schools, is the fact of its adaptability to the conditions of the ordinary school room, with but little equipment and hence but little expense.
The work may be carried on in the primary and intermediate grades with as small, but practically the same equipment, as is necessary for such activities as “cardboard construction” and kindred work.
It will be seen by reference to page [45] how inexpensive even a good equipment for upper grade and high school work is.
