domestic arts since the domestic art department moved into what was the commercial room work has been progressing better we have more room and the girls are taking more interest in their work a new wardrobe with compartments for each girl's work has been added this makes it more convenient fot the girls and we seldom see any one trying to find lost needles thread thimbles etc all of the first year girls have completed their models and have filled the wardrobe with their well made suits by the use of their models the dress-making girls can make their own patterns both the quality and quantity of the work are com mendable though but few girls are enrolled in the art and needle work class their work can be classed with the most beautiful in that line the character ball given by the domestic art department was a success and a credit to the girls the characters represented the dress of the different peoples during the different ages of the world the costumes worn by our girls were made in their sewing classes the success which the domestic art girls have reached is in a great measure due to their teacher mrs evans who has worked so energe tically for the welfare of the girls she has worked under difficulties and out of school hours to help her large classes although we have attained some degree of success this year we have still a higher ideal as we are looking forward to our new building next yeat in which we shall have more room and better equipments then here's to our tea our beautiful guide whose life inspired vir while needles we've her re hear her good commercial department since the institution of the commercial department in the w s a the results have been hampered by the little time the students spend in the work of preparing themselves for business offices and business careers business men and business houses throughout the country have been complaining of the inefficiency of stenographers and book keepers and state that very few of the out-put of commercial schools can add a column of figures quickly and accurately or take a letter in shorthand and transcribe it with dispatch and accuracy commercial colleges and schools have answered this complaint by saying that the lack of skill on the part of the young people going out of school is due to the fact that they do not spend long enough time in study the w s a commercial department started out with a course of one year which later was changed to two years for those young people who came out of the district school and they comprise the majority of our students two years training in commercial work together with the general high school work is not sufficient to prepare them to meet the requirements of those who are looking for skilled workers to meet this demand the commercial course has been lengthened to four years this enables the students to take considerable high school work other than commercial subjects and results in a well developed and well balanced young man and woman those who are of mature years or specially apt of course can prepare themselves to do creditable work in less than four years but all expecting to do or are doing commercial work should keep in mind that the business world is complaining against the army of partly prepared office workers and is clamoring loudly for good , proficient stenographers and competent bookkeepers and the commercial schools at present are not able to supply the demand