The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-10-09 00:00:00

PROPOSED SCHOOL OF ART.

A noble meeting was held in the Town Hall on Tues-
day enreieg, under the presidency of the Mayor (Dr.
Al.lristr), respecting the establishment of • School of
.trt to. .iorchester. The attendance area limited.
Thy. Maros nail the meeting was convened to take
into :onsideration the desirability and the practicability
of f,nning a school of art in this town. He thought all
wealsl agree that any means for refining the taste of the
itthebitane and promoting a love of fine arts was •
desirable this.; AA to the practicability of the proposed
scheme, comiderable difficulties hut arisen in getting
suitable accommodation, indeed there wen no room they
could rent fit for the purpose, and, in consequence of the
town being surrounded by Crown property there weskit
little freehold land to he obtained AA a site for the school,
end none was found in all respect. suitable. But the
provisional committee had been granted by the Corpora-
tion, lots Mt and 57 of the Wolluton field estate, at the
wool ground rent. This plot was situate at the corner
of the main road leading into the new street from the
walks to the old brewery, and was convenient ine, ;LI
In building submits of ark Government assisted
very• liberally, granting • sum not exceeding fie. 6d. per
superficial foot. The school wan proposed to be 60 ft.
by fOft , and would cost about r4OO. and if Government
g Ate them the 2s. fid. per superficial f oot that would amount
t CAA leaving ClOO to be otherwise provided. Theother
copenus would be furnishing the school, the outlay for
art kh at the Bridport school- of art bad coat £lOO, but
C....eminent paid ball of it, and the sum necessary to
entinue the school's operations. but this last would be
e..ry sin 111. At Bridport and other plums, the rehonla
were eat-supporting, and he had no doubt that would be
tO cue here when the objects and advantages of the
§:hoot became thoronghly known. Government, in
as.isting to establish these schools. desires' especially to
give art aeration to artisans, which would make them
optled workmeu. and raise them in the mule of society,
and lail down rules which were very advantageous to
(.. ,116. Mr. Campbell, the master of the Bridport
;steel of Art, was present, and would give them some
particulars as to the object. of Art Schools, their work.
Inc and the success which they had attained in other
places.
Mi. Concerti. said the object of the department of
science cad art in connection with South Kensington
abloom. in endeavouring to establish in each town •
school of art was to give the best article at the lowest
prise. They guaranteed the thorough efficiency of the
ma.ter appointed, and contributed towards the
maintenance of the reboot. He enlarged on the ad-
vantages of the "system" of art *duration Government
off red, matured as it MIS year after year by the eon,-
burl knowledge and experience of nearly all the oele-
brtted men connected with art, and went on to
steak of the advantages this Government scheme
afforded to artisans. Special provision was made
for them. The amount of fees they were to be
charged, the hours at which their climes were to
be held, and the number of lessons to be given in a
year were all ordered. Government did not profess
to fay the artisans paid for their instruction, but they
felt the importance of giving art education to the
producing cUeses. As • general role, the consuming
classes educated themselves. In all the elutes, whether
artisans or not, the same models, outs, !cc were used.
A thorough and efficient course of instruction was given
of • most varied description, according to the require-
ments of the pupils. The mechanic they taught
architectural and mechanical drawing, etching on copper,
and everything useful to him; to the carpenter and
engineer plan and elevation. Ste, fut.; designers were
t tken throngh a course of outline foliage as • ground work
tin shading from flat objects, then from casts. and next
n colours. The school at Bridport wan established by •
apootanenus (Bort of the people there, and it had entire y
paid its expense., and they bad a small balance in hand
at the cant the year. There they bad adapted a room
fir the pursuer, but if one was built at Dorchester it
will be much better. He believed now there were oe
schools established in the reentry, and be hoped that in
• very short time there would only be one short of 100
by tke kende, .4 la school at Dorchester.
The Bey. T. R. HAIIIESW prepeeed, and the Bev. T.
A. rAtx,Ei seconded, that It was desirable to establish
a school of art in Derebester, and it was carried-
The Rev. IL L. WATSON proposed the appointment
el * general committse to consist of annual subscribers
rr nitrinirnnno sum of 6L, if they were willing to act.
I'srt f their duty would be to appoint a, sub-committee
of masamooent. which by the Government regulations,
sled hen small one, to conduct the school, and elect the
sr*"..l officers, lie proposed the following, with power to
si.l t. their number :—Dr. Aldridge, T. Coombe,
k Pinson E. , Eel., Burnett, RN
4... Req.. Dr. Cowdell,
ev
H .. E. Pearce, Req., Rev. J. Platter, R. T.
A. Palkner, Rev. T. IL Maslaew,Rev. IL G. Watson, Rev.
It, L. Watson, Rev. W. Barnes, J. V. D. Lturraner,
Km., IL C. Weston. Req., G. J. Andrews. Fog., G.
Penton, Req., I. eh, Req., IL Devenish, Esq., A. S.
Neon, Galpin, Ea+, Pee. r. A. Baker, and J.
Hicks, E.q. He observed that several other gentlemen
of the town and county had spoken very warmly on the
subject, and he had no doubt they would become active
nti.mbers, but he did not give their names a. he had not
asked their authority to do so. lie proceeded to point
out that the advantages of the school would not be con-
fined entirely to this neighbourhood. Any person, by
paying a small fee, could enter at the annual examine-
lion., and thus test the quality of the instruction in art be
or she was receiving elsewhere. He thought that was an
important consideration. 'limy had every reason to ex peat
there would be a large number of pupils at the schooL
Of enure it would take some time to build • school, but
it was hoped that they would be able to commence almost
immediately. At Devisee the grand jury room was
placed at the disposal of the committee ; at Bridport,
they had • room at the Literary Inatitute and at
Seliabury, they were about to be turned out of tire house
they occupied, and bad applied to the Town Council for
a part of the Town Hall, and the matter was referred to
a committee to see what part would be suitable for
them temporarily. He had applied to the magistrates
of the Dorchester division for leave to use part of the
County Hall till their reboot was built, but those
magistrates had no power to do so; the Chairman, how-
ever, had promised to bring the matter before the nest
court of quarter session', and he hoped the result would
be such that they would be enabled to begin the school
elsooat itatuedietely. .

