The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-05
MINNEAPOLIS INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS
SEWING,
CHURCHES

The years work at the Industrial
schools Is almost over, indeed, Hope and
Riverside have already had their closing
exercises. The schools at st. Marks
Gethsemane and Augustana churches will
continue through the month. All of the
schools except Gethsemane hold their SEES
sions on Saturday morning or afternoon.
The Gethsemane boys and girls meet
Thursday afternoons in the guild room.
1t Is interesting to watch the small boys
and girls struggle with their needles and
thread The needle has such an unpleas-
ant habit of dropping from the fingers and
the thread will knot, but the wee sewers
learn patience and perseverance and the
knots are untangled and the needles
found. It is really wonderfully how
much the mites learn, how neatly they
can seam, hem, cover and over and even
piece a hole. The twentieth century
mother seldom has time to initiate her
children into the mysteries Of the needle
or If she has time is lacking inclnation,'
50 the boys and girls are sent to an in
dustrlal school.
These schools are not new and for over
fifteen years little groups Of workers from
the different churches have been inter-
ested in them. Pupils have grown up and
become teachers in several of the schools.
Other pupils have married and are send
ing small girls of their own. 1t is rather
odd that the children who attend St.
Marks come from Northeast Minneapolis,
while at Riverside and Hope the scholars
live IN the neighborhood.
Mrs. A. w. Abbott is the superinte ndent
of the sewing school at st. Marks. She
has been interested in. the school for fiji
teen years and has taught sister after SIS
ter in the same family proficiency with
her needle. There are about sixty pupils
mostly girls, who gather around the bic
round tables with their bags into which
are slipped the work, thimble and thread
a regular system is followed and as the
miniature garments are made, they are
noted in book which contains a most re-
markable record by the end of the year
Mrs. Abbott's assistants are Mrs. G. Z
Higgins, Misses Durham Kate and Anna
Wells and Burwell. The school is in SEES
sion every Saturday morning from October
until May and the hours from 10 to u are
eagerly looked forward to by the children
In addition to the sewing school there
is cooking school at st. Marks which
girls are not allowed to enter until they
have been In the sewing school for yea
and the class Is limited to eighteen. The
course Is practical and commences will
the boiling Of potatoes. Brolling, roast
ing ana baking receive due attention ant
at the end of the term each of the small
cooks makes something at home to exhib
at the closing lesson, and a prize il
awarded for the best. Last year Mis-
Grace Smith, bright colored girl, wol
the prize with a loaf of bread and thi
year she has been assisting Miss Lii
Frck, the instructor, in the class. Mis-
Prick is graduate Of the Boston coolin
school and in addition to her class a
St. Marks has two classes a week at Unit
church under the auspices Of the Unit
league. The members are young wome
who are employed down town during tn
day
A feature of the Gethsemane guild
the physical work under the direction {
Mrs. Willis A. Cook. Exercises wit
wands dumb bells and clubs and marchin
vary the afternoon. There are fiv
classes in sewing, three in physical e1