David Mitchell's Origami Heaven - History - Le Travail Manuel a L'ecole Primaire by M. Coste et J. Lapassade, 1887

The Public Paperfolding History Project Main Index Page Last updated 2/8/2025 x
Le Travail Manuel a L'ecole Primaire by M. Coste et J. Lapassade, 1887

'Le Travail Manuel a L'ecole Primaire' by M. Coste et J. Lapassade was published by Lafon, Vve Ribaut et Tonnet in Pau and A Jeande in Paris in 1887. I have not seen a copy of the first edition. This page is based on the 1892 third edition, a copy of which can be accessed online here. I believe, however, that the third edition is substantially identical to the first. My thanks to Michel Grand for noticing that this work has been added to the Gallica collection. The book contains a suggested syllabus for classroom-based manual work for a complete school year divided into four sections, Section Enfantine, Cours Elementaire, Cours Moyen and Cours Superieure, each of which contains suggested material for each month of the school year in a number of different handicrafts. The type of handicraft differs from section to section, reflecting the ability of the children at each stage. Paperfolding forms a significant part of the syllabus for the Section Enfantine and Cours Elementaire divisions. Cardboard Modelling designs feature in the Cours Moyen and Cours Superieure syllabuses, but I have not recorded these on this page. ******** ****** Introductory material This introduction states that: 'Manual education was introduced into the curricula of the Elementary Primary School by the law of 28 March 1882' and sets out the curriculum for each of the four educational courses. ****** Inter alia, this section of the introduction, 'Plan de l'ouvrage', says, roughly translated: 'This teaching has not yet given the results that one had a right to expect from it, and it would even appear that it has not yet been introduced in all schools. This may be due to the fact that the official texts are very vague as regards its character, and that the curricula themselves provide only general indications. We hope that the work which we present to the teachers will facilitate their task and demonstrate the possibility of introducing this teaching into all schools. Our programme, which has been applied for three years in the first district of Pau, has received the sanction of the Departmental Council for Primary Education of the Basses-Pyrénées for all the public schools in this department. We were pleased to note that it is designed in the same spirit as that which was subsequently adopted for the schools of the City of Paris and for the elementary part of this teaching in the normal schools. The methodical and graduated exercises of each course are in accordance with the spirit of the regulatory prescriptions, the views of the late Mr. Salicis, organizer of this teaching, and those of the worthy continuator of his work, Mr. René Leblanc, Inspector General of Manual Education, who was kind enough to accept the dedication of the work.' ****** Inter alia, this section of the introduction, 'Pliage et decoupage de la main' says, roughly translated: 'Folding is carried out with paper and without the help of any tool.' 'We do not think it necessary to defend these little folding works that some minds treat as trinkets, because they are eminently educational; they are of great interest to children, contribute to the education of the senses and taste, and provide them with the opportunity to acquire a host of useful notions.' 'Hand cutting, which we have introduced, consists of properly folding sheets of paper and cutting them with a thumb, so as to produce geometric figures, crosses, rosettes, etc. The children are very happy to produce such pretty figures by such simple processes. When they reproduce at home some of these cutting works, they can use the scissors they find on hand.' ****** Analysis I have not included all the basic introductory folds in this analysis. Section Enfantine Pliage Cutting a Square from an Oblong ****** Blintzing a Square ****** Basic Fold of Beauty from the First Groundform ****** Second Groundform and Basic Folds of Beauty ****** The Table ****** The Windmill ****** The Cocotte / Pajarita ****** The Salt Cellar ****** Eight-Pointed Star (from the Second Groundform) ****** The Junk Box ****** Pleated Collapsible Fan ****** Folds of Beauty from the Second Groundform ****** The Pyramidal Hat ****** The Framed Cross (Fold of Beauty from the First Groundform) Two sheets of paper are folded together to create a colour-change ****** Fold of Beauty from the First Groundform Two sheets of paper are folded together to create a colour-change ****** The Wallet ****** Pliage et Decoupage How to Construct Crosses by Folding Paper ****** ****** How to Construct Crosses by Folding Paper ****** ****** The One Cut Four-Pointed Star ****** Fold and Cut Leaf ****** The Cut and Fold Windmill ****** Tressage ****** ****** Cours Elementaire Pliage Folds of Beauty from the Second Groundform ****** ****** ****** This design is just The Windmill with the points folded into the centre. ****** This is the Windmill Base ****** This is the Windmill Base with the front centre points folded outwards ****** The Diagonal Cross ****** Four Kites ****** Four Points (and a variation) ****** This pattern is a variation of Four Kites ****** 34 is the basic Letter Fold. 33 is a simpler version in which only one side of the letter is locked. ****** Blow-up cube or prison for flies - The Water Bomb ****** The Patisserie Box ****** Folded Paper Alphabet - letters folded from strips ****** This is a cut version of The Flat-Bottomed Boat ****** The Looking Glass ****** The Chinese Junk ****** Pliage et Collage (Folding and Glueing) ****** Cut and Fold Envelopes ****** ****** Pliage et Decoupage A two cut Maltese Cross - How to Construct Crosses by Folding Paper ****** How to Construct Crosses by Folding Paper ****** The One-Cut Hexagon and Star of David * ******** The One-Cut Octagon and Eight-Pointed Star * ******** Fold and Cut Vase ****** How to construct a polygon with 32 sides (which is used to approximate a circle) ****** Tressage ********