Mr. 0. J. ANDRIMI seconded the motion, and it was
. . .

Th.. IIAIOII wuk.o tho great seal and assiduity
the Re.. B. L Weleou had displayed in this scheme as
provisional eeeretszT, and prooosed that he be asked to
bee. me Secretary ot the
.eonitnittee.

Mr. L.twanndi seconded the prOpotrition, and it tru
carried._ _ _ .

_
The Rev. B. L WATOON said he should be happy to '
continue his services if be could render any assistanee,
and then impressed upon the general committee the tin.
portanee of at once petting to work to get donations
towards building the wheal and providing the requiaite
furniture, models, casts, kc., and annual subscriptions.
Referring to • remark made by the Mayor aa to his
applying to the Duchy for a site for the school, he said he
bad mired Lord Portman about it, and hia lordship told
!him how to proceed, bat the committee considered it
16.4 not to do that, so that they may go to the Prince of
Wales for somethiug else. Ile suggested another mint-
ing on the 22nd October, when the decision of the court
would be known, and SUM idea might be formed as to
the funds they would requite, and what they could get.
To,, 111•7011 said the expense of the school to artisans
would he very ; Government ordered that it
should not be more thin 2s. a month, for which
instruction was given three evenings in the week,
between six and eight o'clock.
Mr. C sssss u, °Warw.,' that yearly there wu •
national competition at South Kenangton, open to the
work. of members of all Schools of Art, wheo 10 gold
medals, 20 silver medals, and 50 branse medals, and
many prises consisting of books on art, were awarded.
A bud examination took place annually at each school
of art when prises of the uniform value of 10s. 6,L were
awarded.
A long conversation followed. Mr. Andrews and
Mr. thilpin endeavoured to form some estimate of
the amount of money that will be required, in order to
know what to ask for, and they thought about ram.
but the Mayor and others said they had no mune of
forming an opinion because they Gould not tell what
asd.tanee Government would give towards the build_ ,ine
and Ms worship expressed • fear that if they said E3OO
vas requited it would be fatal to the project. The
result is that from the data given each one moat draw
hie own conelusion on the subject, but it hi to be hoped
that them who give donations will not fix the sum too

Ate meeting adjourned to October 22nd at 6'30 p m.