St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-06-13
A WONDERFUL EXHIBIT
OF Modelling None by the Pupils in
the PUBLIC schools.

In the assembly room of the High school
building yesterday was arranged an ex-
hibt of drawing done by the pupils of the
public schools and also an exhibition Of
models made from working drawings by
the pupils. ALI sides of the room were
covered with the specimens, the exhibit
embracing work done in all the grades of
the school from the child of six years to the
work in outlines and eolors done by more
advanced students of the High school. One
end of the room is devoted to the results of
modelling in clay and the paper work done
in the first two years Of school. The first
work done by the little folks is making
cubes, cylinders and other plain mathemati-
cal kforms in clay, which is followed by
making patterns of leaves and other natural
forms in clay. Then follows fancy designs
in colored paper. masonry, etc., similar
to kindergarten work. This part Of the
exhibit is most Interesting Oh account of the
age at which it is done, the children beng
only from to 8 years of age, and the re-
suit is revelation. Then comes the work
,ing-drawings of all kinds of objects innum-
cradle, and here is where the remarkable
feature of the work is shown. The chill
dren have made drawings Of tools, carts,
derricks, tables, desks, chairs, etc., while
in school, and then have applied the draw
ing practically at home, by making these
objects ef~Wood or other material, from the
drawing. Two tables, each reaching the
entire length of the room, are loaded with
the models of every conceivable object, from
axes and hammers to cane-Seated chairs and
upholstered lounges, Spite drivers, log
cabins, barrels, jugs and what not, also a
large assortment of needlework done by the
little girls ranging through the whole gamut
from dolls to crazy quilts. Diminutive
bookcases and window frames bootjacks
and cotton dOvels, tides and rocking chairs
to put them on. Although the work of the
more advanced pupils is shown, it fades
into insignifcance beside this wonderful
display of architectural and mechanical
ability by children so young. The work is
the result of Miss Laughlins enthusiastic
and thorough training, assisted by couple
of able assistants. The room was packed
with school children during the forenoon
and there was constant stream of
parents and others during the afternoon, the
only bad feature being that but three or
four members of the school board visited
the exhibition, which closed at o'clock
last evening. The exact question presented
by the exhibit and the one that is now in
the minds of the school board is Just how
much time should be devoted to manual
training in school. Every one of the thou
sands of little models in the exhibition
represents an idea that has been carefully
aud laboriously developed by some little
child, and how much such ideas should be
encouraged is question for the public
educators to settle. Volumes could be
written in favor of the cultivation of this
combined development of mind and hand,
but sight at the exhibition yesterday was
worth whole library in the way of an edu-
cation.
The best Of the exhibition, enough to
make fifty lineal feet of a wall exhibit. will
be taken by Miss Laughlin to Topeka.
Kan, to be shown at the national teachers
convention.