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Manual labor college facts for kids

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A manual labor college was a special kind of school in the United States. These schools were popular between 1825 and 1860. At these colleges, students studied academic subjects, but they also did physical work. This work was often farming or building things. The idea was to help students who didn't have much money get an education. It also helped the schools save money. People believed that working with your hands was good for your health and character. This was a new and fair idea for education back then.

Leaders at the Lane Seminary saw many benefits. They said that working three hours a day helped students stay healthy. It also made them stronger and more energetic. This work helped students pay for their education. It also made them better at learning and studying. Working kept students from being lazy and taught them useful skills. It prepared them for life in new settlements. Students felt independent and learned to think for themselves. After a term, students felt refreshed, not tired, from their studies and work.

These "colleges" often taught both high school and college-level classes. Back then, public schools only went up to elementary grades. There were no clear rules about what made a college different from a high school. The states with the most manual labor schools were New York, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.

Early Ideas for Manual Labor Schools

George W. Gale started the first and most famous manual labor school in America. It was called the Oneida Institute of Science and Industry. Gale thought he invented the idea, but similar schools existed in Europe. He and other religious leaders believed manual labor was key to a new American Christian education. In 1830, Gale wrote that this system was very important. He said it would change the moral world. Later, for Knox College, he said the system helped prepare men for difficult religious work. This was especially true for new settlements and missionary areas.

Theodore Weld and the Manual Labor Movement

Theodore Dwight Weld had studied with Gale for three years. He strongly believed in the manual labor idea. Weld was a successful speaker against alcohol use. He got the attention of two wealthy brothers, Arthur and Lewis. They wanted him to become a minister, but he felt he wasn't ready.

Since Weld was a great example of how manual labor and study worked, the Tappan brothers hired him. In 1831, they created the Society for Promoting Manual Labor in Literary Institutions. "Literary institutions" meant non-religious schools. The Society hired Weld for a year in 1832. They also published his report.

The Society wanted to share information about manual labor schools. They also wanted to help existing schools add manual labor. Weld was asked to travel and study these schools. He had to keep a detailed journal of his trip. He also needed to suggest ways to improve the schools. Weld was asked to see if the system would work in the Ohio Valley. He also looked for a place for a big national manual labor school. This school would train poor but dedicated young men for missionary work in the Mississippi Valley.

In January 1833, Weld reported on his travels. He had traveled over 4,500 miles (7,364 km) in one year. He used boats, stagecoaches, horses, and walked. He gave 236 public speeches. A newspaper summarized his report.

Weld argued that the old education system was bad for health and character. It made students lazy and was too expensive. He said physical exercise was vital for health, mind, and morals. He believed exercise should be part of all school systems. He then explained the benefits of manual labor. It was natural and interesting. It helped students learn practical skills and become independent. It also lowered education costs and helped the country's wealth. He said it would reduce social class differences. Finally, he believed it would strengthen American democracy. Weld also answered common arguments against the system. His report included many facts and ideas from doctors and educators.

Weld suggested Cincinnati as the best place for the new school. It was a central city in the Ohio Valley. The Lane Seminary near Cincinnati was looking for students. The Tappans chose it as the national school site based on Weld's advice. Later, a big debate about slavery in the United States happened there. Many students left and went to the new Oberlin Collegiate Institute.

Need for a New England School

In 1834, the New Hampshire Anti-Slavery Society supported a plan. They wanted a manual labor school in New England. This school would help improve the education of African American people in the country.

Some Manual Labor Schools

Why Manual Labor Colleges Declined

Many colleges tried manual labor, but most stopped after a few years. By 1850, the system was almost gone. Here are some reasons why it failed:

  • Money Focus: Colleges used student labor to make money for other things.
  • No Link to Studies: The work didn't connect to what students were learning or their future jobs. For example, farming didn't help someone studying to be a minister.
  • Boring Work: The work became dull and tiring. Students wanted time for fun and relaxation.
  • Financial Disappointment: The work didn't bring in as much money as colleges hoped.

As Geoffrey Blodgett explained about Oberlin College, the system didn't work well. Student labor was too expensive and not efficient. It cost more to grow crops than to buy them from local farmers. Also, the idea of mixing learning and labor sounded good, but in practice, they often got in the way of each other. Students would stop working in the fields to think about philosophy, which meant less work got done.

Even though the manual labor movement faded in the 1830s, its ideas lived on. It helped set the stage for land-grant universities that appeared a generation later.

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