St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-18
The Stiiltcater School Exhibit at Nec
Orleans

The StiHtcdter School Exhibit at Neic
Orleans
II will be Of interest to our readers toknow
that the school apparatus sent from the High
school is attracting much attention. We
copy the following from the Tmes-Democrat,
Of New Orleans, Of date Of the 18th inst,
sent US by Prof. Curtis, and speaks for itself.
We congratulate Mr. Wilson and Mr.. Mack
enhauser on the attention their handiwork is
receiving by the educationists of the world,
which will, We trust, bear ample fruit. Read
1t, aud be pleased that such men as Mr.. Will
son are engaged in our schools;
Among the many interesting features Of
the Minnesota educational exhibit the col
lection Of 'home made apparatus from the
public schools of Saltwater Mimi, stands
pre-eminent. To explain natural phenomena,
to instill into the minds Of children knowl-
edge Of the immutable laws of physics is a
most important part of the teachers task.
But TO perform this task properly apparatus
Of various kinds is necessary, and physical
apparatus is invariably costly. Mr.. Frank T.
Wilson, teacher Of sciences in the Saltwater
High school, has, by the exercise Of natural
faculty for mechanics, provided his scholars
ratus at but little cost. Some Of the pieces
are very ingenious aud the contract between
their actual cost and the price commonly
charged by dealers seems almost incredible
Some instances may be cited. Apparatus to
illustrate the well known law that the angle
Of reflection and the angle of incidence are
equal cost but fifty cents, while
the dealers charge SIS for the
same. A force pump, for which the
dealers charge $3.50, cost Mr.. Wilson fifty
cents. A sonometer required the outlay OF
Sl.25, which at the dealers would cost S25
Prof. Wilson, in presenting these articles,
says:
1.-The articles OF this exhibit were made in
the workshop of the saltwater High school,
and their purpose Is to show what can be
done at home in the making of good, service
able apparatus for the illustration OF the ele-
Dents OF natural philosophy. The cost Of
the material used in their construction aver
aged about one-tenth Of the price given for
equivalent articles published in the cata-
logues Of apparatus dealers. The work was
done mainly by the teacher OF sciences and
the janitor Of the High school building In
the odd hours Of school DAYS, Saturdays and
vacation. hence, in estimating the cost. the
value Of the material alone Is considered.
As means of recreation and a relaxation
from the exhaustive work Of the class room.
the construction Of such articles, 10 any one
Of the slightest mechanical taste, must prove
a source Of constant enjoyment, besides pro-
viding, at trihing cost the apparatus so
indispen sable to a proper presentation of
that all i'm portant subject, elementary phys
ics.''
To sum up this Interesting exhibit, # con-,
sists Of some eighty pieces Of apparatus
which were Manufactured By Mr.. Wilson a.
cost Of about $45, while the same goods q
the shop of dealer would have cost $437
All teachers visiting the exposition will do
well To examine closely this display, which
is Of the greatest practical value.