The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-26 00:00:00

FEBRUARY 26, 1852.

DEPARTMENT OF PRACTICAL ART.

A department under this title, to have the superin-
tendence over the various schools of design, and to be
connected with otbor self-supporting institutions which
aim to advance educstionlin art, has recently been or-
ganiicd at the Board of Trade. The nature and objects
of this department are shown by the following circular
which has recently been addressed to the secretaries of
the local committees which manage the schools of
design:—
" Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade,

of the Commute©
" Sir,—l am Whitehall
directed
by ,Ftehber uLaor
ryd, s 1
of Privy Council for Trade to state to you, for the in-
formation of the committee of the -- School of De-
sign, that their Lordships, having recently had under
their consideration the subject of the Government
Schools of Design,'have made the following arrange-
ments, with a view to their more efficient management,
the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury having sanc-
tioned the requisite increase of expenditure for carrying
them into effect.
" A department of the Board of Trade has been
created, called "flee Department of Practical Art.'
This department consists of two officers, called superin-
tendents of schools of practical art, and a secretary.
" One of the superintendents is required to devote his
whole time and services to the duties of the department,
and is intrusted with the general business of management
under the direction of my Lords.
"It is his duty to place himself in communication
with the manufacturers, both in London and in the
country, whoa) operations are connected with ornamen-
tal art, to make himself acquainted with their special
wants, with a view of enabling the schools, as for as
practicable, to supply them. He is to communicate with
the different local committees, managers of instiutes, &c.,
in order to ascertain their wants, to recommend the
course hest adapted for rendering those institutions
practically useful to the manufacturers of the district in
which they are placed, and to stimulate local exertions
and voluntary associations for the establishment and
support of schools of art, and rendering them,
as far as practicable, self-supporting. He is to visit and
inspect the head school and female school in London,
and the branch schools and other institutions to which
Government grants are made, and to report to my Lords
on their condition, management, and progress; on the
attendance of the masters, and the mode in which their
duties are discharged; and on the preservation and ar-
rangement of the collections of works of art in the pos-
session of the schools. He is to visit those places where
it is proposed to establish new schools, and to ascertain
the necessity which exists for their creation, and the
amount of local support which may be expected, in order
that my Lords may be enabled to decide upon the ex-
pediency of establishing such schools. He is to regulate
the admission of students into the head school, under
the sanction of my Lords; and is specially to attend all
matters relating to the general management of the schools,
including the correspondence, reports, circulars, &c.,
which arise out of such businesa. On all these points
no decision is to be made, or step to be taken, without
the previous approval of my Lords.
" The other superintendent is to advise my Lords upon
all points in the management requiring artistic know-
ledge, and to inspect, from time to time, the head school,
the female school, and all the branch scools, for the pur-
pose of examining the productions of the students, and
of reporting to my Lords upon the system and method
of instruction pursued in these schools, and upon their
artistic state and progress.
" This officer is to be ready to render such assistance)
to my Lords as they may require, in the artistic manage-
ment of the shools; and, for this purpose, he is to give
occasional attendance at the Board of Trade.
" My Lords have been pleased to appoint Mr. Henry
Cole to the first mentioned of these offices, namely, that
of superintendent of the business of general manage-
ment; and Mr. Richard Redgravo to that of art superin-
tendent.
" The secretary is to conduct, in the name of the
Board of Trade, the correspondence of the department.
He is to have charge of the accounts, to receive the fees
of students at the head school, and at the female school,
and all other moneys. Ho is to make all payments, and
conduct the financial business, under the direction of the
Board of Trade. He is to have the custody of all official
papers, to keep the records of attendance and classifica-
tions of the students; to arrange and prepare for print-
ing all reports, returns, circulars, and catalogues; and to
have charge of the property of the head school; to
manage the library of the head school, and to superin-
tend te sending of supplies of works of art, examples,
and books to the branch schools.
" My Lords have been pleased to appoint Mr. Deve-
rell, the present secretary to the schools of design, to be
the secretary to the new department.
" The head masters of the central school are en-
trusted, under the sanction of my Lords, with the direc-
tion of the instruction in the central school, which is to
be rendered as useful as possible to the branch schools,
and they are to be responsible for the progress of the
students in the course of instruction so adopted.
" They are to control and direct the other masters of
the central school, and when vacancies occur they are to
recommend to the Board of Trade masters for the
schools to fill the vacant places, and also to recommend
exhibitioners from among the students in the schools for
the nomination of my Lords.
" When required, they are to report to my Lords upon
the state and progress of the central school, and of any
of the branch schools; and, in concert, with the art
superintendent, they are to select and recommend for
purchase the examples of art, books, &c., for the use of
the schools.

"I am to request that you will have the goodness to
acknowledge the receipt of this communicztion, and to
bring it under the notice of the committee and wasters
of the - School of Design as early as passible.
" I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) " G. R. PORTER,
Secretary to the Board of Trade.
The Secretary of the Government School of
Design