Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-04-26
PRACTICAL WORK
IN The COUNTY
negro SCHOOLS
EXHIBITS HERE YESTERDAY
At Americas Institute Showed
Progress Made

interesting eXnlDltS OF what the
children in the colored schools oil
Sumter county are doing along indus
trial line were made at the Americas
Institute yesterday.
Exceedingly interesting was this
Industrial Fair" as it was called,
showing, as it does the aptitude dis
played by the children and the wide
range that is being given to the work
of educating their brains and hands
along useful lines in cooperation with
the work of the schools in other di-
rections.
| In cooperation with the exhibits Of
these public county schools for the
negro children were some displays of
the work done by the pupils of the
Americas Institute, which may be said
to have reached out its influence to
assist the colored children of the
county directly and in manner that
must rebound to their lasting benefit
This is the second exhibit of this
kind that has been held since this
work was undertaken with the ap-
prevail and commentator of the
Sumter County School board From
| the Anna T. Jeaness fund, large
amount left by a Philadelphia for
! rural school work, among negroes of
the South, the salary of competent
woman is paid, who devotes seven
| months every year to organizing chill
| dren, interesting their parents, and
| training both teachers and children in
useful arts. The exhibit year ago
was small, only seven or eight schools
being represented. This year thirty
or more of the forty colored schools
of the country districts were repre-
sented The exhibits. in comparison
with last year showed decided
| progress and reflected great credit on
the system and the advance made by
the children.
Included in the exhibits were spec
linens of basket making, chair can
! ing and numerous evidences of what
the children can do in the making of
useful and ornamental sewing. Aprons,
| blouses, shirtwaists, underwear, bags
of various kinds, bed spreads, table
| covers and numerous other articles.
furnished ample evidence of the good
work that has been done with the
children in preparing them for the
work of life.
Superintendent Moore and Chairman
Hillyer, of the County. Board of Edu-
cation and w. P. Wallis, Ecq,
spent two hours at the school going
over the exhibits. Probably six hun
dred children were gathered at the In
| stitute together with large num-
Der of teachers, the day having been
made a holiday in all the colored
schools. Supt Moore addressed the
assemblage, giving them encourage
ment, speaking highly of the improve
ment that was manifested, and eX-
pressing the belief that there was no
reasonable person who could object to
the time expended in training the chill
| dren in this way He felt satisfied thai
| the work would be expanded until
eventually every girl and boy would
receive some practical manual train.
ing as they passed through the public
! schools that would be of lifelong SER
! vice Judge Hillyer expressed his graf
ificatfon at the showing made and Mr..
! Wallis spoke briefly on the necessity
tof both races in the South pulling to-
gether that this section may be made
a veritable garden that God designed
| it to be. He stressed the necessity
of the colored race Developing high
or ideal in life and endeavoring 10
educate themselves along the lines of
purity, sobriety and industry.
In the Americas Institute exhibit
We're some fine evidences of the skill
of the pupils there in millinery work.
in practical dressmaking and in cook
ing.
Principal Reddick, who has hal
charge of the exhibits since the move
ment was inaugurated, is confiden;
that the introduction of this practical
training in all the country schools, and
the stimulus that will be given to II
In every way by his Institute, will
mean much for the betterment of tha
ace in coming years. Unquestionably
the exhibits of the childrens work
during the present school term We're
surprising both by reason of their va
riety and the general excellence Of
the work
To support Underwood in Georgia
md boost Harmon in Ohio is treach-