The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-28
new STATE MUSEUM
Opened Today By the Teach-
ers' Association for Ex-
hibits Of School
Work.
EVERY COUNTY REPRESENTED
An Interesting Display of Young
Jerseymen's Haudicraft at
the Capital.
Speefos to the Jersey cYty Nsars.

TRENTON, Dec. %, lsse.-When the
members Of the New Jersey Teachers
Association gathered here today they were
accorded the honor of informally opening
the new State Educational Museum. The
last touches were put ON it Saturday by
S. r. Morse, the curator. and a force Of
workmen.
Everything IS in shape so that the teach
ers. during the period of adjournment.
can inspect the many pieces that are now
placed on exhibit. and which begins a
State museum thai will be the most inter
esting feature in the New Jersey State
House.
The museum is located over the SUI
preme Court and Chancery Chambers, on
the third floor. The corridor connecting
the new part with the old part is included
in the museum. and is now filed with
cases containing fine specimens of the
handiwork Of the children. 1t is only a
few yards emoved from the Geological
Museum, which is the part formerly oc-
cupied by the State Library.
The exhibits in the school museum
are the best features of the magnificent
display made by the State at the Column
bian Exposition, augmented by some of
the interesting exhibits that were in the
agricultural exhibit.
This combined exhibit represents about
$1,000 pieces, which. taken in connection
with The $4,000 pieces in the Geological
Museum, gives a substantial nucleus for
a museum. The exhibits that are now
offered are only temporary. They are
placed In the cases and alcoves now. so
| that the school teachers and the children
who assisted in the preparation of the
Chicago Exposition work can see their
own work in contrast with. that of other
competing pupils.
The scheme of the Board of EducationI
is to change the exhibits in the cases at
regular intervals. so thai the best work
of all the pupils in the public schools of
the State will be placed on exhibition,
which they expect viii make a healthy
rivalry among the school children in all
parts Of the State.
The pieces now on exhibition will then
be returned to the schools that prepared
them. This will form a nucleus for a
| separate museum in all the principal
schools, which will grow as the exhibits
will be returned from the State Museum.
| This system places a value on all good
work that shall be done in the public
schools.
The State has specially prepared the
rooms for the school museum, and plans
are being drawn by the State Board of
Education for future improvements to
them by an additional story, which will
will widen the scope of the museum, SO
that a number of historical pieces bear
ing on education can be accepted and
given a permanent place.
The exhibit cost upwards of 0.000. An
immense amount OF material can be shown
because of the use of the folding cases.
which were particularly made for the
| State exhibit. There are a number of
cases 36x2S inches, having a glass door
and containing a series of fifteen frames,
swinging upon hinges. each frame de-
signed to contain two arg cardboaTds
22x2S inches, upon which the exhibit is
mounted.
BY this scheme the number Of exhibits
shown IN a given space is increased thirty
fold. The other means employed are the
show cases, bookshelves, drawers, stands
| and wood frames. The work shown con-
sists of the best efforts of the pupils of
the New Jersey Normal and Model
| Schools. such as work IN science and
There are some interesting studies and
mathematics by the smaller children by
the use of water color designs. There is
an aicove filed with work on language,
| botany and kindergarten. studies.
The manual training school at Hobo
| ken makes an unusually attractive DIS
| play. There are hundreds OF DOCKS Ili6Q
with essays and specimens of children's
writings in the various courses, map
! drawing, composition, history, work in
| clay, natural history specimens. photo
graphs and statistical charts.
The New Jersey State Normal School
and Model School make an unusually att
tractive exhibition, displaying 500 .speci-
mems in language. 700 specimens in peda-
gogy, 400 specimens in mathematics, 200
in bookkeeping. 400 In history, specimens
in botany, zoology, clay modelling, cary
Ing, pen Sketches and photography.
The New Jersey. State Reform School
mathematics, geography. q volume Of
writing and 6s specimen photographs OF
the building. -
New Jersey School for Deaf Mutes will
show specimens in wood working, shoe
making. printing, n~eedlework. art and
wood carving.
Peddie institute, Lawrenceville School
Centenary Collegiate Institute Of Hack
ettstown have also selected specimens OF
the handiwork and ingenuity OF their pu-
/ pills. Every county In the State IS rep
resented In the museum
| Including those mode by the State geo
logical survey, which are large photo
/ graphs. 31s feet by 8 feet, showing the
| which attracted considerable attention at
the Chicago exposition. There are also
The tables Of all the Industries In the
State, which were collected by the New
Fair. and which are surrounded by hand
| nainted borders, the work OF the pupils
\ Of the State Normal School, which was
secured by prize competition Inere are
4 number of farm views from all parts
Of The State, which were secured by the
| State Board Of Agriculture.
This will be one OF the interesting Tea
lures Of the museum ana Y SHOWS peacn
& proc produce and shipping q the staple