New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-05-29
EDUCd TON IN ORA WING.

An eminent English painter gave the worid
this dictum: Any. one who can learn to write
can learn to draw. Tbs phrase was made the
guiding preeept of one of the most sucoessiui
manuals of drawing ever used in this country
And now the State of Massachusetts seems TO
have recognized its public schools on basis
which practically recognizes the value OF the
same ill-undefstoOd axiom. As it cannot be
expected that every one who can learn to
write can attain to great emineDce in the art,
so drawing in the public schools is not
designed to produce generation OF ALI
stons, Vests, and Darleys. According to q
partial report Of the progress OF the
Massachusetts experiment, which is printed on
another page Of THE TRIBUNE, the educators
of that State have just begun the foundation
of a system of education in drawing which Is
to be thorough, simple, and genuine. The
teachers are taught. The general introduction
of art into mechanics and manufactures, and
the profuse use of ornament in every branch
of industry, seem to compel the establishment
of American schools of design which shall be
accessible to every child in the land. Many
of the States of Europe compel us to draw
largely from their designs, as well as their
fabrics, by the superiority of attainment III
drawing which has been reached by their
artisans This ia one of those truths which
have become uncomfortably self-evident. In
New York and several other large cities of the
Republic, drawing is taught in the public
schools in an imperfect and desultory man
Der and there are in these cities not few
admirable schools of design which are easily
accessible. But nothing like a fundamental
education In drawing has anywhere been
generally adopted until Massachusetts,, always
in the van in these respects, began the use OF
system which is designed to be as purely
fundamental in its application as any other
branch of education. ....'..F
Il ia patent that in nearly every department
of industry proficiency in drawing is abso-
lutely indispensable to complete mastery OF
the art or trade 1t is also true that very few
mechanics are capable of drawing the COM
monest forms required in their daily work.
There seems to be no good reason why car
penter who has been educated to calculate the
number of feet of lumber required to wainscot
an apartment should not also have skill suffi-
cient TO indicate on paper simple design for
that wainscoting Nor does it seem to
be creditable to American mechanics that
the men who paint Wallpapers, fashion
plated ware, or mold garden-urns, should
be compelled to depend almost altogether on
imported designs. Massachusetts has made
good beginning by requiring teachers and pu-
pills to invent designs from simple materials,
having first learned something of that firm
freedom of the hand which makes the accom-
plished artist master of his subject. The
teachers being taught, all the rest seems easy
The experiment, so far az it has gone
promises success. The very best results
are found in the work of tho pri-
mary schools where children have
learned to draw as they have learned their
alphabet This is wonderful more than that
it is inspiring AZ an earnest of the great work
which Is assured of success. 1t Is not sur
prising that this admirable innovation COM
mands the hearty support and applause of the
manufacturers, mechanics, and mill-Owners OF
Massachusetts,. They see in its ultimate and
certain establishment in State education a
new element of home power and an addition
to domestic resources. Other States will watch
the experiment Gf we may still call it such)
with interested attention; and they will readily
profit by the success which seems inevitable.