Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-03

From the New York Evening World Feb. 1.
A novel system OF manual training the adop-
ton OF which earnest men have agttated for sew
eral years and which IL expected to revolutionize
public school education, went into operation on an
experimental scale to-day. The schools selected
for the frst illustration Of the new method were
grammar school No and prim Try schools NOS 1,
and IA, In the fourth ward, and grammar school
No. 43, In the twelfth ward. The board OF educa.
ton caused a printed code OF instruction to be
supplied to each teacher several days ago. The
boys and girls, knowing what was going to hap
pen, were In the lveliest state of excitement and
pleasurable anticipation.
The new system, 1t IS explained, must not be
confounded with that OF Industrial work, which Is
also being agltated In the lower grades it con-
sists OF few simple helps to the children, causing
them 10 use their hands and eyes In the ordinary
ply, for instance they will be supplied with fiour
and water and taught to make chains OF noun
talns In paste with rivers of real water between
them. In arithmetic and geometry the innova-
tons consist OF the or clay In forming curves
and trfangles, and actual blOcks OF wood to prove
made carpenters or plumbers or iron-workers, nor
the girls taught the complete art OF dressmaking
or cooking but tool shops and cooking rooms viii
In the theory OF those arts The use OF the Knife,
grindstone and Jack-plane will be taught to the
week, and the older pupils win In time be initiated
Into the mysteries OF the saw, the vise the ham,
mer and nails and the plane. The principles OF
BY special teachers, and in the highest grades
finished boxes will be constructed, properly sand
papered and polished.
TO the girls In sewing and hemmlng, measuring,
cutting papers, patterns, and fitting. Two hours
weekly are allotted 10 the theory OF cooking espe
clal attention being given to instruction In the
wholesomeneSs and degree of nutrition in the va
riouS articles of fCod the care and Ut tin rOn
and copper utensils, The precautions necessary to
purchasing food, the means OF determining the
whoiesomeness or EMBELLISHMENTS and the
names OF the various kinds OF poultry and the
joints OF meat. Ample provision has been made
Ior the necessary supplies OF materials. Each
cooking-room will have range and set OF utensils
costing $500; and $3.50 will be appropriated Tor
putting up and supplying each workshop
with tools. Calico and muslin, scissors needles,
patterns &C., will be supplied on requisiion to
the teachers in the dreSsmaking classes.
-
May Wilson's Terrible Crime.
THE FIRE IN THE HOSPITAL FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN
SET BY AN ELEvES-YEAR-oLD GIRL
May Wilson, an eleven-year-old child. yesterday
made a confession that she is the incendiary who
has made five attempts within four days to burn
the hospital OF the Society for the Relief OF the
Ruptured and Crippled in New York. The fire Of
last sunday night was the only one which proved
dangerous, but in that Mary Donnelly, q servant
employed in the building, lost her life and the
death OF many of the inmates was only prevented
by the bravery and GOODNESS OF the boys who dis
covered the flames and that of the women in
charge OF the institution; For the death OF Mary
DOnneiiy little May Wilson, a brigbt-eyed and
pretty child, is indictable for murder In the first
degree.
Just before the fire and panic Of Sunday night
futile attempt was made TO fire the big hospital
On Tuesday morning two equally futile attempts
were made BY placing boxes OF matches on the
register. Fire Marshal Sharon went TO the hos.
pital on Wednesday to investigate sunday nights
fire, and while ne was so engaged another box Of
matches was placed upon the register. The posi-
ole Ignition OF matGnes on register had been , dls
prior TO the practical test OF the scheme by the
incendiary. and on inquiring the names OF those
present during the discussion OF the matter, Mar
sbal sheldon liked his suspicious upon the Wilson
girl, who was at the table. lie ordered that she
be closely watched, and last night she was noticed
somewhat suspicious, but nothing convincing
occurred until Thursday afternoon. At that time
the fire marshal was pursuing his investigates
at the hospital, when the fire alarm In the build
ing sounded Rushing up stairs, he found o linen
drawer in the dining room ablaZe.
The scenes Of sunday lights panic were re.
ran to the street, others were carried out and
great excitement prevailed. Before the firemen
girl who discovered the fire saw little May Wilson
steal away from the room as she went In, and
when her story was told It became apparent that
the flre marShalS almost incredible suspicion was
but too Wen founded. Summoning the child before
him, the official charged her with the crime. She
denied 1t, ard persisted IN her denial, but when
the officlal diated upon the terrible punishme mt
in store for incendtartes whose foul work caused
another persons death she broke down and con-
fessed she admitted that She had made all the
attempts to fire the building; why she did not
know. The big fire she had started with some
matches which she found in the doctors ROOM
She next tried the experiment OF placing matches
on the smoking register. Yesterday afternoons
blaze she kindled with more matches which she
happened TO md.
After the confession had been taken down Dr.
Gibney, one OF the hospital physicians examined
the girl and became convinced that she was suffer-
Ing from pyromania, and was not responsible for
her remarkable actions AT his suggestion the
girl was not placed under arrest. but was detained
IN the personal care or one OF the doctors
The u.OP6,6 and nQvflSs AAvnCatoS