Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-06-20
Some Matters Of Art and Instruction, in Bos-
ton and Parts Adjacent.

going up TO Horticultural Hall, was well
repaid for accepting the invitation. Here
were two large rooms, containing on their
crowded walls and on largc frames erected
along and across both walls. something like
ten thousand specimens Of drawing, copied
and original, oil and water color painting,
work in chalk and crayOn, and modelling of
various kinds, all being the productions of
the pupils of the Normal Art School, the
Free Industrial schools, and the Primary,
Grammar, and High schools, for the present
year. There were hundreds Of original
designs for tiles, lace, registers, fans, and
things in general, the work Of children of
from ten to sixteen years old, taught under
the Walter Smith system which few
+ years ago was introduced with much oppo-
sition, into the Massachusetts, schools Some
F of these were really fresh and beautiful.
/ More interesting even than the drawings
/ themselves was the crowd incessantly pour
ing through the rooms. More than fifteen
thousand people visited the exhibition, and
of these a large proportion were children oh
viously from the families Of the poor, many
from those of the very poor. 1t was something
to see boys with unkempt hair and guiltless
of cuffs or collars, true gamins, one would
say, crowding eagerly to examine these quiet
specimens of the quietest of arts No doubt
each one of those poor fellows had some
thing of bis own upon the wall, but they
were also noting the work of others, and |
overheard many Il remark which showed
acute criticism.
One could not hut feel that here was Il vast
Influence for good workin.. at the very found
atoms of society
The Walter Smith system may not be the
best in the world-its antagonists are very
hard upon it as servile and mechanical-but
to stranger it seemed an excellent thing
that these mutitudes of children should be
in any way taught 10 notice the value and
properties of right lines, curves and shadows
and to combine them into seemly groups. 1t
opens to them new world of perceptions,
new mine of very pure enjoyment They
-
teaches them how to see the
beauty of leaf and to hang
picture straightly on the wall,
and it will teach them much more than that,
though it may not make artists of them all.
When drawing was once introduced into the
public schools, a new difficulty arose; no one
could he found to teach it. Hence arose
the Normal Art School, nearly ninety per
cent of whose graduates are now teaching in
the various schools, and which furnished the
most interesting part of the present exhibit
ton. The pupils of this school work very
hard. As one young man said, it is a matter
of life and death. The first year seems to
be devoted to mechanical drawing and what
may be called mechanical design. After
ward painting is taught in oils and water
colors, and modelling last of all. The first
years course is obligatory, the rest eclectic.
| was much interested in the thine
sketches taken at eXaminations-stud of |
drapcry and still life, in oils, taken in three
hours, portraits in four hours, dish of
statuettc from cast in four and there were
hundreds of these things, some exceedingly |
bold and fine
The free industrial schools are still another |
theme of interest. These are evening schools |
and supported by the city, and literally |
thronged by men and women who are
hard at work all day. There are
so many pupils that only two hours instruc-
ton Il week can he given to each, though
the schools are openevery evening. Noticed
II beautiful oriental design for tile done at
one of these schools by man forty years
old. You would fancy him a skilful work
man, but cut off by hard necessity from all
access to art till now, and how thankfully,
perhaps, ha using Ibis chance.
1t was certainly delightful to see at one
glance how much Massachusetts is doing to
create a popular love for art, and how well
she has succeeded so far.
Another day some one proposed trip to
the Chelsea pottery. Any pottery is interest
ing. and | vaguely remembered having
heard something fine of this one and was
well pleased To 20. \ gentleman at the
Household Art Rooms kindly gave us an
directed us to take certain
ear which would bring us fright to the
pottery" and off we started. On our way
we pictured to ourselves a large brick build
ing with two or three portentous kilns,
score or 81 of wheels tended by us many
deft wOrkmcn, a magisterial but courteous
who, on receiving our card, would
see that We were shown the best of every
thing, one or two rooms DEVOTED to ID
decoration, and all that. We had
time TO mediate, for the walk to
he pottery from the horse car 9
was simply endless, sladeless and dusty.
Once We saw ''E Il Y" on sign and were !
sure we were there, but the next letter was !
X, and it was only bakery. At length E
small low house appeared which announced e
Itself as the Pottery. 1T must be the office" I
aid l. and tried the door. which was locked 1
However, We knocked. and the door was c
'pcned by young lady, who took our card. I
aid this was all there was of the place Ger a
aiSly, We could come in if we wished. She !
ed us to Kind of shed where two men were !
ngaged in laying the glazing on some mugs
nd pitchers Everything else was quiet
nd no one else visible These we supposed e
must be workmcn. One of them shook his D
rush free of the red glaze, set down his mug P
nd courteOusly turned to us. He was
orry, he said, that they Were not doing
luch that day. None of the wheels were IL
ding; they were getting ready TO fire. This
iaS diScouraging, hut casting our eyes around n
,c soon found much to interest us. and II
w moments suiliced to convince us that our
imposed workman was thoroughly at home y
1 his art. II was Il tumhle-down sort of &
lace rs have said. and there were shelves u
uck up here, there and anywhere, but U
n these shelves were jars, vases, =
4, e I
raceful shapes and in variety al III
most as great as the number of the articles. III
, few were the duplicates. Many were still al
,ft, but such as had been fired displayed Of
lose exquisite blue white green. and dull u
ii glazes in tints rich but suhducd which dit
Re DOulton ware has made us all so fond of.
iIr guide took our admiration with great
lmposure. oh. YES, he said, they could 90
AXE any glaze they chose. All the pro- a,
'sses of shaping. treatment and deviation y,
ere explained to us in clear and charming -
ngliSh, and we became every moment more -.
nd more puzzled at the situation. Who =,
ere these people, and what kind of an es- ~,
hlishment might this be? Finally, going ~, y"
Ito another room, We deserted fine bust.
early that Of our host lie took OF his
l-skin cap and put it, little Titled, on the
nv head and the likeness was life itself p
ear by stood bust of the maiden who had
-st admitted us YES" said he. I'VE take
Ch others busts for practice when there is
Ahlng better To work on | forget to
hat question Of mine it was that he an
ycred a little loitily, but little quizzically
O. We do not use that process we call =.
irselves artists" He was an elderly man, |.
ih very English face which had, never
elcss, touch of Yankee keenness and hu
Or, u face TO b. well remembered.
At last he returned % his glazing, having i
st requested the Young lady TO show US \
/. contents of the room we had first enter
II was from her that we fully learned
int we had been gradually guessing. that T.!
r Robertsans, the father and two sons, are \
rmselves the proprietors workers and al
IS of this marvellous little establishment
i. i.