The Appeal., 1891-07-04
TAUGHT TO. WORK.
Eckstein Norton Universitys Depar-
ture in Colored Education.
Girls Traiei to Sew and do Housework-
Boys Taught Trades--Higher
Branches not Neglected but
Made Subsidiary. E.r Il

Afro Americans, two years ago, he IN
augurated an educational departure
The first scholastic year closed two
years ago. A report of the exercises was
published in THE APPEAL at the time.
The object of the founder of the Uni
versity was to give to it's students good
English education and to each one a
trade of some kind. To complete the
training school course and be eqipped
in some trade, from two to four years
are required. The first years course is
that of the tr. lining school, in which is
taken up the primary br nches in all the
trades. At the beginning Of the second
year, the student is required to choose
the trade he wishes to make his life
work.
The institution is located near Cane
Spring, on the Louisville and Nashville
railroad, twenty miles from Lou g.
vile, KY. The site on which it is built
is an elevated point overlooking beau
Around the building the land is rolling,
and is we'll watered by streams and sur
rounded by lofty hills. The main build
ing is a substantial brick and stone struC-
ture, containing ten large rooms and sew
eral spacious Railways. Scattered
throughout the grounds are other build
ings used for dor1notories and workshops.
The building fronts on a maple grove,
@o Io &C., a o1i i-cto o1 rol,o WI
To the sides are fine stretches of wood
and agricu tural land.
The school was founded in Oc'ober
1890 and was named in honor of Mr..
Eckstein Norton of New York, who con-
tributed largely to it. There we're Is
students at the opening; the member
ship is now wsixty-twostudents.
The incipal source ofrevenue IS from
the students, though a number of dona-
tions have been received from time to
time by the Principal. During the past
scholastic year the institution has taken
in 1000 for tuition, board and matricu-
lation. The board and other expenses are
put at a minimum rate ,and udent can
easily get through the.two terms for $75.
There are seventy acres of land under
cultivation, and the kitchen and table
expenses are more than betrayed by the
crops raised. The garden and farm
work is done entirely by the students in
the agricultural department. The veg
etables and fruit are as fine as are raised
in the country, and at the last fair, pota-
toes grown at the institution were
awarded the first prize. The agricultu
ral poultry and stock departments are
in charge of Mr.. j. M. Thompson The
greaterpart of the prac ical work is done
during the early hours of the day, the
remainder of the time being devoted to
1ecitations from text books. The entire
system OF the university is carried out in
the same practical way.
The importance of the art of cooking
is not underestimate at the institution.
The course is made very thorough. Be
fore graduating in this department the
student is required to understand the
chemistry of food stuffs, the mechanism
of stoves and CRATES, the enti subject
of draughts and ventilation and the val
ue and economy of fuel. To obtain
the practical knowledge of the Sc subjects
the cooking for the entire university is
done by the cooking class, under the su-
perintenlency of Miss Carrie] May
Crouch, graduate of one of the Boston
cooking schools.
The same stress is laid upon bedroom
work Those taking this course attend
to all the housework, and every room in
the main building is kept in immaculate
order. Students take turn about in
waiting upon the table, just as the work
is portioned out. Above all things the
pupils are taught not to uuderrate or.
dinary servants work, and to teach the
students in these branches to become
proficient in this work Is one of the chief
aims Of the Institution. No pupil is al
lowed to undertake what is considered
to be beyond his capacity. While the
practical side of life is insisted pom, the
artistic branches sre not overlooked.
One of the great features of the Uni
versity is the musical conservatory the
only Colored one in the South. Miss
Hattie Gibbs, a graduate of Oberlin Col
lege, Ohio, is at the head. Only the
higher branches of music are taught
The course of music is planned accord
ing to the methods used in the great
Eastern Conservatives. B fore at.
tempting vocal culture course in vocal
physiology and acoustics is required.
Another important branch is dressmak.
ing, cutting and fitting and ordinary mil
linery. The work displayed was of an
excellent quality. A great deal of work
is done by the class for people in the
neighborhood. This gives the pupils 8
source of revenue and at the same time
furnishes them experience. This de.
partment is under the direction Of Miss
Ida v. Penland. The branches OF cook.
ing, housework and sewing, coming un.
der the general management Of the bus
mess college, are regarded as especially
belonging to the female pupils. While
the women are being prepared to make
their living, the same opportunity is fur
nished men.
To the right Of the main building is .
row Of houses occupied as carpenter