The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-12-10
NOTES ON THE EXPOSITION.
Greenyille Mountaineer.
THE NEGRO BUILpING.

When the Worlds Fair was vet in
the incipiency OF planning, efforts were
made TO have "a separate building set
apart for the exhibits OF the negro.
But the opposition of the negroes at
North to such separation and the
unwlllingness OF the directors to incur
q supposed governmental ~antagonism
to such a step, defeated the request.
similar request was made OF the di-
rectors OF the Atlanta Exposition by |
prominent Southern negroes. The idea |
was considered a good one, and a negro
commissioner, Darlington Penn, was |
appointed, and the Negro Building be-
came an assured fact. The negroes
OF the South and many from the North
took hold in earnest and the result of
thair! soor is seen to-day in tho Negro
Building.
The first thing that catches ones eye
on entering the building is a life-size
figure modelled in clay, The form is
That OF a man OF splendid physique and
strong muscular developments, of pro-
African features, the nose, lips
is a nude form, with the feet firmly
planted on a rock. The hands have
been s%hackled, but the chains are
broken now, the left hand is free while
the right one still has the iron band
tightly clasped around the wrist. The
form stands in an attitude of puzzled
query, and so good is the expression
that n a almost hear the words
Hall free but not till muscle and
brain can unlock this right hand am [
free; blu t how 2" This figure was
modelled in the basement Of the Adj
mi~nistratfon Building since the Expo-
sition opened, by a negro attache of one
OF the departments. 1t Is often claimed
ina the negro Is a good imitator but
cannot orig mate. In the past this may
have been true in a degree, but the ne
gro in the future will hold his own in
this respect not perhaps in the imme-
dlate future, but 1t is surely coming.
Among the exhibits from Washing
ton city Is q combination desk and
lady's work box that is wonderfully
convenient and yet is quite simple. A
drawer Is fitted as a work box with re-
ceeptacles for the usual sewing para
ers a lid which is severed with felt,
ana there 1s a desk. Washington city
has q good exhibit, but the exhibitor
sm1llngly explained hat many of her
people were opposed to q separate ex-
hibit and refused to lend their work.
Ihere were quite a number of we'll
executed Oil paintings in this building.
some were evidently by amateurs, but
they compared favorably with the work
from many of the white schools. What
strikes one as a little strange is the
fact that all their figures in s~tatuary
and painting with the exception of the
one already noted, are OF the Cauca-
sian race, showing that their ideal is
n the white race.
The Southern schools have nearly all
made creditable exhibits, Clark Uni
versity being probably the most inter
esting as it is the most practical, giving
o full exhibit of their surgical and
trained nurse department. Tuskegee,
Ala, has another exhibit that is strik-
ingly good. One well-made bugs CIV be-
ing h work of the students of that in
s0ltut1on, and from the dressmaking
department there were several dresses
that were very neat in their finish.
1nthe Vigirnia exhibit there were q
number of chairs beautifully carved,
, and a mantel that was especially good.
Apropos OF carving, one of tho best ex-
hibits in the building was an exhibit
!, of ~hand-carving by q South Carolina
negro, G. II. Devane, of Charleston.
Several panels were exquisite, the con-
ception and execution being dainty and
delicate. He had u number of walking
canes and PLAQUES with faces carved on
them, Mrs. Joe Thompson, Gov. Atkin-
: son and S. M. Inman being true to life.
He is an ~uneducated man past his first
q youth, n this work seems to STAMP
+ him as a genius, since he "iest took
hit up" He told us that he "sot down
, and cut a gator ian alligator) on dat
!, stick an used jest a pen-knife."
!. An exhibit Of extraordinary interest
, Is that from Africa, heather Africa,
!, and the contrast is great between civil.
, med and uncivilized negroes. Gourds,
v big, little, odd and curious seem to
|, have been used in innumerable WAYS,
such as platters, drinking cups,
, receptacles for all kinds Of food, etc
! One idol, a hideous stone affair, and
! f~etlches,. queer but indescribable
: woods, queer bird nests, native woven
cloth, native embroidery in colored
= grasses, reed work and cane work are
! among the most conspicuous objects,
? On the wall is a quilt made by a native
, teacher, 1t las u white ground upon
: which Is appliqued a perfect coffee tree
Tn natural colors, leaves, flowers and
: irult. 1t is a counterpart of~one which
the same woman made and presented
4 TO queer Victoria. This exhibit is
. due to the work Of Bishop Turner.
, There are good exhibits from Ten.
nessee and North Carolina, the latter
being especially good as it is more
!, typical OF the section, being tar, to.
6acco, walhuts, hickory nuts, corr and
l farm produce generally. In all ex-
hi6its the women have lone their part,
millinery, dressmaking and launder-
, Ing, and there are quantities of tides,
, laces,. embroidery, ETC., but somehow
one feels that there is a great lack
somewhere. Where is "ole mamma
Chloe," who used to make such cakes,
cakes that no one ever made so we'll
and bread, light, white and naky, and
great beautiful heaps of butter, piled
In golden balls, each ball printed in
some miraculous name with a knife
blade and AUNT Dinah," who was
The envy of all her neighbors for her
preserves, jellies and pickles? Where
are they? Is the new @ woman y
going to relegate these to the realms
OF 6arbarity and take to doing antima-
CAESARS daubing in oils, etc., or have
the Aunt Dinahs and mamma Chloes
scorned to put their treasured work
on exhibition {? The new gro ia
needed, but as long as the Southern
shores are laved by sea and gulf we will
need The pic negro, the old "mammas"