The evening bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1887-1905, 1896-06-06
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
They Rank With the Very Best-Work
of the Pupils in Form Study
and Drawing.

There is noticeable to-day throughout
the country a growing improvement in
the public school system,-a transition
from a narrower to broader curriculum,
and the city of Maysville seems not to
be lacking in the spirit of the times.
The public schools do not exist to
make specialists in any department, but
they should exist to reveal to the child
the powers OF his being, to open to him
the doors OF earth's treasure-house.
The lecture course instituted some
eight years ago in connection with the
High School has been of invaluable
benefit to all, bringing to our doors such
scholarly men as Miller, Vincent, Willets
and ORell, and while it has given us
these charming lectures at nominal
prices it has also maintained itself and
placed books in our library.
Last October a class, including a
majority of the teachers, was organized
for the study OF physical culture this
class was under the direction of an eff
cient teacher from Emerson College,
Boston.
Five years ago, awake to the needs OF the
present day, the School Board introduced
form study and drawing into the High
School. This move in the right direction
was followed three years later by the in
&rNI,,otiAp nf Arou-;,,O Mt ha nj
schools thus placing us on the same
plane with similar institutions in larger
cities.
The work now on exhibition in the
Public Library is the result of this pro-
gress and is an exhibit OF which we as a
city may well be proud.
The drawings and the color work are
mounted on gray pasteboard mats, max
ing a pleasing effect. The work of the
little children is especially interesting
showing that drawing is combined with
other studies.
The composition on the cat, with the
sketch from life, is only one of the many
stories that are illustrated. a number
OF rhymes easily discernible to those OF
us who have not quite forgotten our
" Mother Goose" are brought out in
paper-cutting; among these are "Jack
be nimble, Jack be quick" "The old
woman that went up in a basket ninety
times as high as the moon,"" Dickery,
dickery dare" and several others. Among
the cuttings are the fables of "The crow
and the pitcher" and "The discontinued
frogs"
The greater part of the clay modelling
has been done by the children in the pri-
mary grades, the modelling being mostly
from the type forms. Every child, play
ing in the sand, shows that he has
slumbering talent for modelling, that
needs only to be awakened and educated.
The High School pupils have still-life
sketches that are well drawn, and several
pieces in surface decoration that are car
ried out with colored paper. The Egypt
ian lotus is conspicuous in tints and
shades OF red-brOwn.
We find that one or two of our manu-
featuring companies have wisely inter-
ested the pupils in making working
drawings Of their productions.
The object of this study in our schools
is not to make artists but skilled work.
men and to broaden the character of
every girl and boy who may come under
its influence.
Few will become artists but all may be-
come artistic in the sense that their eyes
are opened to see the beauties of nature.
"What difference whether this bit of
river bank is mine or thine-I see it
daily. | drink in its beauty, inhale the
fragrance OF its flowers, take to heart its
lessons OF peace and in this appreciation
| own the best this precious bit OF earth |
and water can give, and it is mine"
Judge Hutchins.