New-York tribune., 1906-05-06
FRIENDS SCHOOL WORK.
Chldren's Efforts IN Manual Train
ing Exhibited i1 Brooklyn.

The Frisnds School IN Schermsrhorn street.
Brooklyn. is under the care OF the Quakers. but
one would guess that II he were 20 Judge by
the bright colOrs shown In the handwOrk at the
annual exhibition held there Friday. The new
building in which the school Is conducted e simple
and digniAed. but IS suggestive Of the modern
French architecture rather than that oT the
quaint meeting house that Is Immediately adiOin-
ing. Inside IL is shown that Quakers progress
ive rather than old fashioned. and especially go Ga
their educational work
The school Is not religious but Is a preparatory
day school for boys and girls. Il Is strictly CO.
educational, and IN the classrooms ana except
with the older children, on the Fairgrounds, boys
and girls together. and are like a large family
Beginning with the kindergarten. the most strsle-
ing work Is the freehand cutting large sheet
Of black paper is given each child and, without
any pattern. true-to-life figures are cut ont with
scissors. They are then mounted on gray or black
cardboard. The blacksmith. with his horse and
forge. knight and various animals were easily
distinguished
The weaving Of paper mats Is an ola story. bue
IN the kindergarten and the next classes small
rugs woven OF rahia and mercerized cotton ezcits
interest and are In demand with the girls who
have doll houses.
Nine Argand and her sister, who studied kinder
garten work In Paris. on Friday commented favor
ably on the use OF nature material, such as seeds
leaves and small twigs. These were grouped on
paper in merely beauty patterns or were strung
to make necklaces. These materials are not Sc
walton.
IN the regular grades the most remarkable show
Ing was IN the correlation Of subjects; Thus, 9
lesson In writing worked In with the history and
also with the art department A child would have,
Tor example, a composition on Egypt. The front
cover shows the Egyptian hag perhaps map. and
sketch OF the Sphinx head. The composition 1s
judged for good wrtttng correct information, gen
ere1 descriptive style, etc. Even the children OF
eight years illustrated their stories which were
usually OF NEUROLOGICAL or historical characters or
events.
The clay modelling. begun In the kindergarten,
continues through the next tew gredes. and this,
kindergarten child perhaps makes an elephant, or
q farmer, boat, while the etght-year-Old makes
a group showing Hercules az the Wine Casl,' 80
1.-THE Stag Killed by Hercules" "a CentaurR The
modelling IS crude, and detail is omitted entirely
but many of the figures have most ufelke positions
The art work in the exhibition included pen and
ink designs for book covers, color and craYOn
sketches Of flower studies, landscape. stl life and
the human figure.
The manual training room looks like uD-tc-
date cabinet factory. There are dozen work
benches, each fitted with q complete Of car
penter's tools. The children start with simpls
mortising and mitring In soft wood, then take up
the dOvetail joint and finally make finished articles
such as picture frames, glove boxes, bOOkracza.
tabOurets and chairs, and these built for hard
use The girls do this just well the boys.
The music wasn't on exhibition. but there are
three pianos IN the building. and Il looks though
the Quakers had forgotten the ways OF Their
fathers.