presided with gentle rule John Peterson, whose memory the children of a decade ago, though clothed in trailing skirts and lengthened trousers, revere with touching tenderness, her drawing teacher, Miss Newbery, noted with delight her aptness in that direction and devoted special attention to developing her very evident talent. After leaving school Miss Newbery, who had become not only her guide in drawing but a warm personal friend as well, feeling proud of the splendid promise of her pupil, registered her name at Cooper Union Art School. The first year the class of applicants was so large that Miss Spencer was obliged to wait for the following year. Though the authorities of the school did not know the young lady was colored, with the exception of a little show of surprise her work was so commendable no particular attention was paid to her from a prejudiced standpoint. Indeed, she was popular from the beginning of the term. From the drawing class she passed to that of casts, photo-color and crayon, the entire course covering six years. She received her diploma from the hand of that grand philanthropist, Peter Cooper, himself From the moment she emerged with her treasured testimonial she has occupied a proud place in the hearts of New Yorkers, where her work is well known and much sought after. It is a rare thing to enter a New York home without finding some specimen from Ella Spencer's brush and pencil, and now that her work stands for itself she quietly pursues the even tenor of an artist; works continuously, almost forgetting the social world around her, perfectly happy and contented with the result of her
