The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-28
GRAMMAR SCHOOL EXERCISES.

miscellaneous relatives, and friends o
the children and education generally.
We are confident that the young exhibi
tors in elocution, music, acting and diverse
art and attribute are aequitting themselves
with credit at this moment, and are
looking mighty spruce and feeling mighty
fine, as they have a right TO look and To
feel on this occasion of occasions. Every
day in life brings some new experiences,
though more duplicates, but in all the
many of them there can be only one gram
mar school graduating day for the boy or
the girl.
We think everybody might have been
interested In a reading of the programs of
exercises at the schools which we printed
in last evenings NEWS. For our part
we got lot of pleasure out of them last
evening by studying them with view to
speculating as to which one of all the
schools would have given US the most in
teresting and profitable entertainment / (
we could have taken time this afternoon
to attend one OF the exhibitions. To tell
the truth, had we really been compelled
to make selections, we should have been
puzzled, though confident that, whatever
the choice, the pleasure to have been
derived from any one of them would have
quickly dispelled any suspicion that we
may have made a mistake. But regard
ing the programs as Offering so many rival
attractions we would have hesitated to
decide which would give us the best ex-
hibition. OF course the talents and train
ing Of the young exhibitors would have
much to do with the success or disap-
pointment in the actual rendering OF the
program, but we couldn't begin to figure
as to that.
On the whole, we incline to the opinion
that the Vineyard Street School is giving
this afternoon about as fine program Of
exercises as any we have printed, and we
think that, IL we had designed to attend
one Of the exhibitions, we should have
selected that provided by the Vineyard
Street pupils. At this school the grad
yates are giving US exercises designed to
illustrate the American citizenship and
its duties, and we oan think of no subject
that could prove more profitable to the
young people who have trained for the
exhibition or Of more interest and profit
to the audience ana spectators. The pro-
gram carries us from broad considera-
tion of citiznship by essays, under such
titles as "Men to Make State" and
"Church and State" and conducts us to
a consideration Of political divisions here
in Rhode Island-the "Town System"
being discussed up with study
OF our Australian ballot law and an actual
stage performance illustrating the system
with mimic officials and voters-which
must be vastly entertaining to the women
folk present who have never seen more OF |
the machinery OF voting booth than the
heelers on the outside. The exhibition is |
entitled "Lesson in Citizenship" and |
we should like to be i'm the audience |
listening TO IL and watching the histrionic |
voting, at this moment.
Point Street School offers bill, how
ever, which, with great many persons,
would be more attractive than that of
Street, and which must also be
of equal educational value and, we are
sure, is the more picturesque and pleas
ng to the eye. This program teaches a
esson that Is at the bottom of the practi-
al lesson taught at Vineyard Street. 1t
S the lesson OF patriotism and the study
If the foundation of the American govern
nent with the Continental Congress put
lpon tho stage, the graduates acting the
,arts OF the respective delegates, the clos
ng act after the discussion being the sign
ng Of the Declaration OF independence.
Patriotic music and rectations are on the
program, the story OF Revere's Ride, the
Boston Massacre, and other episodes
If tho period being conspicuous.
Ne should like TO participate as
N actor in a program like this for the
LIBERAL education that we should get from
he study. And we know the audi
nee at Point street this afternoon will
eel like giving three cheers for Old Glory
before the exhibition Is done, and they
will absorb heap of valuable American
history by tho effective graphic presenta-
ion
Peace street, toe, gives us a consistently
old story for its exhibition, and, while it