Normal School the year just closed has been a
prosperous one. Owing to straitened means and hard times, the
enrollment has been a little less than last year; but in the grade of
scholarship there has been a distinct advance.

Many pleasant incidents have occurred, notably the Christmas festival.
A United States flag, nine feet by fifteen, presented to the school at
Christmas, was hoisted over the building February 22d, with great
enthusiasm. Appropriate exercises, including such patriotic songs as
"The Star Spangled Banner," "The Red, White and Blue," "The Battle
Hymn of the Republic," gave added spirit to the occasion.

Of a hundred pupils not one has died or been seriously sick during the
year--a fact that speaks much for the sanitary condition of the
school.

The concluding exercises, beginning with our annual picnic, May 19th,
have all been interesting. The literary societies have done themselves
much credit. The closing day, May 30th, brought together from near and
far an assembly of all sorts and conditions, of every hue from fairest
blonde to ebony, which completely filled the spacious chapel. The oral
reviews or examinations, the music, both vocal and instrumental, were
highly appreciated; while the calisthenics showed admirable drill. In
the evening came more music, essays, recitations and the like, to the
great enjoyment of a crowded audience.

The exhibit made by the industrial department was extremely
gratifying. Many specimens of plain sewing, neatly and strongly done,
showed that the girls have been making progress in the practical arts
of the house-keeper and home-maker; while abundant samples of fancy
needlework displayed not only rare deftness of hand, but an artistic
taste as well. Pretty quilts, elegant bed-spreads, handkerchiefs of
drawn work, tasty tray-cloths, embroidered table-covers, doilies,
aprons, neckties, etc., were displayed in profusion.

The boys' exhibit of wood-work was no less gratifying. Their numerous
picture-frames and book-shelves, of tasteful designs and handsome
workmanship, would in many cases have done no discredit to expert
craftsmen; while many articles by the smaller boys gave proof that
hand, eye and judgment were being trained in an admirable way. The
workshop is also an excellent school of applied arithmetic, as well as
of practical handicraft. Free-hand, and some surprisingly good
mechanical drawings were exhibited; also plain, colored and relief
maps, illustratin