The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-12
THE SCHOOL OF DESIGN FOR WoMEN

THIS institution will commence its regular academic
session the 18th of September, ith increased
cilities, which will materially add to its efficiency
and give its conductors better opportunity than
heretofore to carry out their plans. An extension
OF fty-eght feet, running back to Fifteenth street.
has been put up in the rear of the present building
on West Penn Square, which will permit better dis
play OF the valuable collection Of antique casts and
other Objects and will afford additional class rooms
This improvement will be great benefit to the
school, although it will not give all the that is
desired but it is an advance, and the managers pre-
fer to enlarge their field Of operations according to
their means rather than to attempt at time more
than they are certain can be accomplished.
We have on several occasions alluded in COM
mandatory terms to the School Of Design for WO-
men, and we again desire to call the attention of our
readers to it, because we believe that it is conducted
on essentially the right principle a school OF art,
and on that account as well as number of others, it
is eminently worthy of the confidence and hearty
support of the public. This school is, we believe,
the first attempt in this country to teach art as a
science, to teach it according to system, which will
give the student a firm foundation of practical
knowledge to work upon. Although the efforts OF
the School of Design have been mainly directed to
the education of industrial artists, with the
excellent object in view of giving young women
a respectable and desirable profession by which they
earn living the system adopted is the correct
one for any school of art, whatever its ultimate
objects may be- Professor BradwoOd, the principal,
is a thoroughly trained designer, and enthusiast
in his profession. He believes that drawing can be
taught to any person OF average intelligence the
same as reading and writing and that art education
means substantially the bind of training that is
given in our schools and colleges. Drawing, as it is
generally taught, is, in vast majority of cases,
mere waste of time, with no results OF importance:
the pupils are anxious to make pictures, and they
are allowed to do so before they understand
tha pf 1ro win Nha UctnD Of
the School of Design is intended to be
thorough from the beginning, a discipline to mind,
hand, and eye and the dulest scholar, If she Will pay
attention. cannot fail to learn something Professor
Bradwood puts all ideas of genius inspiration as
artistic qualities to side and substitutes industry
instead After his pupils have mastered the princi-
pies of their art they can then avail themselves OF
any talents that nature has given them; but it is as
absurd to expect young woman to write nrst-
class work of fiction without having learned TO READ
and write as it for her to produce picture statue
or piece OF artistic Ornamentation without having
been thoroughly drilled in the principles OF design.
Such system this is the more important, as the
scientific basis of art has never been thoroughly
recognized in this country, and to this fact may he
attributed the great amount OF inferior WOrh taU Is
turned out every year by our artists and designers
The School of Design for Women is not all that it
should he, or all that its managers desire 10 make
it, II has been uphill work to establish it at all;
u,
better to do little at time thoroughly than 10 run
anv risks of ultimate failure. The true value of the
school however has been fully demonstrated by eX-
perence; and the number OF young women VINO are
engaged in profitable empoyments through lJs lhhu-
ence testihes to the practical utility OF s system ol
instruction. II expect to enter into any cOmpe-
tition with Europe in the productions OF industrial
art il is to such institutions as this that we must
look and it is to be hoped that ere long there VIII be
hundreds OF them in all parts of the country
Professor Braidwood expects to add to his corps
of assistants two ladies who have for some Jhe Deeh
connected with of the principal art schools IN
England, and who have been highly recommended as
being thoroughly qualified and well posted IN all te
latest improvements introduced on the other SIDE OF
the Atlantic. Other improvements will be made'
and the School of Design will open this year under
more favorable auspices than ever
The following gentlemen constitute the boaru Vi
Directors WiliamJ. Horstmann, President; James
| H. Orne Secretary; p. p. Norris Secretary James
! L. CaghOrn, Treasurer; W. p Wlstach, George
| Whitney David s. Brown, L. w. Clark Jay Cooke,
| John Sartain, Redwood T. Warner, ana Edward D
Clarke 1t is proper TO state that much OF the ei-
! cheney and prosperity of the School OF Design mas
| been due to the eXertions OF the PresldehI Vi tho
Board of Directors Mr.. Horstmann, who Doth py euu-
cation and long business experience Is iully ailVe 70
the Importance OF educating competent designers III
| this country. Mr. HOrstmann has looked at Vhe
matter from practical, businesske point OF Vlew'
and he has given Professor Bradwood his hearty CO.
operation in building up the Institution.
Those of our citizens who are at all interested in
| art or in the important question Of wOmens WORK
and wages should visit the School of Design and see
for themselves what it doing and what its system
OF instruction really s The subject is that the
intelligent people of this city ought to take deep
interest in, as the influences of such institution
as thus conduce 70 the welfare Of s9c!ely IL more
ways than Que,