FRANCE. The French exhibit was extensive, complete, and systematic. It occupied most of the western half of the southern gallery. Its divisions are shown by the accompanying plan of the space occupied. Normal school material was arranged along the front of the gallery. The arrangement was such It covers the whole field of educational effort in France, from the crèche for infants and the primary school to the cottages, the medical schools, the schools for manual French higher instruction and of the publications of Delagrave. Bureau of Education. labor, and the national schools of decorative arts. The American teacher visiting the crowded gallery containing this exhibit will be struck, first, by the way in which the French carry their love of system into their school work; next, by a certain artistic feeling and indefinable touch of taste in the work of the pupils; and then, most of all, by the many evidences that instruction is carried outside the text-book, as far as possible, to objects and their relations, teaching theories by things and not by sentences learned by rote. SPECIAL OCCURRENCES. TEACHERS' VISITS. The first special event connected with the Department of Education worthy of notice was the visits of teachers to the Exposition at the Christmas holidays. It is to be regretted that the educational exhibits were not all in order and completeness at the time. Those that were ready for inspection were examined by hundreds of teachers whose only op portunity of visiting New Orleans was their holiday vacation. One gathering of teachers at the Exposition was particularly worthy of note. It was a meeting of two hundred from Texas, to listen to an address by Hon. John Eaton, Commissioner of Education, and to be introduced by him to persons in charge of educational exhibits. The line of march was through Ward's Museum, which was described in popular language by its proprietor; to the Christian Brothers exhibit, where Brother Noah, of Amawalk, N. Y., was in charge, and spoke to them of the qualities and lessons of exhibits received, and mentioned others that were expected; to the display of manual training under Prof. John M. Ordway; to the exhibit of physical culture under Prof. Hartvig Nissen; and to the Chautauqua alcove, the exposition home of Prof. E. A. Spring. Teachers did not cease to visit the Exposition during its continuance, and frequently brought their schools or classes with them. The interest shown by New Orleans teachers in the educational exhibits was most commendable. They frequently came, either alone or in groups, often with pupils, and examined the scholars' work, the specimens of draw. ing and writing, the apparatus and text-books suitable for their schools, and other exhibits of peculiar value to actual teachers. INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATORS. An International Congress of Educators was held in connection with the Exposition. The arrangements for it were made by a committee consisting of Hon. M. A. Newell, State superintendent of public instruction, Maryland; Hon. W. T. Harris, LL.D., Concord, Mass.; William H. Payne, A. M., professor of the science and art of teaching, University of Michigan; Hon. Le Roy D. Brown, State commissioner of common schools, Ohio; and Hon. A. Coward, State superintendent of common schools, South Carolina. Abundant reason for holding it existed in the universal interest felt in the Exposition, the natural movement of intelligent people toward it, the facilities for illustration and instruction it possessed, and the great value of combining educational exhibits and theories to produce the most permanent results. The Department of Superintendence held its winter session at the same time. Both meetings were successful and may be reckoned among the events of the Exposition. Committees were appointed to examine minutely the edu cational exhibits and to report on them, that their valuable lessons might be given to the teachers and educators, not only of this country, but also of foreign nations. CHILDREN'S JUBILEE. A "Children's Jubilee" was celebrated on April 10. It consisted of songs by the white school children of New Orleans. The program was: (1) "Let us with a gladsome mind"; (2) patriotic song from the Swiss; (3) Summer, by the girls' high school; (4) America; and (5) Auld Lang Syne, by the young ladies of the high school. The preparation of the children for singing was supervised by Prof. Luther W. Mason. The prime movers in the project were Rev. D. L. Mitchell and Ulric Bettison, Esq., superintendent of city schools. The Management admitted free all who were to participate in the singing. It was estimated that 120 teachers and 4,500 children were present. EDUCATION DAYS. Education days were celebrated on May 12 and 14. The earlier was an occasion for a review of the educational field represented by the exhibits of an educational nature, and afforded an opportunity for expressing the