Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-27
OUR SOCIAL WORLD

(All items of social interest will be gladly noted in these columns if sent to Mrs, George c. Ball, Nineteenth street, between Tenth and Eleventh avenues South High lands. Telephone 98S.)
 Notwithstanding Alabama may not have received the encouragement her ex- hibits deserve from the Atlanta neWspa- pers, nor has been accorded the hosplta- ble demonstrations given other states by the citizens of Atlanta and the eXposl- tion management, one thing cannot De overlooked by reporters or managers, and that is that Alabama genius In va rious directions has received a recognl- tion that could not be withheld. Be- cause of unfortunate circumstances, un- necessary now to recall, Alabama could not be represented as she deserved at the exposition, but with all odds against her and her exhibit, Alabama has been awarded prizes and premiums which will awaken a helpful interest in her educa- tional advancement equal to any that could have come from more enlarged display in other directions. Alabama women have, from no fault Of their own, bean prevented from exhibiting to the world what they have accomplished in all matters pertaining to womans prog ress yet one daughter of labama, Miss Minnie Holman, has made her name household word in the length and breadth of our land by her clever man. agement of the model school at the expo sftion. And while Alabama women, also from no fault of their own, have not hg- ured in the society columns of the Atlan- ta papers as the happy possessors of marvellous "Pacquin" gowns, still many of them are mothers of these self same little boys and girls whose marvellous school work display at the exposition received such prompt and conspicuous recognition at the hands of the jury Of awards. That the Birmingham public schools have been ranked, because or their magnificent exhibit, along with the two or three best systems in the United States is a triumph which reconcileS All abamians to the modification of not be- ing as fully represented as we should be at the exposition in other lines. And while we are rejoicing in this Birming- ham victory we should bear in mind that it was only made possible by the genius, zeal and ndefatigable energy of Prof. J. H. Phillips, principal of our splendid school system, and his corps of gifted teachers. That this, one of the newest cities of the nation, should have been awarded one of the highest premiums for educational work should be gratifying to every citizen of the south; 1t Is certainly very eompensating to Alabamians.
 The Atlanta Journal of Saturday pub fishes an account of Miss Holman's model school and also a picture of this richly endowed young Alabama woman It says:
 ''"rhe womaI's department of the ex- position has a number of these life ex- hibits The model school is one The main hall of that attractive building has on its walls on all sides an educational exhibit, well arranged. attractive, in structive But notice the people. You see them enter. glance with more or less interest at the still life display and then make for a door which tells that model school is within--and there they enter and stay. For there they find living exhibit: twenty-five children un- der the tuition of Miss Holman of the Peabody normal of Nashville. Tenn.
 '"Those children come from the Home for the Friendless, so we may imagine the degree of training their past lives have known. Beginning with this raw mate rial six weeks ago. Miss Holman has wrought beautiful pattern in school work
 "1t is charming to see those two dozen little faces light up with intelligence in the course of lesson whose interest never flags. With scissors and paper and the silent assistance of tongues that wtll help figures are deIightedy cut and afterwards drawn on the black board. With a big tray full of wet sand, mountains and valleys are defined by those busy. happy hands. Ruler and yard-Stick are there to teach by peculiar demonstration the rudiments of measure ment and reduction ofA compound num- Der. Corn and peas are there growing in pots in the sunny window to show to those eager eyes the stalk and blade and leaf that spring from the tiny grain. Nothing is taken for granted in that school room; the children see for them selves.
 '"ro hear them read, and to note the gentieness yet exactness with which each error is corrected the correction being drawn forth from the class, not given by the teacher; to see how they are taught to sing by note and by rote; to observe the methods used in the language lesson, and how artfuliy the attention of each child is. held every moment-it is all a revelation to me in the way of teaching
 Then the beautiful influence of the teacher on every little soul in the roomi I wonder now she says sometimes If my class Is strong enough to lay aside all the rulers. and rot touch them again until I say SOL See the resolution on each little face as the rulers are put far back on the desks! I thought you could do it!' she continues. with bright encour- agement. When we control ourselves, you know. and keep from doing a thing that we ought not to do. then we are growing strong in our minds. just as want to be Tn our bodies Then to sec each lifted face resolute in the de- termination to grow strong.
 'The exposition sights have had a broadening effect that is incalculable for those young minds.
 'Their various opinions as to the ex- hibits which please them most is rich But we cannot now finger longer, except to congratulate Mss Holman on the beauty of her work, which teaches les son to audience as we'll as class; and to warmly congratulate Miss Sergeant, whose idea and effort his live exhibit represents"
 Miss Gertrude Worthington and Miss Minnie Merle Lane leave this afternoon with Miss Aliens party for Atlanta. Miss Allen will have a number of Bir- mingham young people in her charge when she starts for the exposition this afternoon. A special car has been se- cured and every arrangement necessary