The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-05

York, where public education Is poor and
incomplete I'm the primary and fundamen-
tai parts, but elaborate In the higher and
non-essential grades. We have two we'll
equipped colleges with many courses,
and numerous grammar schools on the
one hand on the other, primary schools
without proper appliances for either
health or education, overcrowded and un-
able TO accommodate many OF the
children who apply for even this poor
modicum OF instruction. The great ma
jority OF the children of New York who
are educated at the city's expense never
get beyond the primary grades, as they
have TO begin to earn their living at from
IL to IA years OF age. A conservative es-
innate places the number OF children
who cannot be accommodated for want OF
room at the public schools, al 30, 900, the
great majority OF whom are candidates
for the primary grades. Poor as 1t II, the
fundamentals OF education are thus denied
to a large number OF children who need
such training. Many OF these children
are of foreign parentage, and are thus
in danger OF growing up in ignorance OF
our laws and Institutions, unless the state
educates them, as a measure for its own
protection. -(From "The Function of
Public Education" by DIR. III. d.. Chaplin,
In North American Review for January.
ABBEYS NEW DECORATIONS FOX THE
BOSTON LIBRARY.
Word comes from Worcestershire, En-
gland, OF the continuing activities OF
Mr.. Il. A. Abbey, who Is described as
hard at work on a picture from Richard
Ill. of the funeral procession OF Henry
vi.
"The picture" writes the correspond
ent, sis nearly min feet long, all black
and red and gold. The dead king,
crowned and clothed i'm armor, is borne
by knights on a splendid bier covered
with a gothic pail. From the red canopy,
borne by knights wearing the royal tab
ard, haug his shield and innumerab BILE
coats of arms. Other knights beside the
bier carry huge candles, and are followed
by a great procession OF knights In long
black hoods lined some with red and
some with yellow. All carry halberts,
the handles OF which are covered with red
velvet. The LADY Anne dressed in
splendid armorial garments, yelled in
black, her six yards long cloak held by
children, Is In the foreground of the pro-
cession close TO the bier, and holds out
her hand for the ring, which Richard, in
a red cloak, his sword in his hand, has
induced her 10 let him put ON her finger"
Immersed i'm all this mediaevalism Mr..
Abbey must be enjoying himself hugely,
the more 30 as this great picture is warm
ly praised by discriminating comrades OF
his who nave seen IL. The last part of
his work for the Boston Library goes on
and nears completion. In the first of the
scenes now under way, Galahad, on his
horse, i'm his quest for the Holy Grail,
meets the "Loathly Damsel' on the edge
of the wood with a dead knight In her
lap. In the next scene he fights the sew
en- knights in front of the Castle Of the
Maidens. The mGidens were virtues whom
the seven knights had shut up in the
castle. The seven knights are in dark
clothes, and Galahad, In red, is whopping
them all. The next scene shows Galahad,
the deliverer, in the castle, with nine
teen feet of liberated virtues flock
ing about him and holding out
their hands for him to kiss. This
surely is n picture that will interest Mr..
PadeTewski, and afford him the solaoe OF
knowing that other men before himself
have earned the wholesale appreciation OF
the fair. -Harper's Weekly.