gratitude the friends of education had for the support given that department by the Exposition. The latter education day was in the interests of colored education. Its orators were Southern men who had a practical realization of the need and means of educating the colored race. The occasion was enlivened by the songs of some 1,600 pupils of institutions in the city. A careful examination of the addresses of this day is recommended to students of the race problem in the South. RETURN OF EXHIBITS. At the close of the Exposition the educational exhibits were packed up either by those directly interested in them or by employés of the Department of Education. A circular letter had been sent to the owners of exhibits asking for the address to which each should be returned. Answers to nearly all were received and the exhibits were shipped according to direction, advantage being taken of contracts for the free return of goods on which full freight to the Exposition had been paid. As in collecting exhibits for the Bureau of Education part had been shipped through the Bureau and part direct to New Orleans, so in returning those exhibited by the Bureau there was a choice made between these two methods. Few errors in shipment occurred, and these were remedied when brought to the attention of the proper officials. Many of the foreign exhibits were contributed to the Bureau of Education for its museum. All the Japanese exhibit, large portions of the French and the English exhibits, except those of Professor Stayne, the Sheffield School Board, Th. Nordenfeldt, and Bath, went to the Bureau. The Bath exhibit was given to the museum of. hygiene of the United States Navy Department. The exhibits of Professor Stayne, the Sheffield School Board, and Th. Nordenfeldt were packed, marked, and turned over to the officers of the Exposition to be returned to their owners. FAVORS RECEIVED. It would be impossible to enumerate in full those persons and institutions that have placed the Department of Education under obligations by reason of favors granted and kindness shown. It may not be amiss to mention a few from whom the Department has received great assistance. William O. Rogers, Esq., and Rev. D. L. Mitchell, of New Orleans, were especially helpful. The Louisiana Educational Society placed its convenient rooms at the disposal of the head of the educational interests of the Exposition and his assistants. Tulane University opened its doors to the friends of education, whether they came as individuals or in bodies, and they received a most cordial welcome from Col. William Preston Johnston, the eminent president, and his assistants. The Bureau of Education had at all times the sympathy and co-operation of officers of the Interior Department exhibit, and its thanks and those of the Educational Department of the Exposition are due to its secretaries, Hon. H. M. Teller and Hon. L. Q. C. Lamar; to its representatives, Hon. Benjamin Butterworth and Marcellus Gardner, Esq.; and to its chief clerk at the Exposition, Col. H. W. Coffin. 30 CATALOGUE OF EXHIBITS. LETTER OF TRANSMISSION TO THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF EDUCATION, Washington, D. C., November 21, 1885. DEAR SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a catalogue of educational material exhibited at the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition. A few exhibits not in the Department of Education either were not catalogued or the catalogue was not furnished; therefore they do not appear in these pages. ARRANGEMENT. The arrangement of the catalogue corresponds nearly with the order required by the logical relations of exhibits and the preferences of State school officers. The unclassified exhibits of the National Bureau of Education are presented at the beginning, prefaced by a statement of the work of the Bureau, and of the special exhibits displayed under its immediate control. Catalogues of State educational exhibits follow. These preserve, usually, the peculiarities wrought into them by their authors. Generally they are prefaced by an outline of the school system of the State. The lists of text-books and school appliances follow immediately the catalogue of city school exhibits. The reason of this is that city school exhibits represent the public school system, and the public schools are the principal purchasers and users of school books and appliances. From this point onward the arrangement conforms approximately to the classification of schools in your annual report. Museums, cabinets, models for technical instruction, laboratory and gymnastic appliances are brought into relation with the exhibits of colleges and schools of science. The enumeration of articles exhibited by societies, or from foreign countries, completes the catalogue. COLLECTION. The lists of articles have been obtained from persons in charge of exhibits whenever practicable. Endeavors to obtain them were begun |
