Practical education was always the focus at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans Home, as well as at the Girls' Industrial Home. On this date 100 years ago the Soldiers' Home was beginning a very new area of teaching. A printing press had been acquired and a teacher for instructing both boys and girls in the work of printing. The press was a Gordon press that had been in use at the state hospital in Watertown for just a short time. The video below may show the same type of Gordon press.
WE Romminger was to instruct the boys and girls. He had some experience in both printing and teaching. He had also studied law, but was ready to devote himself to teaching. the plan was for a school paper to be issued under the editorship of Miss Louise Clagett, the school librarian. Children who had a talent for drawing were to be given a chance at this skill and cartooning.
The school had always had manual training, as it was then called. blacksmithing and woodworking had been part of the school instruction since the 60's. Girls had always been taught domestic arts.