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Show Noted a a Desiyner. Clarence Banks, son of a Georgia ex-slave, ex-slave, but reared and educated in Springfield, Spring-field, O., is somewhat noted as the only colored designer in the United States or as f;ir as heard from in the world. His history is quite romantic. Several Sev-eral years ago the school authorities of Springfield offered of-fered a prize to the pupil who , should get up the largest number of original designs, and tho prize was won by a little Kill, who made CLARENCE BANKS. twenty-three. When this was told in the colored school of that city a colored boy promptly declared that he could produce twice as many, aud to the amazement of the teachers he did it. Some of his designs were so nnique and original that they were widely exhibited, ex-hibited, and he produced many more for wall paper, oilcloth, glass windows, book covers, etc. which wero exhibited exhibit-ed at the New Orleans Cotton centennial. centen-nial. The bov's mother. Mrs. Sadie I Banks, a caterer, soon saved money ' enough to give Clarence a term at the Cincinnati art school, where he won high honors. He then went to New York, where he has done some very good work, though prevented by his color aud age he is now but 18 from getting a first class position. Clarence is of pure African blood except ex-cept for a trace of Indian, as his maternal mater-nal grandfather was a chief of the Delaware Dela-ware tribe. The Indians often exhibit great skill in designs for their moccasins, mocca-sins, canoes and other articles, and the Delawares are among the foremost in that line. Clarence's father was born a slave on a plantation near Macon, Ga., and located in Springfield soon after the war. |