Almost every interest of the country is represented at New Orleans this winter. Every prominent manufactory, all leading trades, the great branches of commerce, and particularly educational institutions have exhibits of more or less importance. The eye of the country is turned southward. Whatever is worthy our civilization has been collected there for study. In educational matters many departments have been given position, that they may be studied by the eager learner; for people are eager to know the world’s work. You see it in their keen observation of the displays made throughout the long galleries, and their quick notice of the comparative merits of the exhibits. To them the work from the Indian schools, from the colored people, from the far away territories, and from foreign lands are studies in comparative civilization. Every sign of advancement is quickly seized upon; and in no department is more eagerness to know manifested by visitors than in the “Chautauqua Alcove.”
Chautauqua and the C. L. S. C. have a very good representation in the south gallery of the government building, under the general supervision of Prof. E. A. Spring, a member of the faculty at Chautauqua. This exhibit is attracting a great deal of attention. All members and friends of the C. L. S. C. who may visit the Exposition are earnestly and cordially invited to visit the Chautauqua exhibit. An idea of Prof. Spring’s work may be obtained from a few extracts from a letter received from him in the holidays:
Chautauqua Alcove, New Orleans, La., Dec. 26, ’84.
There is a large placard up in this exhibit, as follows:
U. S. BUREAU OF EDUCATION.
CHAUTAUQUA ALCOVE.
Any one of the sixty thousand of the members of the C. L. S. C. who may be here is requested to register.
I give everybody one of a little handful of Spare Minute Course circulars that I brought with me. I have given out about a hundred—and had conversations, some of them with evident conviction—in German, French, English, and the language of signs. By help of my Italian, I have tried to talk to some of the many Mexicans here, but did not get deep enough to broach the C. L. S. C.
I had yesterday and to-day considerable talk with the intelligent gentlemen representing the French Republic school system—M. Buisson and his assistant. General Eaton says that the brother of this Mons. Buisson is the genius of education in France. They expressed themselves as much interested in the scope of the noble Chautauqua plans.
The principal and seven lady teachers from Normal, Ill., just left me. They will come again, to learn more of Chautauqua. Some Texas gentlemen, one of whom, Prof. Hogg, I have long known as a fellow member of the National Educational Association, have been here again to-day, to say that they would be here to see me with about two hundred teachers from Texas at noon to-morrow.