The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-25
A SUPERB INSTITUTION.
THE GEORGIA NORMAL AND IN
DUSTRIAL COLLEGE DESCRIBED.


There-The Place for Girls Who De-
sire a Practical Rducstion-Every-
thing Betokens a Prosperous Future.
A Suggestion With Respect to Chat
ham County.
The Board of Ladies Of the Georgia Nor
NAL and Industrial College met Gov. Northen
for the first time by appointment at
MillegeviIle on Dec. II. Seven of
the eleven ladies were present Few
people. 1 am sure, realize the great
work this institution is doing for the young
women of Georgia; and yet it is subj ect
In which every citizen in the state should
feel an interest
! am sure echo the sentiments, not only
Of the board Of ladies who were present,
but also Of the governor, and Of the other
visitors, when sey that this normal COL
lege. its buildings, its corps Of teachers and
its 1S4 pupils, called forth the surprise and
the admiration of each and every one.
The grounds comprise twenty acres, To-
Gated in the heart Of the town. In the cen
ter of these grounds rises O stately and
spacious brick structure, admirably planned
and substantially built by the state of
Georgia. It's wide corridors, broad stair
cases and large, well-lighted class rooms;
its sunny, cheerful library, Its spacious
| chapel and its thorough system of heating
and ventilation. all commanded our heart
lest admiration. Every department is
especially provided for One room is fitted
| mp as q cooking school, for these young
women ara 10 be taught to cook, and TO
cook we'll. Another room is arranged as a
| dressmakinR establishment, where a score
pert and practical teacher how to cut and
| o. by rule.
There was room devoted to telegraphY,
| where ten or twelve clever young people
sat, each at her own instrument. sending
receiving and reading messages by sound,
| IN a manner that certainly did them much
credit There was one room full OF embryo
typewriters and stenographers, all alert and
| eager. In another room Yves a class OF
twenty or thirty learning practical book
keeping, and their beautifully kept ledgers
showed the neatest and most lsgible of hand
writing We went in TO listen to a class In
! arithmetic.
The governor propouuded several difficult
| sums, which the pupils dashed off correctly
on the blackboard in a manner that did
them wonderful credit, and compelled me
with grief TO admit that such fractions were
altogether too vulgar" for me.
One of the most interesting rooms was
that devoted to free-hand drawing. About
forty girls we're busy in 6hs department.
Some we're modelling in clay, others were
designing patterns FOR tiles, wall papers etc.
l saw there beautiful original design done
by a youag girl who had only be-
gun In this room few weeks
ago. She was from away up In
the mountains of Georgia and she had never
seen or known OF anything of this kind
until she entered this institution, where he9
great natural talent at once asserted itself.
There wero designs there also by girl OF
about Is, which would be gladly utilized by
some Of the noted art exchanges in our
largest cities.
In the studio" of the college drawing
from casts is taught, as we'll as crayon
drawing, and painting In oils, and In water
colors. Music, both vocal and instrumental,
is also taught, but these branches are op-
tional, and II pursued are subjsot to an ex-
ira charge Of IS each q month.
The regular curriculum provides a full
| collegiate course, including Latin.
The corps Of teachers, taken in its en-
| tirety, is the finest have ever seen, and /
have been through and investigated a
great many Of the best schools In our large
cities.
No girl in any station in life nee desire
| finer education than she can obtain Ia the
Georgia Normal and Industrial College, aud
she gets In addition practical instruction in
branches that are not taught at all in the
| usual course at other schools and colleges.
These young women are 30 evidently in
earnestl There Is no nonsense about them
| They have come here for a purpose, and
they are carrying that purpose out with all
| their power.
Every girl that graduates from this col
lege and goes back to her own section of
the country, will be like a light set on a
| hill that caanOt be hid.
What power she will be! How she will
help other struggling girls to something
higher and betteri There are two kinds of
letters that are constantly coming to the
teachers Of this college. One kind comes
| from the young women who crave knowl-
| edge-who long for chance TO get an edu>
cation. Many OF these letters are very
| touching. One writes: II am lame.
cannot partake Of these advantages myself
| but have young sister who has much
talent. How can | get her inl and what
| would it cost2 We are very poor, but we
| would try to raise the money to educate my
sister," etc., etc. The other kind of letter
Is an appeal for graduate of the college
to be sent TO fill some important position,
for skilled and well-trained workers are in
| great demand.
After we Lad gone all over the building
and had seen the classes at work we went
over to the dormitory. This is in the old
executive mansion which has been re-
modelled as far as practicable to fit it for
this purpose.
1t has large cheerful rooms and lovely
grounds but it can accommodate only fifty
pupils. This is a great pity, for the college
can receive and teach about 800. All the
pupils who are not among these fortunate
fifty have to 90 to the expense of boarding
in the town, which entails an additional
outlay Of $50 year. 1t ia to be hoped that
some future legislation will give the S12 900
needed to add enough room to accommodate
q couple of hundred more pupils with board.
How much better lodged and fed these
young girls are than pupils were thirty
years ago in the largest and most noted
French boarding schools In the city of New
York Here were large bad rooms, kept In
beautiful order by the girls themselves
each with its coy coal fire, bright
lamp, comfortable chairs and center
table; here was a cheerful dining
room With its array of tables, each
seating six girls-she table linen spotlcssly
white, the glass and china bright end shin
ing. All the waiting on the tables and the
washing Of the dishes, etc., is done by
details of six Of the girls. These serve
weekly in their turn. under the supervision
of the lady matron, who fills this post with
marked ability.
The big, convenient kitchen is presid I'd
over by an old fashioned colored cook, who
furnishes the girls with excellent home fare
In the face OF all these privileges one
fact stared me In the face and made me