Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1908 — Recognition of Rensselaer Talent [ARTICLE]

Recognition of Rensselaer Talent

Miss Mary Washburn, daughter of the late Dr. I. B. Washburn,, and sister of Dr. I. M. Washburn, has just received the intelligence that she has been appointed an instructor in the Chicago Art Institute. This is a very marked recognition of Miss Washburn’s art talent. While for some years the visits of Miss Washburn to her old home have been quite infrequent and of short duration she has never been forgotten by her many friends and schoolma'es in this city. She graduated from the Rensselaer high school in 1886, when Prof. Kersch was superintendent, being the valedictorian of her class, notwithstanding the fact that during her senior year she suffered a long siege of typhoid fever that came near costing her life. She taught school in the country one year and the next i summer took a course of study pre-, paratory to teaching in the Chicago schools and when she took the ex- j amination she was awarded a fifty years’ license to teach in Cook coun- < ty. The next year she attended Butler college at Irvington, near Indlanap- > oils and the following summer she took up crayon portrait work. Her employment was in Cincinnati, but, later she went to Chicago, where she has pursued this class of work for almost twenty years, making considerable money from IL Ten years ago she entered the Chicago Art Institute as a student and she has continued her studies uninterrupted since that time. Within the past few months she was told by professors in that school that she had accomplished , all that they were qualified to teach. She had made a special study of sculpture and some of the best bust making work of the city was- the product of her artistic hands. •

Now she baa been selected as an Instructor in sculpturing in the institute where she has long been a student. The recognition of her talent will be good news to her many friends in Rensselaer. Miss Washburn has been twice abroad and is a lady of marked refinement and culture. Now is the time to lay in your Fall supply of shoes. The prices we are naming now means a big saving to you. Rowles & Parker. The First Baptist Church Sunday school is holding a picnic today at the stock fiu®. —~ ~