In 1887 New Jersey passed a law to encourage the introduction of Manual Training in public schools. The chief provision of the act was, that whenever any school district should raise by taxation, subscription, or both, a sum of money not less than $1000, for the establishment of Manual Training in such school district, the state should appropriate a sum equal to that raised by the district, to aid in the establishment of such school; provided that no one district should receive over $5000 in any one year from state funds. In 1888 this law was amended so as to include districts that should raise not to exceed $500, the state agreeing to duplicate the sum raised. The effect of this law was very marked in 1890, resulting in the establishment of a large number of schools.
In 1888 New York passed a law authorizing local school boards to establish Manual Training within their respective jurisdictions. The same law makes the teaching of Manual Training compulsory in normal schools, subject, however, to recommendations of the state superintendent of public instruction, which provision has practically nullified it.
Ohio has a law authorizing a tax levy of 5⁄10 of a mill for cities of a certain size, and 1⁄5 of a mill for certain other cities, in excess of other taxes; the sums so raised to be used for the purpose of introducing Manual Training into the public schools.
In 1895 Wyoming authorized school boards to establish Manual Training in the public schools.
In 1895 Wisconsin authorized the establishment of Manual Training in its public schools providing state aid for the same, but limiting the number to receive state aid to ten high-schools to be selected by the state superintendent of schools.
The best of existing state-aid laws is that of Maryland, enacted April 7, 1898. It is very liberal and will doubtless greatly stimulate the progress of the new education in that state. The Wisconsin law gives $250 to each of its schools per year, and the New Jersey law duplicates whatever the school board raises for that purpose. But the Maryland law gives $1500 to each school the first year, and $50 per pupil per year thereafter, up to the limit of $1500 per school per year—enough, probably, to pay the entire expense of the system. Following is the text of the statute:
“Whereas, The establishment of well-conducted and liberally supported schools, or departments, in one of the large graded schools or high-schools in each county of the state, for the development and training of the manual ability of pupils, must tend to supply a growing want in each county of the state; and
Whereas, It is especially the duty of the state to afford the best educational facilities to its youth in those technical studies which are directly associated with the material prosperity of its people; and
Whereas, It is for the best interests of this state that the colored population of each county shall have an opportunity for the establishment of separate industrial schools; therefore,
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That it shall be the duty of the board of county school commissioners, when a suitable building, or room or rooms connected with one of the large graded schools or high-schools shall be provided by the county, or money sufficient for the erection of such building, or room or rooms, to accept the same (if, in the judgment of the board, there is any necessity therefor), and thereafter to provide for the maintenance of a Manual Training school, or Manual Training department, for said county, and the salaries of teachers and Manual Training instructors, out of the general school fund and the state aid hereinafter provided.