Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-05
OPENE D INSTITUTE
NEW WORK AT MANASSAS IN
DUsTRIAL TEACHERS SCHOOL.
Interesting Programs Given During
Past Week for the Advancement
of Better Teaching in Virginia.

=
Manassas Industrial School, located al
| Manassas, Va. for the training of colored
youth, embarked upon new venture dur
ing the past week Efforts are being
| made to build up at the school norma
institute, and the first sessions were held
| Monday and Tuesday. The programs OF
the exercises were as follows:
December 80, morning session-Prayer
hymn. 1.-The Organization of a Rural
School" Mr.. r. c. Bruce. assistant SUI.
perintendent of schools. Washington. D.
G.; "A Days Program in a Rural School,,
Mr.. w. T. B. Williams. Hampton. Va.
Kitchen Garden Work in the Rural
Schools" Mr. w. c. Taylor, Manassas
Va; discussion of preceding, paper, Mir.
John w. White. Manassas. Va.
Afternoon session-"The Place of Indus
tries III the Rural Schools" DIR. w. b.
Evans. principal of the Armstrong Man
| ual Training School. Washington, D. e;
Industries for urls in the Rural
Schools. Mrs. B. l.. White. Manassas
The New Course of Study for Primary
and Grammar Grades" Mr. P W. Glib
son. Manassas.
December 81, morning session-Praycr
nyHiii Mouel Lesson In the reaching OF
Fractions Mr.. A. T. Shirley. Herndon
Va; Model Lesson in the Teaching OF
Grammar" Mr.. P. W. Gibson, Manassas
The Importance of Imparting Adequate
Notions of Physiology and Hygiene in the
Rural Schools DR.. R. A. B. Lloyd, Ma
nassas.
Afternoon session-"Model Lesson in
the Teaching of English MT q. u.
Houston, teacher Colored High and Nor
NAL School. Baltimore. Md; general dis
cussion; report of the committee on reso-
lutions
Evening Observation-Disclosures, Mr.. Joseph
D. Eggleston. state superintendent OF
public instruction.
Declared a Success.
The purpose of the institute was to
bring reiore the teachers of rural north
ern Virginia the best educational thought
about the teachers work, to encourage
the company CT noble men and women
who in 1a.note regions, year after year
are spending themselves to lshten the
dark places ard to give to them the in
SEPARATION which d company of consecrated
workers has to offer.
Letters setting forth the aims and
methods of the institute were sent to the
division sur erlntendents of all the coun-
ties of northern Virginia. Invitations were
SeEt broadcast to teachers in the rural
schools of Prince William and the adjoin-
ing Counties. Favorable replies came from
the uTeTintendents some of whom prom
lsed not only to encourage the attendance
OF the colored teachers under their super
vision but t. be present themselves to
help forward the work of the institute
Responses from teachers at once indi-
Gated that representatives would be pres
ent from all parts of northern Virginia
and such was tn. case.
Through tie mediation of the George G.
Round. i constant friend and helper OF
the Manassas Industrial School, the Vir-
gihil state super;n'en of public in
struction. jose PHI D. Eggieston. jr., ad-
dressed the Institute on the night of De.
cember 81
The Manassas Industrial School opened
wide It's dccis to the visiting teachers
making 10. charge for room, lights, fuel
or use II Classroom and shop equipment
the only charge being for board. In Or
der to reduce to the minimum the ex-
penses o, those attending. the school de-
cidcd 20 serve meals for % cents EACH
The division SupCl ntendents of some OF
the counties interested in the movement
agreed to pay the teachers for the time
they spent in study at the institute, and
a rollcall was made at each session and
the names Of the teachers present sent to
their respective sui erintendents, with the
reccmrne nLat ton that they be paid for the
time THY spent III attendance at the in
stitu.e sessions.
BY all taking part the sessions were re-
garded as great success, and the belief
was expressed that Manassas has made
another step in the uplifting of the rural
negro popuI;li 'o:l. IN which work it has al
ready been SO successful.
School Needs.
The Manassas Industrial School for
Colored Youth is located thirty-three
miles from this city on the battlefield of
Bull Run. 1t is the only school of its
kind in northern Virginia, and the ne
groes of five counties look to it for educa-
tional guidance and uplift. The school.
therefore, meets a real need in the life of
the community in which it is located, and
could render far more comprehensive
service were 1t not hampered by a stand
ing debt OF $500 and by insufficient
means with which to meet the running
expenses.
The school this year has been taxed to
its utmost capacity. three and four stu
dents being crowded into rooms intended
for only two, it's enrolment of ninety
eight students being the largest for years.
The equipment for shops and the trade
instruction has not kept pace with the
increased number of those who have ap-
piled for the trades. All Of the indus
trial shops are overtaxed. The black
smithing and wheelwrighting shops, the
carpentry shop. the laundry and the sew
ing rooms would be able to do their work
with greater effectiveness if they were
equipped with the proper kind of work
ing apparatus. An imperative need is an
industrial building with modern equip
mem for the teaching of the trades, both
for the boys and for the girls.
The school has the Endorsement of Car
roll D. Wright, Edward Everett Hale,
Rev. Percy Stickney Grant, Rev. Minot
J. Savage, Mrs. c. B. Hackley. Miss
Emily Rowland and many other promi-
nent men and women. Mr.. Andrew Car
negie, the Miner board OF Washington
and the Slater board of New York con-
tribute regularly to its maintenance.
President Roosevelt gave the teachers
and students a special audience at the
White House February IA, 1906. and in
an address, to them Endorsed heartily the
kind of education Manassas seeks to give.
OF Jennie Dean, the heroic founder of the
school, he spoke in the highest terms.
The school has tried for fourteen years
to give its students thorough grammar
school education and trade. The gradu-
ates it has sent out have more than jus
titled it's existence. They are teaching in
the schools of the surrounding counties,
and with quickened appreciation of the
meaning of agriculture are conducting
the farms to which they gone back. They
are also found in the ministry, in the
civil service and in shops as well as in
business enterprises of their own.
Bargains are advertised in the Auto
mobile" column of The Star. One cent a
word three times.