Evening star., 1901-05-23
Annual Exhibit by the Business High
School.
METHODS OF TEACHING EXPLAINED
WeIl-Known Officials and Edu-
Gators View the Specimens.
THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION


room work done by Business High School
students drew many persons to the school
building last night 1t was the most am
bilious imposing and complete exhibit ever
shown by this school. and the first one pre-
sented independently of the other high
schools. Walls and blackbOards were yelled
under examples of typewriting. stenosra-
ply, arithmetic bookkeeping, penmanshlp.
mechanical drawing and other products OF
the skill and industry Of the pupils. The
room occupied by the classes In English,
commercial law and commercial history and
geography were papered with samples Illus
trating the studies pursued there. Princi-
pal Allan Davis and corps of instructors
were engaged IN pointing out bits of strik-
ingly worthy endeavor. in telling of the
subjects taught. and in explaining the
methods employed in tutoring the youth
committed to their guidance.
Many persons of local distinction viewed
the exhibit. There were many spectators
who are Interested In that system of educa-
tiOn which imparts to students practical
equipment for business life. Ms is usual,
q large percentage Of those present had
personal interest in the exhibitors. Among
those who came early and departed late
was H. B F. Macfarland, president of the
Board of District Commissioners A ma
jority Of the board OF education attended,
and the business element In Washington
was represented. Among the well-kncwn
educators present were DIR. Francis Ransom
Lane director OF the high schools of the
District Mr.. Percy Hughes, principal OF
the Central High School; Miss Wescott.
principal Of the Western High School, ard
Mr.. johnson, principal OF the Eastern High
School.
Teachers and students laid emphasis upon
the statement that the exhibits presented
were specimens Of actual classroom work,
and were given to the view of the public as
they had been delivered by the students to
the teachers. The exhibits had undergone
no 'tOuching-up process.
Work of Typewriters.
The first room on the right Of the east
entrance contained the typewriting exhibit
Forty machines rested In rows on desks,
and on this battery OF typewriters 400
young persons practice. The need Of a
larger number of machines was urged by
The teachers. Dia grams illustrative Of the
course OF training hung along the walls
showing the graduation of the work from
elementary exercises to complex studies
Admirably executed tabular work was in
evidence. Miss Butler who is in charge of
the typewriting department, said a just
proportion of the time of the students was
given to diCtatiOn and in this manner side
lessons in grammar were taught Advanced
students ira 1Scribe first from engraved
shorthand and at last from their own
Shorthand.
In the room devoted to the classes in
commercial law, and over which Miss Gra- |
ham rules. the walls were covered with |
deeds in fee deeds of trust. releases. pow |
ers of attorney, bonds. contracts, leases !
and various other Instruments, the printed /
forms of which have been duly written in |
by the students Mechanical drawings also |
hung upon the walls of this room. Ma
chimes were shown In whole and In detail. |
There were isometriC and photographic !
views cycloids and comic sections.
In the room in which penmanship is
taught there Were dextrously executed
pieces OF penwork by z. A Steel the
teacher charge Of NIL
pills. Some of the noteworthy examples Of !
Mr.. Steel's art are pen etchings of the |
statute Of Ethan Allen in Statuary Hall. |
the Lafayette monument and scenes ct !
Mount Vernon. Many writing exercises
were shown on the walls.
Mathematical Department.
The room In which the classes in arith- |
metic are instructed by Mr.. E. L. Thurs
ton. Mr.. Charles Hart, Miss Hazelton and |
Miss McNelly contained some Of the lead !
ing features of the exhibit. The pupils here |
begin their course with a review Of COM
mon. complex and decimal fractions and !
then are pushed rapidly by short processes !
through percentage interest. true and bank
discount, partial payments. profit and loss |
etc Much Of the time is given to the men /
tai solution of problems. Actual business
forms are used. Estimates on practical
construction and repair work are prepared
bills are made out and accounts settled In
the preparation of certain of the estimates
the boys have obtained their basic tnforna
tion from certain public officials. business
men and contractors. whose names are
shown at the foot of the estimates as au-
thority FOR certain data on which the stu
dents have built
some OF the propositions in applied work
which the students submitted and which
formed a part Of the exhibit are a sched
ule for a street railway. the cars TO run
at hve-minute intervals between a. m. and
midnight: a schedule for street sweep,ns:
a comparison of the cost of merchants de- |
livery by automobile and horse and wagon.
card index record of supplies for bus.
mess house: a system of letter marking and
Key FOR merchants use
Commercial History and Geography.
Miss Robinett's class in commercial his
tory and geography offers scores of credit
able essays on practical topics. In the
history Of commerce the students have dis |
cussed the PhOenicians and other mari |
time traders of ancient times, the bar
barian invasions and the commercial de-
Felo.Inent through madiaeval and modern
periods The subject of colonization in
It's relation TO commerce is discussed by
number OF High School essayists There
hung on the walls OF this room charts
showing ocean routes the lanes Of the
great liners railroad systems in the United
states and the cotton. grain cattle sheen
Coal Iron. copper and timber districts ana
their shipping centers.
StenoRraphic Art
In the shorthand department which is
presided over by Miss Burns Miss Culver
Mrs Merrill. Miss Merrilatt and Mrs Cor
don, the various stages OF the stenographic
art were illustrated from the painful "p''
B period to that of the very brief out
line and the long, but legible, phraseograrn
"A great amount of actual work under the
closest approach possible to service condi-
tons IS done by these students and their
notes are remarkable for neatness and
readloNity. Students In stenography are
also given side lessons in grammar and
the proper use Of quotation MARKS aud
pluraIs and pOssessives is insisted upon
business letters and good literature are
dictated Many legal papers prepared by
students show the exercise Of care patti
ence and general signs of intelligence ana
Intelligent instruction. There have also
been prepared patent specifications 1raw-
inss. oaths and caveats. which hav. been
commented for their excellence by Mr.
Moore, assistant commissioner of patents
study of English.
There are exhibited IN the department of
English many essays and bOnafde inter-
views obtained by the students with prom