Ella V. Dobbs Teacher, Professor, Innovator, Lover of Children by Wyatt A.

Schultz University of Florida History of Art Education February 28, 2014

Ella Victoria Dobbs was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on June 11, 1866. Ella always wanted to be a teacher. From little on her dreams were of teaching first grade. She thought it was the best place to make the biggest difference in students lives. Early in her career she was exposed to sloyd, an early teaching of handwork developed by Uno Cygnaeus. He believed that handwork should be developed beyond just Froebelian kindergarten activities. Ella Dobbs studied sloyd and began to apply the principals to the handwork lessons she introduced in her 1st grade classroom. As Miss Dobbs used handwork in her classroom she found success with her students. She developed the use of art and handwork experiences in the elementary schools as a way of learning. Her convictions that art education is essential for all boys and girls are borne out in books of which she was author. (Wulfekammer, 1961 p.3) Handwork by definition is hands-on activities to develop manual dexterity making items directly related to the school lessons being taught. There are a wide variety of handwork projects such as posters, models, clay figures, 3D landscapes, using paper, wood, clay, metal, sand, etc. Any class subject can have a handwork project used in conjunction helping students learn the topic better. Miss Dobbs believed handwork to have three main goals. Handwork must first give opportunity for free expression and experimentation, second to establish standards of appreciation for the common activities of daily life, and third, to develop skill in manipulation. (Dobbs, 1932, p. 3) She believed if students were to grow up and be productive adults the must be given the opportunity to explore and create. Life at this time was not easy for children and much education prior to this time had little practical application or meaning to young learners. School was very strict, rigid, limited to book learning and most of the time not age-appropriate. As Miss Dobbs shared here love for handwork in the school setting interest developed in other schools and school districts. Ellas methods and practices became well known and considered to be very successful and desirable in a broadening way. Ella Dobbs realized that most teachers and classrooms were not prepared or equipped to implement handwork into their curriculum. Most teachers had no training in handwork. When teachers became interested developed in Miss Dobbs methods the

equipment and materials necessary to do handwork in their classrooms were missing, not even available, or much too expensive. Some school administrators and teachers were critical of handwork for this very reason. How can we teach it in a regular classroom? The general teacher at an average school was limited as to how it could be done in their classrooms. This question and criticism inspired Miss Dobbs over her career to write several books attempting to help those teachers. Her books were designed as reference manuals and idea collections to use manual training in the regular grade school classroom. Later, when she was at university, she wrote books for teacher training in the methodology of Manual Training. In 1914 her first book Primary Handwork introduced the primary grade teacher to simple easy to follow lessons using handwork in the classroom to teach across the curriculum. All of her books contained numerous illustrations and photos so the teacher could see clear examples and visual directions. The methods proposed were such that teachers who had not been trained in the manual arts might use them. Various forms of illustrative expression were discussed and amply supplemented with photographs. Possible topics for concrete illustration were listed, and seventeen complete projects were reported in detail. Miss Dobbs set out to prove that illustrative handwork might be used as a method of study and recitation without increasing the amount of time allotted to the subject. (Wulfekammer, 1961, p. 108) These examples from Dobbs (1923) Primary Handwork gave the teacher a clear idea what a sand table farm could look like. (p.80)

When your sand table farm project needed specifics, these illustrations showed exactly how to make chicken fencing out of paper. She showed you how to make your own toys and detail for a stairway of a house. (p. 80, 108, 54)

Chicken wire fencing

Ladder Toy

Housing stairway

The books she wrote were filled with dozens of drawings and photographs like these to give as much help as she possibly could to encourage success with these methods. Ellas efforts through these books were very successful in only some schools. As much as her writing was designed to be inexpensive and easy for the teacher it did not catch on like she hoped. Philosophically, Ella Dobbs always had her children as the primary focus of her work. Her love for children and her concern for their education persisted throughout her teaching career. She was a pioneer among those who believe in teaching children, not subjects. It was Miss Dobbs' belief that art and handwork experiences must be meaningful. To teach with student success as the goal, the technical aspects should be given direction to assure some degree of success. The principles of organization were developed through self-expression, and teacher guided self-analysis of the experience was key to art appreciation and higher quality production. To her teaching had much less meaning if

you could not apply it to daily life. By doing a handwork activity the student took the knowledge from the lesson taught and synthesized it into a real life form. In her book entitled, Illustrative Handwork for Elementary School Subjects written in 1917 while she was an assistant professor at University of Missouri Miss Dobbs states the purpose and audience for this book. All of the projects here described were carried out in the regular classroom by the regular teacher under conditions common to the average school. The suggestions offered apply to schools which are working under the limitations of restricted space, scant materials, and a more or less rigid course of study. These outlines and suggestions are offered, in the hope that it may help to bring into all classrooms greater freedom for both teacher and pupil, greater opportunity for the development of resourcefulness and independence in thought and action, and last, but by no means least, to bring the real joy of activity into some classrooms that have known before only mechanical routine. (Dobbs, 1917, p, v vi) To her, art education was a fundamental school experience, which should be correlated with all other school subjects. She sought to promote her convictions that "art is a way of living." (Wulfekammer, 1961, p. 50) The following examples from her book Illustrative Handwork for Elementary School Subjects demonstrate a wide variety and detail possible.

