The booth was so planned that from the outside it was apparently a single inclosure, the State and city exhibits being separated on the interior by an appropriate screen nine feet high, through which an entranceway was cut. Mr. Snyder's plans provided for a scheme of installation which, while inexpensive, was both artistic and dignified and admirably adapted for the display of the material to be exhibited. In fact it was generally conceded that much more effective results had been obtained than by surrounding states which had expended considerably more money. The inclosure was massive, the woodwork being an effective imitation of Flemish oak, and the hanging surface a burlap of a neutral green tint; the facade, sixteen feet in height, being broken every few feet at fixed intervals by fluted pilasters with ornamental caps. On the outside a wainscoting extended three feet from the floor, above which were panels for hanging exhibit material, the whole being capped by an attractive dentulated cornice. The entranceway, which was thrown across the corner at the intersection of the aisles, was a massive arch, surmounted by the coat of arms of the State, tinted in old ivory, underneath which in gold letters was, "State of New York." The interior was cut by transverse walls, nine feet high and extending seven feet from the main wall, thus forming a series of alcoves convenient for study on the part of visitors and leaving in the center an open space for the display of models, apparatus and cabinet material. Directly facing the entranceway were general and private offices. Completely surrounding the interior of the booth, on the eye line, were 100 wall cabinets which have come to be so generally used for the display of exhibit material. The wall space above the cabinets was used for the display of especially meritorious and attractive material, while below was a countershelf upon which, here and there, rested a showcase for the display of sewing, clay modeling, botanical specimens, etc. Underneath the counters were shelves for bound books and cupboards for the storage of printed matter and supplies. All work was mounted uniformly upon a Scotch gray cardboard and neatly lettered in white ink.
SCOPE OF THE EXHIBIT
Instead of confining the exhibit to the work of the public schools, as was quite generally done by other States exhibiting, it was decided to show, so far as possible, work now being done in all forms and phases of education in the Empire State. Space was freely given to private institutions to demonstrate the place which they are filling in the educational work of the State. Every subdivision of the official classification found an exemplification within the New York State exhibit. The participation of twenty-four cities and numerous incorporated villages, both in elementary and high school work, made the exhibits of those departments thoroughly representative of the work of the State as a whole. It is unfair to pick the work of a few progressive school systems, and endeavor to make it stand for the work of the State at large.
PLAN OF ARRANGEMENT
The plan of arrangement was arrived at only after the most careful thought and discussion, the desire being to so arrange the material as to be most serviceable to the educator and to those seeking suggestions and helpful ideas. In arranging an educational exhibit, emphasis must be placed either upon political divisions, subjects or grades. It was early determined that no separate space should be assigned to any single locality, but that all of the work of the State in the grades should be exhibited grade by grade and that of the high schools by subjects, and arranged under various departments, such as science, classics, mathematics, etc., thus making it possible for a grade teacher to readily compare her work with that of New York's, and to profit by the comparison, no matter in whose favor it might be, and a high school instructor in charge of a department to readily find the work of that department. This method rendered it unnecessary to look over the exhibits from several cities to find the particular work desired. Moreover, a further subdivision was made, in that the work was arranged according to the population of the contributing cities and villages. That is, the work from the city of the largest population contributing was installed first, and so on in order. While it was not the purpose to invite comparison of work between rival cities of the State, but rather to present a united front to the world at large, still if it was the desire of some to make such comparison, the above indicated arrangement was the most equitable, as all cities of approximately the same resources and theoretically working under like conditions were placed side by side, and the work of the small village was not placed in juxtaposition with that of the large, strongly centralized city system with many times its resources. A complete catalogue of the exhibit was freely distributed, and cross-references made to work of the various localities, so there was no difficulty for those interested in a single place to locate the work it contributed.
It was generally conceded that, while the above arrangement made no concession to local pride, it was by all odds the wisest arrangement to follow in an exposition of international scope. The compliments which were bestowed upon the arrangement of the exhibit, and the readiness with which all visitors found the work in which they were particularly interested, demonstrated beyond a doubt the wisdom of the committee in pursuing the course above outlined. The entire exhibit was also carefully classified in harmony with the official classification of the Exposition under the several groups and subdivisions thereof, thereby rendering additional aid in promptly locating exhibits in any particular department.
EXHIBIT DIVISIONS
Entering the booth one found to the left of the entrance the exhibit of the former State Department of Public Instruction. (It should be stated here that the exhibits of the University of the State of New York and of the State Department of Public Instruction were prepared before unification was an accomplished fact. The two exhibits can be said to have formed the exhibit of the new Department of Education.)
Next was the exhibit of the kindergartens, filling three units. (The term "unit" is used to designate one of the wall cabinets containing thirty-three cards 22 x 28 inches.)
Adjoining the kindergarten section was the exhibit of the elementary grades, filling twenty-five units. All the subjects of the curriculum were shown, the work in the wall cabinets being "types" or "samples" of work, the great bulk of which was shown in bound volumes. Cross-reference was made on the margin of each card to the volume containing similar work, thus facilitating the search of the visitor for a number of class exercises of work of the same general nature, and relieving the visitor interested in a general way of looking over a vast repetition of material. Separating the elementary grades from the high schools was the exhibit of the rural schools of the State, those schools under the jurisdiction of the several school commissioners. It was most complete and interesting, and afforded a clear picture of the work done in the ungraded country schools. The exhibit of the high schools, filling fourteen units, was next in order, and, as stated above, was subdivided into subjects. Twenty-four cities of the State, to say nothing of the incorporated villages, private institutions, etc., contributed material in one or more of the foregoing departments.