The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-17

have been made are attested by the
interesting exhibition that was made at
the State Fair this week, where a group
of sightseers was gathered continuously
to inspect the display.
A beginning is made with the tiny
tots in the primary grades who learn
to make all kinds of interesting things
with folded paper-familiar objects that
recall the not distant nursery days-dolls,
chairs, tables and a wealth of other
things which entertain and at the same
time develop whatever of the artisan
may be in the child. This Is followed
with gradual steps through the stages
of basketry, sewing, wood carving. or
knife work and iron turning until in
the high school one finds the pupils
building furniture that would be credit
to a eraftsman's shop. There is a forge
room in the school where the iron work
is done and with a class of boys at
work each at his red-hot forge the great
room suggests a huge blacksmith shop
At the fair one may see many evidences
of the skill of these young artisans,
some of the prettiest examples being
screens, tables, tabourettes and corner
brackets, which are developed in wood,
carved and polished.
1t Is in the drawing done IN the
schools, however, that improvement may
be most clearly noted, for while the
manual work is superb, 1t was one of
the branches that marked the advent
of the special teacher while drawing
has been a part of the schools always,
but undeveloped until the coming of
the special teacher. Mr.. Dimmitt, the d.
rector of drawing and manual arts, was
preceded by Mr.. Woodward, who fol-
lowed Miss LaTrace of Canada, the
q, WI ",
first supervised the work alone, but so
vast has been the growth in the schools
that an assistant was deemed a neces-
sity several years ago and now he has
quite a corps of assistants, including
Mrs. Eldred, who supervises the work
In both manual training and drawing
in the public schools of the city: Mr..
Harvey, Mr.. Jarvis and Miss Gibson
In the high school and Miss Belle Co.
mer who this year assumed the super
vision of the work In the Greater Blr-
mingham schools.
Though Mrs. Eldred IS deeply inter-
ested in the manual work she evidently
is partial to drawing. She is essentially
artistic as her water color and pastel
sketches show. She has dabbled in paints
she says, always, thus the mechanical
work is now not as attractive to her
as the color work and pen and ink
sketches that the children are so de-
lighted with. To the stranger the art
work in the schools is a revelation
Crayons were introduced two years ago
when Miss Brace, one Of the most cul-
tured and charming teachers that the
schools have had, came to be Mr. Dim
mitts assistant. She was followed by
Mrs. Eldred and then the crayon work
was augmented by water colors for the
children beginning with the sixth grades
The results in the sketch classes are
surprising. Beginning with the tiny tots
the pupils draw from nature and life
This is probably more interesting but
no more important or beneficial than
the designing work that is inspiring
many clever decorators of the future
Mrs. Eldred is doing much for the young
people In the schools by inspiring In them
love for the really beautiful and the
artistic rather than the gaudy. Her
own youth and buoyaney is a great aid.
She has taught for several years. how
ever in the schools of ST. Louis and
In Michigan, her own state. and Is splen
didly prepared for her work.
lt is good to know that the nuhItc
schools are keeping pace with the pro-
gress In other affairs in our city. This
department and the music are probahlv
more conspicuous than any other branch
OF work but improvement is no less an
parent in all Others.