This photo shows the house of The Three Bears from a literature lesson. (Dobbs, 1917, p. 14)

From cabin to White House studying the life of Abraham Lincoln in history class. Not only were the students building structures showing the presidents improved living conditions, but poster work behind was used to give geography and timeline material. (Dobbs, 1917, p. 58)

Examples of industrial machines and airplanes were built with soft wood learning design skills along with construction. (Dobbs, 1917, p. 83) These photographs were actual photos from her classrooms, demonstration projects built by teachers in her methods classes at University of Missouri, and photos from teachers sent to her implementing her methodology in their classrooms.

This is a fifth grade lesson on the Panama Canal and an inclined railroad in the back showing the magnitude and sophistication of some handwork projects. (Dobbs, 1917, p. 98) Miss Dobbs believed that a creative person was a happy person. One of her muchquoted expressions was her statement, It is not so much what you create but what the creating does to you that is important. She believed that the impulse to create is a part of the divine plan, which most distinguishes human nature from other animal nature. This spark is the power to think new thoughts and to create new combinations in material things and to project oneself in imagination beyond present conditions. (Wulfekammer, 1961, pp. 5, 216) The teachers great business is character building. Character is made up of habits. Character building is then the formation of habits and manual training should help greatly in impressing deeply and clearly certain necessary habits. Ella Dobbs believed that manual training through its disciplined work and focus on learning will engage the whole child, mind and body. She did not support rote repetitions, or busy work. All activities needed a purpose and a meaning. Miss Dobbs was moving in the direction of progressive education, but never did she support the concept that to be creative meant to "do as you please." To her, teaching was a profession with responsibilities. She was concerned about the character development of the pupils as a result of the educational program; this demanded guidance by the teacher.

Activities, which are to contribute value to the growing child, must bring to him a sense of reality. They must be essential to his own welfare or the welfare of his group, or they must have intrinsic value to him, which compels his interest. This is but another way of saying "The child's activities must grow out of his own life situation and contribute to his satisfaction. (Wulfekammer, 1961, p. 84) She rejoiced in the accomplishments of those who, perhaps for the first time, realized their own gifts and talents and could say, "I did it myself.'' Miss Dobbs regarded technique as an important means of self-expression and demanded a high standard of proficiency from her students. Her own enthusiasm for art and handwork sparked an earnest response from them. She regarded success in any endeavor as essential to happiness and well-being. In 1911, Miss Dobbs was admitted by special examination to Columbia University, where it was her good fortune, and she frequently referred to it as such, twice to be a member of John Dewey's class in Philosophy of Education. Inspired by the leadership of such eminent educators at Columbia University as John Dewey, Frederick Bonser, and Arthur Dow, she became one of the pioneers in the correlation of art and handwork with other school subjects. (Wulfekammer, 1961, pp. 39, 47, 48) When she started at Columbia her handwork-teaching classroom was on the 2nd floor with lots of tables and equipment for her teacher education students to learn and work. Miss Dobbs, knowing Dr. Dewey was lecturing in the big hall upstairs was hoping to invite him to visit. One day, they happened to meet and Ella boldly asked when he could see her studio. He uncomfortably replied he was busy, but did have 5 minutes until his next appointment. Miss Dobbs took the initiative and rushed him to her classroom nervously showing him through the door. Dr. Dewey was visibly impressed to the point of speechless as the account goes. When he looked at the clock and saw his 5 minutes were over, he turned to leave. Ella noticing his action interrupted and led him to the sandtable in the back of the room and proceeded to spend 10 more minutes explaining its significance. Dewey replied, I was just going to say that I have been tying to put across some ides of this sort to my classes but had not made a very great success of it for the lack of

