The butter refrigerator in the Agricultural Building was of triple-plate glass, and was 90 feet long. Minnesota's space was 8 by 16 feet. The subject chosen for its model was historical—a representation of Father Hennepin discovering St. Anthonys Falls. The father, in his priestly garb, was shown in the act of stepping from an Indian canoe to the shore. An Indian was holding the canoe to the bank by grasping a small bush, while the boat was steadied by a French voyageur with his paddle. The three types—the aborigine, the priest, and the French voyageur—were accurately reproduced in costume, expression, and features, and were practically life-size. The swift-flowing river, with a suggestion of the falls, completed the picture, in which nearly 1,500 pounds of butter were used.
In a space just east of the butter refrigerator was the exposition refrigerator for displays of cheese. In this the board took a space 8 by 8 feet.
The horticulture exhibit was placed in the hands of experts from the State Horticultural Society. Here were shown large and small fruits, preserved in many handsome jars. Apples which had been preserved in cold storage from the crop of 1903 kept that feature of the exhibit replenished, while the smaller fruits were shown as they matured, being shipped from the growers in the State almost daily.
In September, when the new apples became available, a second and larger space was secured. Here was made a display which was one of the greatest attractions in the building. It represented a Dutch windmill and tower, done entirely in apples.
During the final months of the exposition, when the live stock displays were made, the board arranged with the State live stock association for an exhibit of cattle, horses, and swine. The board appropriated $4,000 to this department and paid it into the hands of representatives of the association to be distributed to the exhibitors from the State in proportion to the prizes awarded to them by the exposition. This plan was very successful and resulted in a creditable exhibit of the State's prize live stock. At this time also a very successful display of poultry was made, and a great many prizes were won.
In the Department of Education it was determined that Minnesota, should retain its rank among the States and, if possible, should win new glory. It was therefore made a leading department. The exhibit was especially strong in rural school and primary and elementary education, and much more attention than ever before was given to the secondary schools of the State at large. The State department of education was consulted, and the State Teachers' Association, the request of the board, named a committee to advise with the board.
This was the first exposition to devote a separate building and one of the main group of exhibit palaces to education. The plan greatly dignified the department. Minnesota was most fortunate in the location assigned its display, as this exhibit had the first space at the principal entrance and was the first seen on entering the building from the main exposition thoroughfare. The space was 30 by 60 feet. The booth, the cabinet, the furnishings, and the frames were of Mission brown oak. The walls were covered by a deep-blue burlap. The mountings of the wall and cabinet exhibits toned with these colors, as did the hangings. The design, as a whole, was exceedingly simple, but in the style, in harmony of tone, and general artistic merit it was given first rank among all the exhibits in the building. Its prominent position demanded this excellence, for it commanded the most critical dicta of the visitors.
In the arrangement of material, repetition and duplication were avoided. All the written work and much of the drawing, designing, and drafting was mounted in cabinets or bound in books. The arrangement showed the State system as a unit, and every article in the booth was the work of the schools, including the furniture, pottery, bric-a-brac, and hangings. It was especially strong in manual training. In dividing the space the manual-training exhibits were united as far as possible. The first alcove of cabinet exhibits was devoted to the rural schools, the second to the semigraded schools. The third and fourth sets of cabinets contained the work of the secondary high schools and the grades in their respective towns. The fifth set was given to the normal schools, while the last two alcoves were devoted to the schools of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the wall space being also apportioned to them. One cabinet was filled with photographs of the university, the curricula, statistics, etc. On the rear wall was a frieze of excellent photographs of the university buildings, and around the outside of the entire booth was a painted frieze, 5 feet deep, giving a panoramic view of the campus and buildings, both of the academic and of the agricultural department.
A cabinet was also devoted to statistics, which included the State system of aid to rural, semigraded, graded, and high schools. This cabinet also gave figures showing the State permanent school funds, the special tax, and school apportionment based on attendance; school attendance, value of school property, system of examination of teachers, and State examination for pupils, etc. There were also very complete sets of State examination papers.
In the State Building the large reception room and the women's and men's
rooms were furnished by the pupils of the manual training classes of the
Minneapolis high schools, and of the Mechanic Arts High School of St.
Paul.