CATHOLIC EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT OF AMERICA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 3, 15 December 1893, Page 15

CATHOLIC EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT OF AMERICA.

{To be continued }

As a Ghicagoan who has heard so much in the last two years about the parochial schools during the long school war here, I became specially interested in tbe exhibits of our German Catholic schools of St Michael, St Paul, St Francis, St Thomas, and St Aloysiu*. 1 turned over copy after copy, and fonnd, besides excellent penmamhip, good compositions in their mother tongue, and so many proofs of their knowledge of English that 1 doubt whether the public schools could hare done equally well, taking, for example, such work as may be seen exhibited by tbe St Michael's and St Paul's schools In all these specimens the neatness and penmanship are especially remarkable. We cannot pass over silently some of the prod actions of these little Chicago children. Who would not notice tbe crayon drawing of " The Little Sailor," by H. Wohllebe, aged twelve years, a pupil of St Francis' School ; the humorous reproduction of tbe " Temperance Meeting," three horses at the water trough, by Frank Beiges, thirteen years old, of St Michael's School ; tbe painting by William Koch, twelve years old, from tbe sime school, " Bellisarius and his Daughter ?" Do not these works of the little lads show systematic training by accomplished teachers, as well as the talent of the scholar ? Is not the fresh, warm, natnral comprehension of the work both by boys and girls a proof of originality, of growth in thonght and j idgment, and not of mere mechanical reproduction 1 In the exhibit of St Michael's School we notice a chart representing the first voyage of Columbup, embroideries by the girlß arranged with wonderful taste and tact in a large case ; a watercolour sketch by A. Klein, and many specimens of ornamental drawing by tbe children of this school. Not less rich is the exhibit of 8t Paul's School, in charge of tbe Bey Pastor Held man. Eve yone njust notice the work of Aloysius Simon, who is but fourteen years old. "Our Country," is his painting. The composition is so original, tbe execution so masterly, that we cannot pass it over without a word about it. The strong wall represents our Constitution ; leaning against it is a ladder, on tbe rongs of which are inscribed the names of the presidents of the United States, and above Cleveland's name the words "There is always room on top." Around this Udder are grouped the composers of the Declaration of Independence, the various political partiep, the heroes of the nation in war and pence, the three wars since the adoption of tbe Coi stitntion, and their causes, and finally a century's growth, of onr literature, all drawn in. well-formed figures. Michael BH'z, ten years old, of St Paul's School, exhibits a map of Palestine, showing the journeys of tbe Saviour, and the principal places He visited. The girls of tbe same school exhibit an embroidered map of the Uaited States, and in Booth No. 60 erected by the Sisters of Notre Dame, are many magnificent specimens of work done by the pupilp, both male and female, of St Michael's and St Paul's schools. Beside St Aloysius* School and St Teresa's in Chicago, the German Catholic School of St Nicholas in Aurora, St John's School in Joliet, St Joseph's School in Freeport, and in Wilmetta, all of which belong to the Chicago diocese, have exhibited splendid work. We must say the same of the Polish St Stanislaus' School, St Patrick's Academy,St Joseph's Seminary in Kankake", the House of the Good Shepherd, and other Chicago institutions. Like Chicago, so have all the other dioceses sent their specimens of work, not so complete and magnificent as New York and San Francisco, 'tis true, but still on the same plan. The mother housa of the Order of Notre Dame Sisters, located in Milwaukee, is the centre of a structure, the blocks of which are each inscribed with the name of a branch house. Above is tbe number, 73,704, the number of scholars that have gone forth from their schools. Tbe booth " Notre Dame" contains valuable handicraft, pen-sketches, and wax-work, which ably tell of the course of studies pursued in the schools of these

Sisters. Also the French Order of Notre Dame have exhibits. Very interesting it the exhibit of the New York diocese, which has prepared statist ie- tables showing the growth and score of its schools. According to the table the schools of this diocese possess property to the value of 4,000,000 dollar*, and the annual cost for maintaining these school is 260,000 dollars. There are 168 parochial schools in the Bute.