The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-07
EXHIBIT AT SCHOOLS
MANUAL TRAINING IN SELMA
 INSTITUTIONS.
Great Progress Made During the Past Year Under the Leadership of Harry Reid-Central
 City News.
AdvertIser Bureau.

Advertiser Bureau,
 Selma, May 6.
 Today was exhibition day in the manual training department of the public schools oI Selma and hundreds of friends ana patrons of the school visited the Dallas Academy and the Baker School and saw samples of the excellent work that the pupils have doEe.
 The progress of the new department Is ,aniis, admirable: Though the rudiments ,sI SI schools for two years the instruction until the present session had been rather desultory, there being no system through out the schools. During the last sum. the faculty studied manual training and when the schools began work last Octo- Der regular curriculum was arranged, and the instruction Is now graded. Re- gently. too. the trustees have engaged Harry Reid to supervise the study and under. Mir. Reid's guidance the teachers have been able to lead their charges with more ease and efficiency to fine concep- ton of the purpose and a remarkable skill In the practice of this scholastic in-
 A year ago Professor R. E. Hardaway. principal of the schools. inspected the systems of manual training in Atlanta and other cities and recognizing the ad- vantages to be derived from its installa- ton in the schools under him recom- mended to the board of trustees that they adopt the method. This was done, but the adoption has necessarily been followed by a gradual development of the idea and though much has been accom- plished the entire course has not been perfected. But already benefits have re- suited and the training of the hand and the eye has been proven to be highly conducive to accuracy in all kinds of school work.
 In the Baker School on Dallas and Washington Streets the exhibition of work was in one hall, under the super vision of the principal, Miss Mamie Ware. Miss Elizabeth Cleveland and Miss Anna Creach, the pupils take up the simpler forms of work. but their achievements were interesting. Drawing and writing and paper folding occupy the greater part clay has been added to the cirriculum and some fine examples of their work were shown. The pen and ink and crayon pictures were especially admirable and indicate as well the care and interest of teachers. Next highest. the third and the fourth grade. under Miss Mary Young. displayed more skill and ingenul- ty as might be expected from their older years and longer training. The improve ment in drawing especially was noticea- bie and the more difficult tasks of paper cutting and cardboard construction, which are by geometrical rule and line ana not aC dlf easy, gave SNtuSHco oi careful instruction. In the higher grades of the school. taught by Miss Ware. the pupils tasks were more difficult, but they were done as expertly as in the lower grades. Fine examples of raffia and reed work, including involved and beautiful designs in baskets and hats, and wonder full needlework were indicative of the ac- complishments of the girls while the sloyd work and carpentry of the boys showed that they had acquired great skill.
 The work of pupils of Dallas Academy was similar to that of the Baker School The first and second grades under Mrs. M. E. McVoy and Miss Eudora Connolly had on exhibition some fine examples oi clay modelling. drawing and writing. The drawing showed remarkable ingenuity of design and skill of workmanship, ar illustration of 'The Village Blacksmith being quite original. The third, fourtf and fifth grades, taught by Miss Georgis Wade, Mrs. Mary Knight and Miss Elm ma Arthur, displayed excellent advance ment and their raffla and reed design: | were especially fine. The pupils of tht | sixth and seventh grades under Mis-, | Mary Force and Miss Agile Davis showed | increased proficiency in all lines of worl | and their exhibition was of the greates credit to themselves and their instruc | tors. The climax of the exhibition ant | the display of the finest work was in tn, l eighth grade and in the high school | Through the instruction of Miss Grac' l Jones' Miss Frances Higgins. Miss Alt; | Chapman and Miss Kate Edmond tn, scholars had perfected themselves in al
 and reed work, and the needle work wa