The Influence of Swedish Sloyd and its Interpreters on American Art Education

Abstract

This is a descriptive study of the Swedish sloyd manual training system and its influence on the development of socially sensitive art curricula in America during the Industrial Revolution. The purpose of this study is to interpret the significance of this system and its relationship to how children learn. The study focuses on contributions of Otto Salomon, who was responsible for its development in Sweden; Gustaf Larsson, who adapted it to American needs; and on contributions of Ella Victoria Dobbs, who constructed a bridge between sloyd and creative art in childhood education in America.