The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-16
TOGROW TO GREATNESS
If the COlOred Industrial School
Receives Encouragement
1t May Become as Famous as
Booker WashingtOn's.
Has Now Been Opened Less Than a
Week and is Prospering Edward
Stephens to be Married No
vember "a

day. He didn't look like a very inn
portant man, but if he succeeds in car f
rying out the plan he brought with
him that day he may yet prove to be F
Of considerable Importance to Topeka f
and perhaps Kansas and the west
His name was Edward Stephens and I
ne came from Boston with the idea T
OF establishing in Topeka, If he could. [
an industrial school to make men and I
women Of intelligence and refinement I
Of colored boys and girls.
With him came a young woman, Miss {
lie Hlddleks also from Boston, and to- I
gether they started in a very small T
way IN little frame house near the /
south end Of Washington street There I
We're but a few pupils to start with, /
but the promoters were not discOur-
aged, and it was not long until some /
Of the most prominent white people +
Of Topeka came to their rescue with (
funds and the institution was incOr- [
porated under the state law.
The institute then removed to rooms 4
near Second street on Kansas avenue !
and there it remained until about a
month ago. when the corporation /
bought the Lull building at 1925 kan /
sas avenue and two and one-half lots +
beside it,
The building is brick and stone one 1
of two stories, with two large rooms
below and several smaller ones above !
In the south room upstairs which
IS almost half the floor. is the main
school room Here each morning .
cOlOred boys and girls of ages ranging
from 10 9 sit about in a circle on lit
tie red chairs that are just their size
and are taught the kindergarten work
by Miss R1ddlck, assisted by Miss Mary
Jordan.
The board Of directors Of the insti-
tute numbers seven. JOab AIulvane is
president, J. B. Larimer vice president,
Robert stone secretary Mrs L ..
( Case treasurer and the other directors
are Dr. 6. P. Howard, Mr.. Stephens
and Miss Riddick-
The kindergarten is also a member
Of the kindergarten association. of
which Mrs. T. Z. Bowman is the head.
Most Of the children that attend are
+ the sons and daughters of poor parents
that desire their children shall be
something more to themselves and the
community than idlers or mere fgnor-
ant plOdders. Most of them, Mr. Ste
+ phens said, while poorly dressed are
I cleanly ana studious- The work Of this
klnQergalr len IS the same as lnar or
the white kindergar1ens- In another
part of this room AR Stephens teaches
at the same time a small class of larger
boys and girls in the common branches.
This is called the literary class and
the study for its junior years IS as fol-
lows. Bible. arithmetic, grammar,
geography, history. music and the in
dustria1 lessons The middle term Of
this class studies the Bible. single en-
try bookkeeping, English composition,
zoology. general history, music and the
/ Industrial lessons The spring term
includes all of these and civil govern
ment, which is added.
The senior class studies in the fall
term the Bible, advanced bookkeeping,
political economy, English composition,
mental science and culture. English lit
erature, music and the industrial les
sons. The spring term includes the
Bible, moral philosophy. political econ
omy United States constitution, men
tai science and culture, music and the
industrial lessons and a general re-
view.
..T+ e.; ,,,- n s-,, 70 ..7,.,e "a r,,+ only H.,
intelligence but in morals as WE'LL
says Mr. stephens.
The afternoons are devoted to the in
dustrial lessons referred to and the
evenings to study. In addition TO this
there are regular lectures on hygiene
by DR.. Howard and the pupils are re-
quired to take notes on them in COM
petition for prizes for the best alb
stracts of the lectures
The industrial branches VIII Include,
as soon as they can be formed. car
pentering tailoring, shomemaking,
blacksmirhing. bricklaying, printing.
gardening and family and household
duties
Sewing is also taught in a graded
course Of three years, from sewing on
buttons to dressmaking-
Across the Shunganunga creek to
the south is the school farm of Ie acres
Here the boys are to be tught agr1cul-
ture and gardening
A chance is offered all students in
the industrial work TO reap a part of
the financial benefits derived from this
work IF it is sold the student IS given
from 10 to SO per cent Of the proceeds,
as his ability warrants The balance
goes TO the support of the school
The Industrial lessons are to be given
in one of the two big rooms below and
in some Of the smaller ones on the Sec
ond floor.
Though the work in the kindergarten
and common branches departments is
going on now the Industrial department.
is not yet organized in the new quar-
tiers.
The cooking course Is also for three
years. The first includes all whole
some dishes suited to the healthy life
Of a family of limited means. The sec
ond is designed to ut young women for
the requirements of general cooking
and the third prepares for the position
Of trained cook. This department occu-
pies one OF the large down stairs rooms
and is superintended by Mrs. Hattie
Landea, a sister Of Miss Fiddiclk. and
herself a trained cook
The fun term of the institute opens
on the last Thursday of September and
closes on the last Thursday in May.
one Of the most interesting of the fea-
lures of the institute is the Mothers
meetings which are held in the large
class room each Friday afternoon 1t
was fnaugurated but short time ago
and at the first meeting but three
mothers We're present AT the second
meeting there were 20 and the number
now reaches 40
At these meetings Miss Riddick pre-
sides but the mothers are expected to I
do the bulk of the talking. The moral
training Of children is here discussed +
what is the best course to pursue in the +
matter Of selfish. quarrelsome, stupid, F
negligent or untruthful children, etc
In this class, as it might be called +
are women as young as p and grand F
mothers Of so years Some who attend f
are not mothers AT all.
On Sunday afternoon a gospel song F
service is attended BY all the students. /
Art and music are part of the in
stitute but in no case is a child allowed /
TO waste his time studying in any Z
branch in which he or she has no apti- 4
tude-