Evening star., 1896-08-04
A SCHOOL EXHIBITION
Trustees Make an Estimate for an
Annual Display.
ONE RESULT OF TEACHERS BAZAAR
To Show the Work Of Pupils in All
Branches.
P A r ENTS INTERESTED

P A r ENTS ESTED
Among the estimates submitted to the
Commissioners by the board of school trus-
tees the other day was an item Of s., 800
for the purpose of holding an annual ex-
| hibition in this city illustrative of the work
in progress of the Washington public
schools. This proposition is an outgrowth
of the teachers bazaar, which was held
Just before Christmas last winter in aid of
the annuity association, which included,
among other interesting features, the par
tial exhibit of the work of the public
schools in the departments of sewing and
| manual training, which attracted surprised
attention from all Who attended the great
fair. After the bazaar closed, the teachers
reported very general awakening Of in.
terest among parents in the affairs of
the schools, and their visits became much
more common than before being traceable
to the new light which they had obtained
as to the work being done through the me-
dium of the fair
There has never been a distinctiyely
school exhibition of this sort in the Dis
trlct. Some years ago it was the custom
10 nave the pupils prepare samples of their
work In penmanship and composition for
exhibition at the Franklin School at clos
Ing time. but beyond the displays sent to
other cities in connection with the great
worI5.s rair tha.e 80 e n ma aiu .ie
accomn,sha,d ~ ts,a IH IT, aeay petn iio.nii.s
the establishment for the development of
the manual training features of the local
dsnartments ns nrni,oti,sa w ~ as these
snfts =, s,'ah e ,t ~ ouueeise vi tne pest re,
years been thought to be most unfortunate
tnat there was no opportunity to make
'"ei Oil e~ioi'ioh
Proposition Made.
The matter. however. came ,o M focus
,,n.u ~ .o,., o
i e 'eoe"eis pa]aai gave the schooi
authorities an opportunity to make dis
play in a limited way, and the exhibitions Of
manual training work were votad Tho p,os,
;ntere.,,n- f..,,,ros -, 49, .o,s ms
cent meeting Of tha compitta. nm u,.,s an.
| means Of the board of trustees the sugges-
tlon was made that If srything were ever
~ . ne tone along th!s me the present was
and accordinrIv nrnnnsition ~ ~,en me- ~ nesh
| to include an item of about sl'IW in the
annual budget. The full board unanimous
~ agreed to the plan. and the item was
sent TO the Commis sioners and will be Wig
orously seconded next winter. when the
District bill Is under consideration in Con-
gress.
So far no details have been arranged or
even considered by the trustees for the ex-
POSITION. for it is case of first securing
the appropriation before beginning to make
specific plans. Some thought, however. has
teen casually devoted to the subject hy
some of the school authorities. and one OF
| that the main idea was to have an exhihi.
| ton In some convenient place. such as
Central or Convention Hail With a ereat
floor space. The best time for such a dis.
play 1t Is thought would he at or near the
close of the school wear. 80 as to make the
exhibition emblematic of the work done
| during that period. 1t might he advisable
| said the trustee, to give the exhibition dur,
| ing the closing week which is always
| broken by commencement exercises All
| that Is desired, however is to give the mar
ents of the school children a chance to see
| what is being done and to annraci.te tbo
| value Of the work bv the resI,lts accon,e
| plished
| ~ n
"a" Dep" menus 10 ContriDute.
This. he continued, would not necessarily
confine the exhibition To the manual train
I'M, don, rtr,an,s A. 80 to,aha.. -
.n We uepa. ."e teac"eis paZaar
.ne p,essu'e on 'ne space was 50 great as
| to make 1t necessary for the school display
| to be limited to such articles that had a
| salable ya1ue and berca IN. sh., ,,-or,-
of the hovs and tho seU,nn ~ ~. str,s
could only he shown Tbere H,.s 80,
deal in addition TO these txo cIaesss Of
| work that could annronriatelv and nrof,,o.
bly be shown each snrine- and there is
! no doubt whatever that a really instruct
1 q nm,
MIGHT ha assembled withn,,t th. axnan9i
ture of ertraordinsrv efforts On ~ ~ s.. ~,
The n,,niis az O' tha ,s.ehors vi me par. oi
pated that most of the work can be done
ho,rs d ,m th. course a;.. 1a tae regular school
need he nut nnon tho n,snay.tinn - .he
display
Another end that may be attained by
suen an annual % showing OF the work OF the
stimu;ation of whn1asnma snirit ., anu ~
valry between the schools and the al
| visions In the elaboration of the idea #
is probable that two main plans of making
the display will be proposed-to cIassifY
the exhibits according to their Characters
or to group them according to the di
visions from which they are sent. By the
former plan the competition between the
schools would be practically prevented
while the exhibition would gain in sym-
| metry and convenience of examination.
On the other hand. it is thought that more
would be secured for the good of the
schools by establishing a friendly rivalry
between the suborganizations of the school
system that would stimulate both teachers
and pupils to their best efforts and supply
| In measure the good features of the old
and long-abandoned plan of giving prizes
ana certificates of merit at the end OF the
i ntNol