The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-15
MADE BY TINY FINGERS.
EXHIBITS or THE HORE DOVE IN
IHE " CA1ION SCHOOLS.

SkIN SHOWN Nv hONA nnu SiFlh ErO" "
Tenement Houses OF This City-ThinEs
il THAT Boys Have Done Instead of shoot
Ing C~raps-Smali Girls Who Can sew.
There is n now kind of exhibit In town. 10
has been for.About ten days in IA room in the
building of the United Charities on Fourth
avenue. 1t ia the work of thousands of busy
little fingers that dctrauded Satan last sum-
mer of the work hs finds for idle hands.
The scheme OF opening vacation schools for
the.thousands of poor.cfty children who navo no
holiday retreshmcnt by tho soashorc or among
the hills is a success. If the eagorness with
which the children have sought admission to
the schools and the work they have done there
moan anything. Tho idea originated with w.
Ware Locke, who, as a representative OF the
Association for tho Improvement OF the Con-
dition of the Poor, proposed a plan OF ~CoBpera-
ton with tho Board Of Education. The plan
has been in operation three years. Six of the
city schools have been rented In tho summer.
and children have been instructed there for
six of tie hottest weeks in subjects calculated
to make thom forget even the heat. No toxt
books have been used. for the work must seem
os difrerent as possible from ordinary school,
room lrudzcry. The instruction has been
largely In kindergarten work. In carpentry.
clay modelling, drawing, sewing, and other
forms OF manual exercise.
Tho children who attend the vacation schools
arc all under fourteen. rs in the families to
which they belong there are few above that
age who do not work for their aaily living.
The visitor finds 1t hard TO believe, however,
that some of the work exhibited is the crea-
t!on OF children Of so few years.
Unc table Is covered with crude but hopeful
specimens of carpentry. Howard. Townsend,
who Is Chairman of the Associations Depart
ment Of Schools and Institutions. offered last
summer two pri2es-one Of So. another of 81
for the best piece OF work made by the little
carpenters. Tho prize was taken by a boy
who. in making u box, displayed skill In FASH
ioning dovetail joints. The second prize fell
to n small child for the excellent mortiss and
tenon Joint OF a little gate that was the work
Of his tiny hands. All sorts of joints and
wood patchwork bear witness to the skill the
boys have acquired in the handling of tools.
One child has fitted together two.uneven blocks
OF hard wood with as much exactness and
n~eatncss as If his material had been soft and
plant as calico. A well-shapcd, well-planed
panel is the work ola girl not yet In her teens.
In cases along the wall are specimens of the
chtldren's work in clay modelling. some of it
that some of the little fingers were directed by
minds endowed with creative power and hap
py in finding expression for 1t. Birds and
beasts of more or less peculiar anatomy arc
there, but several heads OF lions. and dogs. and
wolves. are eXt client. Out of black Venetian
wire some Of the boys have created artistic
objects. such as candlesticks ant small hang
lnE lamps, that LOOK almost as II they were
The walls OF the room are we'll covered
with specimens Of the pupils skill in drawing.
Colored maps of many parts OF the earth'e
surface are there. Some of the free hand
drawing shows originality, and all of the con-
taite. 4. girl OF thirteen has made an origi-
nal design for a frie1e. whose dragon heads
are set in scrolls. Another girl has designed
n pretty pattern for wall paper. some archi-
t~ectrral drawings are displayed. An, archi-
OF his pupils could do as well. The sewir z eX-
hibit is Of a high order, The children appear
know about plain sewing-how to fold and
AMI TO tuck, and gather and stitch and EN-:
broider simple Vaste-ns. They have used
their knowledge in making all sorts of articles
variety OF underrarment. sixty quilts were
made last summer; some Of them are rather
lah;lTul showing a!terhhLe piocks Oh req ah9
Around the room is a dado of small gingham
aprons. Each little girl made two. One she
was allowed to keep, and the other was sent
down to the associations seaside home on
Coney Island. A great many towels to be
used by the bathers at that sane seaside homo
have been marked IN rel linen with the letters
~. s. 80 Vacation SchoOls)."
A large bunting flag that was made BY some
OF, the pupils is another suggestion of Coney
one of the stars. The flag was taken down to
the seaside home and , there i was h. hoi ,ts sv,
record on the day before, while the other chill
dren sa1uted IT,.
Inc dllu OF lDe vacation eCHUots 10 % SO
much to make skilled workInen as to form child
character. Boys are taken off the street, where
their most absorbing occupation is playing
craps. and get manual work in which they
take pleasure, Habits Of indepen"ence. order.
attention. industry. and cleanliness are fos-
tered. The association hopes that the success
OF the vacation schools will ultimately induce
tho Board OF Education to extend the man
usl ~trainlnG ana kindergarten instruction in
the public schools.
Last sum- er there were about no. coo attend
ances in the six weeks. For lack Of room 1000
children were turn ed away: So eager we're some
of them TO attend the school that they were
content with standing room, II there were not
seats enough. and some of them took turns with
ono another in occupying seats. 1t Is hoped
that next summer ten of the city schools may
he used. All that prevents such an extension
of the work is lack OF funds. Tho money must
lie raised by the association through private
subscription. as the city. has enough to do to
care for the schools during nine months of the
year. The cost o. the six schools last summer,
with a force Of eighty-aye-. teachers. was
SO. 900. For ten schools next summer q
fund OF $40, 900 will be necessary.