Art and Handcraft in the Woman's Building
of the World's Columbian Exposition

168 ART AND HANDICRAFT the Children’s Building, showing the wonderful progress that has been made in teaching very young deaf mutes to speak. Miss Mary Garrett, secretary of the Home for Teaching Deaf Mutes to Speak, is in charge of this department. Daily demonstrations are given. There is a department of Public Comfort in connection with the Children’s Building, intended especially for the benefit of children. One hundred infants and small children are received and placed in the care of competent nurses, who, for a small fee, provide for all their wants while their mothers are visiting the various departments of the Exposition. For the amusement of visiting children there is a large play- ground on the roof; this is inclosed with a strong wire netting, so the children are perfectly safe. This playground is very attractive, ornamented with vines and flowers. Here, under cover, are exhibited toys of all nations, from the rude playthings of the Esquimau children to the wonderful toys which, at once instruct and amuse. These toys are used to entertain the children. The building has an assembly-room, containing rows of little chairs, and a platform from which stereopticon lectures are given to the older boys and girls, about foreign countries, their languages, manners, and customs, and important facts connected with their history. These talks are given by kindergarteners, who then take the groups of children to see the exhibits from the countries about which they have just heard. Mr. T. H. McAllister of New York has generously given the use of the most approved stereopticon for this purpose, and the services of an operator of the same during the entire Exposition. This audience-room is also available for mu- sical, dramatic, and literary entertainments, which will be carefully planned to suit the intelligence of children of various ages. The Children’s Building has no appropriation from the Exposi- tion authorities. The Board of Lady Managers has assumed the responsibility of raising the money necessary for its erection. It has been at a great outlay of time and strength that the money for the Children’s Building has been raised and judiciously expended, but no one of the many workers who have contributed these precious building materials, time, and strength have grudged the costly sacrifice they have made. We believe not only that the children who enjoy our building’s hospitality will be benefited by our work, but that the children in every State of the Union, in every country of the world, will directly or indirectly profit by it, and in this happy result we shall find an ample reward for what we have done. Emma B. Dunlap.