Character Training

Blanchford (1961) tells how learning craft was understood to develop the individual and form ‘good character’. He explains that it has been justified on the grounds that it enables pupils to become self-reliant, since they had to measure themselves against practical tasks and produce tangible results. A pamphlet issued by the Ministry of Education, in 1952 offers several reasons why it can be character forming. This states that:

Crafts are taught in schools to stimulate children's intellectual development, to give them confidence born of accomplishment, to encourage discernment and promote good taste. Through creative experience in a variety of media, a child can be led to distinguish and appreciate quality in craftsmanship, and to value and enjoy beauty even in a sombre environment. Discussing and planning, solving problems o f construction, persevering in difficult operations and realising that the finished work will be judged worthy of commendation or criticism, all constitute rich character forming, (p .l)

Robertson (1952, 1961, 1963, 1974, 1989) is one of the few art educators to have written extensively about the benefits to secondary pupils o f learning craft. She claims (1961) that craft is character forming because it teaches

responsibility and perseverance. It involves children in being responsible for making an artefact from start to finish and develops habits of sustained work.

Another reason that learning craft is alleged to be character forming is because of the discipline necessary to understand the properties and limits o f working with craft materials. It enables an awareness that freedom comes through discipline (Robertson, 1961; 1974; Jeffery, 1985; Best, 1992; Dissanayake,

1992). M oreover, Robertson (1961) argues that although adolescents are notoriously resistant to discipline in general, they readily accept it in this form.

2 .5 .1 .2 Pride and Self-worth

The Spens Report, mentioned previously, acknowledged the role o f craft in engendering in pupils a sense of pride and satisfaction in making something well (Penfold 1988). This confirms a view, reported in part one o f the review that craft offers fulfilment, through pride in a finished artefact. Robertson (1952, p .79) also exemplifies this when she writes: 'There is real satisfaction in making well, in making something that will last and in which each part is skilfully fashioned'.

2. 5.1.3 Understanding o f Natural World

Together with Jeffery (1985), Robertson (1961, 1974) justifies teaching craft at secondary level on the grounds that it imparts in children the ability to

discriminate and make discerning judgements and become more sensitive to, and knowledgeable about, their environment and the natural world. Robertson (1961) further notes that many children growing up in the twentieth century have no contact with nature and this is detrimental to their well-being. An effective antidote to this is to provide them with opportunities to handle natural materials. Together with Dissanayake (1992), Robertson asserts (1989) that it is natural to enjoy the sensuality of touching and manipulating materials and schools ought to provide opportunities for pupils to do this. Press and Cusworth (1998) stress the importance of enabling pupils to interact with real materials in a society dominated by information technology, simulation and virtual reality.

2 .5 .1 .4 Developing ‘Good’ Taste

Sparke (1986) and Guidot (1994) note that during the second half of the twentieth century, there has been a divergence between a concept o f ‘good design’ promoted by design experts and the popular taste o f the majority of consumers. In the light of this, craft education has been justified because it is supposed to develop aesthetic awareness and consequently enable pupils to become discriminating consumers (Read, 1952; Robinson, 1961; Carline, 1968; Down, 1986a; Isaac, 1986). Carline (1968) explains that this mitigates the effects o f mass production, which, he believes, has had a devastating effect on public taste. According to this view, which is strongly influenced by the Arts

and Crafts movement, the more people are divorced from craft production, the more aesthetic considerations become divorced from every day life.

2.5 .1 .5 Uniqueness

Robertson (1989) proposes that upon arrival at secondary school, children are faced with a curriculum that is dominated by subjects directed at teaching instrumental knowledge. This ignore the senses and the need to develop and educate 'the whole individual'. She considers that this is why secondary school has very little meaning for a large number of pupils. Together with Gardner (1990), she believes craft education is beneficial precisely because it gives secondary pupils a different experience from most other lessons and enables them to learn another kind o f knowledge.

2 .5.1.6 Enjoyment

Blanchford (1961) claims that in 1910 it was officially acknowledged that craft for boys should be taught because this part o f the curriculum was particularly popular with pupils. Robertson (1961) and Dissanayake (1999) also contend that engaging in craft is popular. In their view this is because it is a universal

instinct that everyone shares. Robertson asserts that what makes it unique in the secondary school curriculum is that they can all succeed at it. In 1989,

Robertson returned to this theme and pointed out that craft is unique in the way that it appeals to pupils of all levels of academic ability.

2 .5 .1 .7 Spiritual Education

Robertson (1989) also expresses the view that engaging in craft teaches children that people have spiritual needs that needs nourishing. Although she fails to elaborate how this may come about, the first part o f the review reported on a theory o f engaging in craft that suggests it can be a spiritual quest. Heelas (1992) offers a partial explanation, when he draws attention to an 'expressive revolution' in British society since the late nineteen seventies. He claims that this need many people have to ‘express themselves’ is motivated by a desire to discover and experience themselves as spiritual beings.

2.5 .1 .8 Transmission o f Heritage

Scholars claim that by learning craft pupils are able to relate to their histories and to inform themselves about their own culture and heritage (Blanchford,

1961; Robertson, 1961, 1989; Katter, 1995). Robertson proposes (1974) that when this happens, adults and children are linked in a unique way.

2 .5 .1 .9 Self-expression

As mentioned previously, the principal reason for the spread of craft in A rt has been the view that it provides opportunities for creativity and acts of self-

expression. Although Abbs (1996) claims that from 1980 onwards this paradigm o f arts education has been collapsing, these justifications have continued to be made. Taylor (1986) advocates craft education as a means of enabling personal expression, while Allison (1998, p .20) proposes that secondary schools should teach craft in order to 'provide opportunities for pupils to develop and exercise creative imagination... ’.