Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-09-14
THE EDUCATIONAL DISPLAY
MINNESOTA TAKES a LEADING
PLACE IN THE EXHIBITS.

PLACE; IN THE EXHIBITS.
The Display Made by Minnesota and
the Northwestern Suites n RevclN-
ton to Eustcrners-The Dnkotns
and Wisconsin Well Represented.
Jackson Park, Special Correspond
ence.-Thcre were no displays III which
the old and cffcte East expected to
score such Il complete victory as in
educational exhibits. When the ma
terials of these displays were being
put in position none of the great East
ern educators expected the surprise
that awaited them from the North
west. In conversation with one Of the
many Eastern authorities in education
who were busy here with their dis
plays about May 1, foolishly ven
turcd the remark that I believed that
Minnesota would make the whole out
tit ashamed Of themselves when they
saw her display completed. The man
addressed was from classic Yale and
he proceeded to make minccmcat out
Of my rash assertion in about the fol
lowing wise: minnesota surlasS in
educational exhibits! How could that
be possible? Why, Minnesota said
he, lis a new state. 1t is an utter I'M
possibility for her to take rank With
m nSsf tot l,r%
to his glory and the acquired wisdom
Of an a. NJ" and a "Ph. D." A
month later l saw him very busily
engaged in looking over the large col
lection of portfolios in the Minnesota
educational exhibit, and then he pro-
ceedcd to add insult to injury by re-
fusing to believe that public school
scholars not vet advanced to the rank
of high school could ever have done
such work in Illustrated language and
i'll Typographical maps and drawing.
Nevertheless, whether he meant it so
ment to the excellence of this actual
school work. When it becomes known
that the pupils in their every day tasks
can show Il height of skill that leads an
Eastern authority to doubt his own
senses (Which no Western man would
have the audacity to question: it is
about time that we people of the wild
and WoOlly' began to shake hands
with ourselves IL Ii George Francis
DIT Il owl
dcncc as to the excellence of the Min
nesota educational display as well as
that of the entire Northwest. No less
authority than DR.. Reid has pronounced
the system Of instruction given in the
Minneapolis and St. Paul schools the
best in vogue in America. 1t is now
generally acknowledged by other OK
hibitOrS here that Minnesota has the
ideal state educational exhibit in the
Liberal Arts building. One of the
leading authorities on education in
California; who is preparing an article
on the educational exhibits for an
| Eastern magazine, nnrcscrvedly de-
clarcS that Minnesota is ahead OF them
all. He has spent three weeks in max
ing Il thorough inspection of all of
| them. The gentleman in Chicago of the
Wisconsin exhibit on educational sub
jcctS adds his pacOn Of praise to the
general chorus and it strikes the car
much stronger because his opinion came
| gl'atuitOuSly and unsolicited. He said
| that Minnesota had in ideal education
III exhibit.
The Minnesota classification of school
work has been made by the teachers
Of the schools which arc represented
in the display. 1t shows Il very close
and careful selection of exhibits for
the walls of the space allotted. Most
of the educational exhibits which l
have seen embrace an endless and APP
parently disconnected wilderness Of
specimens that lead to confusion and
detract much from the effects Of really
meritoriOus work. The space given
to Minnesota is arranged with six al
coves on each side of Il central aisle,
upon the walls of which are hang
ing the best specimens of work, while
other displays are made in revolving
cases and in portfolios. The first thing
that strikes the beholder is the display
in the preponderance Of drawings,
models etc, kindred to the fine arts.
These drawings, paintings and models
are admitted to be equal and in many
instances superior to the same class
of work displayed by normal and tech
meal schools i'll various parts Of the
Liberal Art building. There are many
instances in which improvements could
have been made if more funds had
been ut the disposal Of Prof. Il. T. Will
son, in charge of AInnesota's cduca-
tional exhibit. The lack of funds is,
Of course, noticeable, particularly in
the placing and hanging of the display,
which sometimes suffers on account Of
its setting.
On one side of the central aisle are
rooms devoted to sewing and cooking,
to wood and metal work, wall paper
designs, Illustrated botany lessons, il
Illustrated language lessons and map
work On the other side are alcoves
devoted to country school exhibits, pho
tographs of public educational institll-
tons, normal school work, Carleton
college exhibits and state university
exhibit The college exhibits are not