concrete examples, and I wonder if you would mind if I sent my class down here to observe. That evening students, who shared a dinner table with her each night, commented that Dr. John Dewey spoke of Miss Dobbs in his lecture that day. The next day Ella mounted photographs of her classroom activities and sent them to him in his lecture hall. She told him, The hard thing seems to be to make people realize that we build a playhouse in order that the children may learn to measure we do not teach them to use the ruler in order to build a play house. To which Dewey responded Thats it exactly. The work is a way of learning. In subsequent days numerous Dewey students came to see her in action teaching manual training. Dr. Dewey was very approving of her work and supported and referenced her work in his lectures regularly. (Wulfekammer, 1961, p. 54) Miss Dobbs regarded it a grave responsibility to be a teacher of children, and, in her position at the university, to be an instructor of teachers of children. She exemplified in her teaching this statement from one of her manuscripts, "The teacher is worth just the difference he makes in the lives of people. (Wulfekammer, 1961, p. 76) She loved the slogan "Art for life's sake" and used every opportunity to promote it. (Wulfekammer, 1961, p. 61) This meant that art had to be a part of life, and if life had no art, then it had much less meaning. It was not necessary to make art a scheduled or limited activity. Nor, did it have to have a formal purpose or occasion for which to prepare. Simply making art for the sake of art being a part of life was the greatest use of art to her. Ella Dobbs believed it is important to remember at all times that it is the reaction of the child to his work, and not the product he makes which is the place where learning happens. The students final product is only an indication of his way of thinking and personal growth. He, the producer, is the most important thing. Creative expression in the realm of thought is a new association of ideas. The child's learning process is a succession of new discoveries in which he puts together two ideas and forms a third, as new to him as if it had never been known before. (Wulfekammer, 1961, p, 80) Miss Dobbs saw her handwork education as a connection

point with new ideas. You are more able to find new discoveries when you have several previous associations already made. Experience finds new experiences. Ella Dobbs believed that you do not copy. Any more than you do not allow math problems copied from your neighbors paper or have cheating notes on your geography test, neither should copied pictures and designs be accepted as expressive artwork. Subject matter in all expressional work must grow out of the individual's daily experience; real progress cannot come in any other way. Use what is around you to inspire what is within. Tolstoy said that art is the language of the feelings. Miss Dobbs said, My pet definition is that art is not something to be done but the best way of doing what is to be done. Art is the beauty element in everything done from morning to night. Appreciation is the knowledge plus feeling and understanding. In its lowest terms it may be defined as "what I like and what I don't like.'' If we hope to awaken a love of the beautiful it must come through a sense of pleasure, not through coercion. (Wulfekammer, 1961, pp. 88 90) The writer recalls vividly a statement made by Miss Dobbs when, in her office, there was a discussion with reference to the devotion of workers to a task, The clockwatcher considers his work a job; the one who does not watch the clock holds a position in a profession.' (Wulfekammer, 1961, p. 98) She felt we must immerse ourselves in our chosen lifes work. I am firm believer in following your heart and Ella Dobbs did as well. Your passion for life and your purpose in life must get away from counting the hours to the weekend, and engage in a lifetime of loving what we do. Life is a mission and a ministry. In 1936 at Ella V. Dobbs retirement program, Nell E. Sampson Chairman M.A.E.A. said, In her own words, her chief interest is educational methods which stimulate and cultivate the love of beauty in the every- day life; which will open the eyes of all children to the beauty in the world about them and help them to enjoy and create beauty. (Wulfekammer, 1961, p, 175) Ella V. Dobbs was a very articulate writer and speaker. Her world view and concern for mankind was profound. Several of her most impressive and thought provoking quotes follow:

Today there is a critical shortage of good teachers and thousands of innocent children are going astray because neither home nor school is functioning adequately. In these momentous days when so many old ideals and outcomes are yielding to the pressure of present day needs and applying new tools to speed progress, I am wondering if it is not time for us to take an inventory of our plans and procedures and see if we are keeping our pledge in terms of today's needs.... When we think seriously we know that the most important job of any generation is the training of the oncoming generation to carry on. We are about to enter upon a new era of world cooperation. One of the chief problems in planning for this new era is how to build so securely that the next body of leaders will not tear down what we are building today at a tremendous cost. What about the training of these future leaders who are the children of today? This most important job calls for most competent and best-trained teachers-yet on every hand we hear of an exodus of teachers to more profitable fields and of schools closed or staffed by sub-standard teachers. Ella Dobbs was a woman of many facets, a pioneer, a teacher, a humanitarian, but always a loyal and devoted educator working with energy and steadfastness for the welfare and Interests of the children of the world. As a teacher she was interested not so much in giving her students new information as she was interested in giving them a new way of looking at all information, old and new. She was interested not so much in increasing their knowledge as increasing their understanding. She was interested not so much that the students practice remembering but that they practice thinking. She was interested not so much that they absorb a mass of standardized information but that they think about the pressing problems of their own lives. (Wulfekammer, 1961, pp. 216-217)

References Dobbs, E. (1917). Illustrative Handbook for Elementary Subjects. New York, NY: MacMillan Company Dobbs, E. (1923). Primary Handbook. New York, NY: MacMillan Company Dobbs, E. (1932). First Steps in Art and Handwork, New York, NY, MacMillan, Wulfekammer, V.M. (1961). Ella Victoria Dobbs; a portrait biography. Pi Lambda Theta. Menasha, WI: George Banta Company, Inc,