New-York tribune., 1875-01-23
DRAWING IN THE COMMON SCHOOL,

Will it pay to make drawing a part of the
public school coursei 1t is a question of ex-
pedency, and ought to be considered in prac-
tical, business fashion,, Half,efSeat.ed rheto-
ricians advocate it in countless high-fying
periods pedants gently ambling on their hob
bies. advise it in backward-foating clouds of
platitudes; and not a few very sensible peo-
PIG guy they believe in 1t. But it ts yet TO be
proved that It ia worth the money and the
time that must be spent upon it. Arguments
drawn from foreign experience are of small
account to population living and learning
under totally different conditions of govern
ment and labor. Opinions as to the abstract
value of the art are of as little use. All that
we have to discover is this: Does it pay to
teach drawing in the American common
schOols7 We have at no time regarded the
art as proposed to be taught in these schools as
an accomplishment, for as an accomplishment
it would be simply piece of idiOcy. We
consider it in the light in which it is urged
as part of the preparation for the
trades and professions. And considering
it canddly and without bias we are not con-
vinced that it is judicious innovation. 1t Is
conceded that what the public schools should
give above everything else is a sound knowl-
edge of the common English branches. We
submit that boys and girls should leave these
schools prepared to use those tools In the
adroit and pertinent manner that thorough
and intimate understanding of them inevi-
tably gives. That painfully large number
do not so leave school is a patent fact.
Snowy exhibitions, the result of endless
mechanical drill, are no tests of proficiency.
The only knowledge worthy the name is that
which is understanding as well as requirement
the knowledge which can be used without
hesitation and with direct effect. Do our
common schools give thisf Let those answer
who, with good natural capacity, have been
graduated from Normal Schools, unable
properly to compose and spell an ordinary letter,
OF to make their mathematics available In
anything outside the barter of a village store.
Until we have.methOds so arranged and teach
ers so skilled that the English studies can be
thoroughly taught it might be as well to keep
drawing out of the schools.
It has not been shown that drawing as an
industrial preparation is OF use to q majority
large enough to make up for minority
which it will not benefit in the least. 1t has
not been shown that it is of use to a majority
aC
chusetts cannot be regarded as deciding the
question whether art-teaching in common
schools is as wise as would be art-teacbing
in chronological schools, primary and secondary
The excellence of the drawings exhibited in
Boston does not argue the large industrial
value of the study. Perhaps two pupils out
of six will make their requirement available
in some trade political economists will be apt
to think that it would, on the whole, be
cheaper to send the two to free technical
school organized for them and for others of
like mind. 1t is to be hoped that the next
generation will find such schools In every city
and large town in the country. There could
be no question as to their expediency.
There ought to be no hurry about altering
the courses of study in our schools. We advise
School Boards composed of business men to
think for themselves, and not give too much
heed to such special pleaders as art teachers,
art publishers who fOresee gold mine iR every
CITY, and incoDsequent persons who seek
notoriety in the advocacy of new theories.