St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-29

Der, occupied the south side of the plaid
form. On the north side were statione-
Supt Phelps, the faculty, the board
of education and Rev. ID. G. John.
Rev. C. n. Showers, President Irwin Shep-
ard and Resident Director C.. II. Berry Of
the normal school, and Hon. Thomas Simp-
son. Rohroeder's orchestra was stationed
directly in front of the roStrum. The eXer-
cises throughout were very good, showing
much ability on the part OF the pupils. as
well as much careful training by the teach
ers. A novel feature of the evening was
that of distributing the bouquets. Two
little girls, dressed in white, acted as flower
bearers, and as each graduate completed
his or her part the flower girls
came tripping up on the platform and de-
posted the bouquets upon table. Inc
address of Rev. Dr.. John was good
one. full of thought He talked prmci-
pally about the advantages OF common
schools and said that sectionalism, Dlgotry
and religious strife could be blotted out
more etfectually through the public schools
than in any other way. Addressing the
board of education DIR. John said that be-
cause they served without pay they need
not think their services were valueiess, ana
he thought that the good results Oh thelr
efforts would well repay them.
President A. H. Snow, before presenting
the diplomas, made a few appropriate re-
marks to the class. About twenty years
ago he stood up as they did, full OF high
hopes and aspirations, to receive graou-
ate's diploma. He hoped they would
always be filled with the bright hopes, and
if they were disappointed in one hope let
them substitute another in its place. Inc
following is the program which was
carried out:
THE INDUSTRIAL EXHIBIT.
A most interesting display of the indus
trial work done in the public schools In the
last year has been ON exhibition at Armory
hall during the past week. Feeble, indeed,
would be any attempt to describe, with JUS
tice, the wonderful work which Superln-
tendent Phelps has accomplished Ill the
way of practical education.
A GLOBE representative, at the invita-
ton of Prof. Phelps, visited the Armory
on Saturday morning and found the nall
filled with spectators, busy examining the
novel display. Starting to the rlght on
entering the hall the exhibit OF the primary
grades first attracts attention. Here are
miniature TOOLS an endless variety OF hand-
some designs made OF paper and WOOD,
models in clay and countless articles OF
household decoration. Passing along to the
work of the higher grades the style changes
and assumes more practical shape. One
boy, whose father is blacksmith, has
made a set of blacksmith'S tools entirely
out of wood; another has shown his familiar
itv with agricultural implements by manu-
featuring model pillow. Pumps, hammers,
and tools of all kinds, crOquet sets,
o+o monuments
of the boys ingenuity, while the young la
lies. with equal skill, exhibit beautiful de-
signs for curtains, wall paper, carpets,
shades, etc. Their fancy work consists of
work-boxes in many beautiful varieties,
pin-cushions, paintings, designs for book
cases, etc. A large clock is noticeable for
its beauty; a steamship in an attractive rig
ging is also good piece of work. In fact,
it seems as if almost everything that could
be manufactured by the use of the knife,
the scroll-saw and the hammer was to be
found on the exhibition tables. The first
impetus given to industrial work was in the
primary grades where the children were
engaged in industrial drawing and in the
first steps of original designing. Having
made the design the pupils were then asked
to make as correctly as possible model OF
what they had designed. Rapid improve
ment followed the first efforts, and soon
showed itself in the many pretty articles
which decorated the school-room. The inn
petus given to the work in the primary
grades caused it to spread until every school
in the city could boast of youthful mechan-
les and artists whose skill had only to be
encouraged to make their work first-class.
Prof. Phelps may congratulate himself that
his work has been so successful.