The High School Prize Exhibition

It has been for sometime known taat tke school authorities have bean planing for au exhibition of Mr. .Douglas' pupila in advanced elocution, and that it had been proposed to offer ubstantial cash prizes to be competed for by those taking part. At flrst, when the prizes were propoied, some of the teachers were not in favor of the plan, as they thought it would be likely to est ablish a precedent which might be followed in otber studies, thus introducing the prize systein, the influence of which is so detrimental and deceptive in scientiflc studies. The majority of the teachers, however, as well as the board of education, considered that the work in elocution, especially in the higher grados, is of un entirely different nature from the other studies of the school, beiug an art in the proper senoe, while they are truly sciences; and that, therefore, a prize exhibition in elocution is just as Jproper, and indeed conducive to real advancemeat as the prize exhibitions of the national academy are to the encouragement of the highest painting. Wben it was seen that this view of the case was the true one, the plan of the exhibition as at flrst proposed was completed. When Mr. Douglas took charge of the work in elocutton last fall it was wisely decided to require iu all the courses leadmg to a diploma twojyears' work,of weekly recitations in the subject, the firs year being devoted to intelligent appreciative reading, and the second to practice elocution, that is, to acquiring the ability to stand upon ones' feet and expresi oneself in a natural, dignified and foreible marnier. For those who wished to make a special study of elocution, thers was arranged an advanced course, in vocal culture and gesture, which was made elective in the third and fourth years; but it wai presumed that the number taking this coursa would not be large. At the opening of the term, however, no less than 84 elected the study, and at the beginning of the winter term it was found necessary to organize another class of those whose studies had been so arranged that they could not enter the first. This second class numbered 49, miiking in all 133 taking idvanced elocution, so it was out of the questiou for so large a number to com. pete directly forprizes, it was decided to appoint a certain number to represent he class ia the prize exhibition, and that these appointments should be made on a basis of the public Friday afternoon recitals, asthis would practically allow all to compete. Accordingly, ten members of the class, those having the highest standing in these recitations.have been appoint ed to take part in the exhibition; and the names were read by the superintendent in chapel Tuesday morning. The exhibition will occur Friday evening, June 9, probably in the chapel. The prizes will be three in number: a first prize of $20, a second prize of $15 and a third prize of $10. They will be awarded at the close of the exhibition by a cornmittee elected by the board of education. The naines of thos chosen to speak are as follows: Agnes J. Calvert, Ann Arbor; Anna L. Campbell, Ypsilanti; Henry L Clayton, Marión, Ind. ; Gertrude Gres;ory, Ann Arbor; Frederic Lawrence, Clyde; Louise L. Loving, Ann Arbor; Jesse H. Shattuck, Owosso; Clement R. Stickney, Ann Arbor; Samuel B. Todd, New Sheffield, Pa.; Alice B. Wheeler, Pittsfleld.