The American Missionary. Volume 50, No. 09, September, 1896
TekstALBANY NORMAL SCHOOL, ALBANY, GA
BY MRS. ALICE L. DAVIS
One finds that every year the enrollment grows larger. The people are increasingly appreciating the work done by the school. Every one who can afford it usually sends his children to our school, but there are others who are extremely poor but who are equally anxious to send their children also, and in order to do this they make great sacrifices. Many mothers work at the washtub from Monday morning till Saturday night, and do all kinds of manual labor, to obtain the money with which to keep their children in school. Some of our neediest pupils prove to be the best in their classes. One boy, whose widowed mother is unable to keep him in school, may be seen every day before and after school going in search of odd jobs to obtain money with which to pay his tuition.
This boy is one of the brightest pupils we have. There are others who are equally anxious to obtain an education. Many will walk distances ranging from three to seven miles to school every morning. The interest in the school increases yearly to such an extent that the building, which at first was thought to be large enough to accommodate all who would come, is now entirely too small to accommodate the pupils that we have. It will be almost impossible to get along next year without more room. We are greatly in need of a chapel where we can hold our devotions and have our public exercises. Without more room the work will be greatly hampered.
The third anniversary of our school was held last week. These exercises are always looked forward to with the greatest interest and pleasure by both parents and pupils. On June 4 was our exhibition of the primary and intermediate grades. The audience was made up of the fathers, mothers, and friends of the students. They seemed anxious to have each pupil acquit himself well, and the pupils seemed equally as eager to do their best to please the audience. The programme, which was well rendered, was made up of essays, declamations, solos, duets, and choruses. "Bernardo del Carpio" and the quarrel between Brutus and Cassius were rendered in a manner worthy of more experienced pupils.
On June 5 were the exercises of the grammar grades. The programme was made up of essays by two young ladies, who had completed the grammar grades; instrumental solos by the music-pupils, trios, and choruses; also an address by Rev. Mr. Sims, of Thomasville, Ga., who spoke on the subject "Wanted." He pointed out the need of education, of religion, of wealth, and especially of sterling morality in character. This address was highly appreciated by the large and enthusiastic audience.
Could my reader have been present he would have realized that the people are hungering and thirsting after knowledge, and are beginning to regard our school as a well-spring to supply them.
CHANDLER NORMAL SCHOOL, LEXINGTON, KY
MISS F. J. WEBSTER, PRINCIPAL
In reviewing the history of Chandler Normal School for the past year, we find more reasons than usual for courage and gratitude. In all departments of our work we see evidences of the mental and moral advancement of our pupils. The year has been one of progress and prosperity. Nothing has occurred to hinder the work. The conscientious performance of duty has been the rule of the school, and the students who entered with any other purpose in view soon discovered their mistake and saw that they did not have the approval of their companions.
The forerunner of the closing exercises was the presentation of the cantata "Little Red Riding-hood," by the pupils of the intermediate grades. This entertainment drew as large an audience as the chapel, a room that has a seating capacity of 600, could accommodate. The music, both vocal and instrumental, was excellent, and illustrated most fully the remarkable progress that has been made in this department within the past three years.
Two days were devoted to the annual written examinations, momentous occasions, that were crowned with success so far as the majority of the pupils were concerned. The ordeal of examinations closed with the public oral ones on Friday morning. On the afternoon of the same day occurred the exhibition of the eighth grade, the class finishing the grammar course. The essays presented on this occasion were all upon subjects suggested by the pupils' study of United States history.
The exercises of Monday morning were wholly musical. The first part of the programme consisted of the cantata "The Musical Enthusiast," and the second part of a piano recital. All the music presented was of a high order, most of it being classical.
On Tuesday a declamatory contest was given by the young women of the normal department. The prize offered by a friend of one of the teachers was a year's tuition in Chandler School. The selections were from standard authors, and were chosen with the purpose of testing to the utmost the ability of the young contestants. During the past year much interest has been manifested by the pupils in work of this sort, and most noticeable progress has been made by many of them.
At the close of the contest a very interesting and eloquent address on the subject of temperance was given by Rev. J. S. Jackson, pastor of the Congregational Church in Lexington. The thoughts presented were full of inspiration for all who heard them.
On Wednesday morning an intelligent and appreciative audience assembled in the chapel to listen to the commencement exercises. Three young men presented orations, and three young women essays, on this occasion. There was but one graduate from the higher normal course. An oration on the subject "Frederick Douglass," presented by a young man who had completed the tenth grade, was considered an unusually creditable student production and elicited much applause.
The commencement address was given by the Rev. W. T. Bolling, D.D., pastor of the Southern Methodist Church of Lexington. The speaker prefaced his remarks by saying that much surprise had been expressed by many of his friends that he, a former slaveholder and an ex-Confederate soldier, would consent to deliver the commencement address for a school devoted to such a purpose as was Chandler. He assured these individuals that our school had no warmer friend than he, nor one more in sympathy with its work. No address could have been more helpful and stimulating than was his. All who had the privilege of listening to it were cheered and edified.
At the close of each day's literary exercises the majority of the audience accepted the invitation to examine the work of the sewing-classes on exhibition in one of the recitation-rooms. A large number of articles, all carefully made by hand, gave abundant evidence of the industry and skill of the girls of both schools.
The closing entertainment of commencement week took place in the chapel on Wednesday at 8 P.M. The programme for that occasion consisted of a cantata entitled "The Cadets' Picnic," presented by the little pupils of the Hand School. The night was stormy, but for all that the large chapel of Chandler School was comfortably full. Fifty small children, carefully trained and displaying perfect self-possession, took part in this entertainment. The teachers of the Hand School had every reason to feel gratified with the results of their work.
The teachers of both the Chandler and Hand schools have labored diligently for the moral and spiritual upbuilding of their pupils during the past year. The meetings of the Christian Endeavor Society, held each Friday morning at 9, have been productive of the best results.
The Sunday-school work has been very encouraging. Chandler and Hand Mission Sabbath-schools together numbered more than two hundred pupils at the close of the year. Nearly all of these children were from communities destitute of every other Christian influence.