The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1907-05-28
WORK OF STUDENTS
GOOD DISPLAY AT NEGRO NORMAL
SCHOOL.
Exhibition In Connection With Com.
mencement And Anniversary Of
PatersOn's School Which Has
1,10O Pupils Enrolled.

The program celebrative of the
thirty third anniversary and COM
mencement of the State Normal School
for negroes. situated in Montgomery,
continue this week, the program for
yesterday embracing public recitations
and the exhibition of the literary and
industrial work of the 100 students
of the school, and the anniversary of
the literary societies.
Today a general reception to those
interested in the school will be held
and the day has been specially set
aside for the white people whom Pro-
fessor w. B. Paterson. president OF
the institution. will meet and escort
through the grounds and buildings. At
o'clock tonight John Hope, A. b.,
President of Atlanta Baptist College,
will deliver the address at the annual
reunion of alumni. and the commence
ment exercises will take place at 10
o'clock tomorrow morning.
The exhibition of the literary and
Industrial work of the school yester-
day was perhaps the most interesting
feature of the entire commencement.
The work exhibited was not selected
but comprised entire sets of examina-
ton papers of the model school, the
grammar department and the normal
school proper; drawings, modelings in
clay, sloyd work, needle-work of all
kinds. patching, darning, fancy work
and making; herbaria prepared
by members of the botany classes
These specimens were set out in the
section rooms of the main building,
where they were inspected yesterday.
They represented the endeavors OF
,1,iId RON from the aRaa n five or six. in
the lowest grade of the model school,
to the age of nineteen, the average
age of those in the graduating class of
the normal department They were not
only creditable but excellent and in
dictated a remarkable degree of ambi-
ton and care in the pupil and Of in
telligence and painstaking watchful-
ness in the teacher.
In all of the examination papers,
which comprised tests In elementary
branches, English, history, algebra,
geometry. pedagogy. mental philosophy,
moral science and geology there was
steady improvement from year to year,
and in the material exhibitions of man.
ual training the asme increase of skill
was notable.
After seeing the exhibition in the
main building. visitors were conducted
| through the shops, where were shown
admirable examples of the products Of
| the blacksmith shop the wood working
| and wheel wright departments. Chairs,
| desks and chests, and even farm wag-
ons, made completely within the shops,
| were shown.
Few of the people of Montgomery
know just what we are doing" Presi.
dent Paterson said yesterday. I'VE
pay particular attention to normal
training but in no matter what de-
| CT taught
to work The examples set out in
| those shops and in the class rooms
show what skill is being impaired; the
records of the school prove what spirit
is inculcated.
In the official report prepared for
the Legislature just adjourned 1t was
! demonstrated that of the 973 graduates
| of the school resident in Montgomery,
only three have been convicted OF
crime; none of them is a loafer; they
| are carpenters, blacksmiths, painters,
! farmers, teachers, seamstresses, dress
makers But few of them are preach
ers l wish the people of Montgomery
would come to the school and find out
what are our purposes and our accom-
| plishments."
The school was founded in Marion in
| 1874 and soon afterwards was taken
under the States control. 1t was re-
moved in 1887 to Montgomery 1t is
supported by appropriation by the State
and by a share of the Slater Fund.
Its faculty is composed of twenty-nine
teachers, and Its student roll this year
contained more than LOO names
The schools Board of Trustees is
composed of Governor Conner and Hon.
| Harry c. Gunnels, State Superinten-
/ dent of Education. who are its eX -officio
members; Hon. ]. Kirk Jackson, Cap
tain w b Jones, Rev. Neal l.. An
derson D D. and Rev. Charles A Stakely,
d. D. of Montgomery, Hon. H. S. d.
Mallory, of Selma and Hon. ]. NJ. Dav-
idson of Brewton.