The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-10-16 00:00:00

SOCIAL SCIENCE CONCRESS.

Ti.‘e 1«t (4 the preiiidential adi w delivered Lai
luesday morning by Professor Richmond (Oxford), Mora
ar. z-dice larger ccral.derably than had attented the pre-
sloal morning rcse.tings. Tho subject was "The Relation
of Art to Social Science." Lord Rea; occupfocl the chair;
asol the 'Vete of triln.k^.3 was !coved by the Eon. Arthar
M.P. „ Se7cral msmbera of the Royal Scottish
Acadcrlay werAL the platform, including Sir Daniel Ilaenee,

Professor Richmond, in his address, said he pro-
posed to deal with art on that occasion raither from a,
social point of yiew
i than from its very highest stand-
point. Referring n the first place to architecture,
he pointed out. that. the very rapid and easy means
of communicatiol2, by railway and telegraph which had
been established in recent years had in a great measure
broken down those local characteristics which were so
interesting in the England of an older date. But the
old could not last for ever, and new cottages must be
built. They (malt, however, to be built as well and as
lastingly as those which they succeeded. Solid stone or
brick walls, well roofed, the strongest and simplest
furniture without the overlay of cheap and had orna-
ment, would never 131 vulgar, and the same remark ap-
plied to woollep and linerlunadorned garments. No one
would deny the moral Influence exercised, even un-
consciously, on the whole human race by the nature
ch,
of their daily surroundings from earliest years. But
there was very largelaiss of the community wilic
owing to various causes, did not make use of the ad.

vantages within its reach of visiting numerous galleries
of pictures or attending lectures upon subjects of
wsthetic interest. Since, however, the Education Act
had been brought into full operation, a chance pre-
sented, itself to get at the very class which stood most
in need of being educated to love what was beautiful
and refined, and that class would, he ventured to
think, be greatly improved even morally by earlyvontact
with beautiful objects. Photography being the cheapest
and most exact means at hand for the purpose, he would
suggest that our Board schools, as well as our parish
and Sunday schools, should, under the guidance of a
committee of taste, provide themselves with photo-
graphs of fine works of art, which should not be con-
fined merely to reproductions from pictures, but should
include architectural details, furniture, patterns, and
designs of 411 sorts. Further, he would have casts
from fine carvings, which could be purchased at a very
moderate rate, hung with ,the photographs on the
echool-room walls, so that eil. 'child who could learn
to write might learn to draw o a point which would
be of great service in after life. What difficulties
to many artisans, he would ask, would not have been
overcome if, when young, their hands had been culti-
vated even up to a limited point of control and sensi-
tiVe delicacy of touch! Besides healthful amusements,
occupation for the eye and hand were the enemies of
vice and the strong armuur of probity. At present,
he believed, Board-school children could slearn to
draw, although in accordance with a routine which
was not satisfactory; but the real question was whether
the scholars would not be improved and for their life-
time refined by being accustomed in early childhood
to have constantly before their eyes art in some of its
foremost poetic and practical phases ; and whether,
being thus trained to see beautiful works, the taste
and workmanship of the coming generation would
not be likely to be elevated, and the need for better
art become a part of its natural existence. It might be
very justly asked how such a scheme of teaching could
be carried out with success, and the answer to the
question was not simple. The Government schools of
design were constantly educating men as art teachers,
and where those had been educated others could be
educated. We had an inspector of plays, too; why
should we not have an inspector of moral tastes for
our public streets? What a means might not the
system of large advertising pictures by such agency
be made for the education of the lower classes? Pro-
fessor Richmond concluded by expressing a hope that
good concerts would become cheaper and cheaper, so
that the people might become more and more instructed
in music, and wishing success to Mr. Irving, whose
efforts in the direction of dramatic art entitled him,
he said, to be regarded as a public benefactor.