The National tribune., 1883-10-25


the Commander of Wilson Colwell Post, La
Crosse, and as will be seen by correspond
ents letter, performed the installation services
for the new Relief Corps,
The Posts and Relief Corps are organizing
for an active winter campaign.
MANCHESTER'S MUSEUM,
And the Benefit it will be to the English Working
Glasses.
Special Correspondence National Tribune.
MANCHESTER, ENG, Sept. "a, 1883.
In my last two letters quoted testimony as
to the disadvantages under which the working
people of Manchester suffer. In the present
letter l shall quote from the Prospectus of the
Manchester Art Museum-by means of which
institution it is hoped that many of these dis
advantages may be eremoved-some descriptions
of the methods which the museum committee
propose to follow. do this, in part, because
it is only just TO give attention to the remedies
which it is proposed to apply to evils of which
/ have already quoted descriptions from the
pens of Manchester writers
shall however make these quotations with
all the more pleasure because of the interest
which has been growing constantly more ac-
tive and more effective in the promotion of
art-education in America during the past few
years; and because feel sure that among the
readers of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE there
must be many to whom the suggestions con-
tanned IN the quotations will come as help In
carrying on such work The wide distribution
over the country of the readers of THE TRIB-
UNE is another reason for making ample quota
tions from this most thoughtfully prepared
paper, for suggestions which may be needless
to persons interested in such work in one part
of the country may be thoroughly helpful to
those of another State somewhat differently
placed. Moreover, [ have never seen so good
statement of the reasons which should in
duce persons interested in the temperance and
other reforms to promote the establishment of
good, popular art museums, as is implied In
the following extracts. A large number of per-
sons who would not be influenced by consia-
erations of the mercantile value of art educa-
ton, or by enthusiasm for the promotion of
mere culture would, doubtless, be at once in
terested in the spread of art education if they
were persuaded of its value in improving the
moral and physical condition of the working
people of our crowded cities OF this tendency
of art education think the following extracts
are convincing. 1t should be said that the
Prospectus is not new and crude production.
1t is the outgrowth of years of careful thought
as may be seen from the following statement,
made at the last annual meeting, of the Man
chester Art Museum committee, by whom the
Prospectus is prepared. The chairman said:
Ii is now many years since the scheme of the art
museum was first issued. We have not been in
haste; our proceedings have been slow, perhaps
some may think too slow. There have been many
reasons for this. The commercial depression from
which Manchester has suffered for many years
has had something to do with the difficulty of rails
ing funds. But, besides that there were many diff
hcuities IN the way OF maturing the scheme and a
great deal of anxious and careful deiiberation has
year after year been given to the project
To the justness of this statement and the
value of the deliberation, the following ex-
fr1a hner I ynlr 10 xUffr
THE INDUSTRIAL ART COLLECTIONS
Having announced the promise of the town
council to supply a suitable building, and of
the committee to make over to the town eoun-
ell all its present and future collections, to
place s5 900 worth of works of art in the build
ing on its opening, and 5000 worth more
within four years, the Prospectus promises in
dustrial art collections as follows:
The committee viii place in the museum coiiec-
tons ofexamples, and OF copies OF examples. ofthe
finest products of the industrial arts By the side OF
each object label will be placed, giving its name
and, when possible, few words of comment on It's
merits. 1t cannot be expected that English people
will be led by simply seeing collections of beautiful
objects IN q museum to accept them as guides for
their work. Unaided they will not have more
power or wish to see the beauty of the objects in
the museum than they have to feel the superiority
OF tie few beautiful forms hich they have hitherto
seen to the large number of ugly forms by which
those few have been surrounded. If they are to be
taught by the collections in the museum TO dis
criminate between good and bad forms, they must
be led 10 understand the principles upon which
RICHNESS of form depends. This the committee be-
fiege they will be, in some measure, enabled to do
by means of labels attached 10 each object and oi
cheap and handy catalogues containing fuller ex-
piaIlation aud criticism. 1t il probable that the
largest results viii be gained from this system OF
explanation and criticism when it is applied to
those things which used by the greatest num-
Der OF people Pottery, for instance, being Used in
every house, offers of the best means which
can be used for giving knowledge OF some of the
principles OF rightness of appearance. The man
who learns IN the museum TO look critically at 9
cup, the counterpart, perhaps, of one in his owu
house. viii have acquired principles of criticism
which he viii often apply when he uses his OWL
cups, and which will probably lead him to try tt
estimate the merits of the forms of other things
his house, and eventually, TO replace those which
he discovers TO be ugly by others OF better shape
For we often find that when we possess one beau
tiful thing OF which we have learnt to feel ths
beauty it makes desire that all the things which
surround it shall also be beautiful.
The two fundamental principles upon which
| the museum collections are based may b.
| found in the first extract from the Prospectus
First. everything must be in some way con
neeted with the life and the interest of tht
working peopie-a principle expounded more a
! length farther on; aud, second, this connection
must be made very clear by means of labels anC
explanations, and this second principle is so ad
/ mirably carried out that it deserves the es
/ pecial attention OF every one who is In any wa,
! interested III Tue WOfk OF aTG 6uucaLt0D.
| Referring to this principle and its appfica
| tion to the industrial collection, Mr.. Horsfal
| says, in the admirable pamphlet upon the study
| of beauty and art III large towns, to which l re
| ferred in my last letter:
The labels accompanying the cups and jugs ant
ether well-shaped examples of pottery, will give tn
prices at which similar things can be bought ant
short remarks the merits of the objects shown
Attempts to write criticism of the kind needed ar
fun OF peril, but it Is possible to point out that
I handle is well and firmly placed that iu,
and if children are led TO notice points of ti
simple kind they viii be nearer to the possession
OF the power of just criticism of shape than mos
/ grown-up people are Simple authoritative state
4 meuts, made by competent judges, that the shap
and color of an object shown good, are also o
much value.
1 THEIR PRACTICAL BEARING UPON LIFE.
| The principle of making the museum col
lections bear directly upon the life and interes
/ of the Manchester working people will b,
! carried out in part by means of model house
| as follows
For the purpose of making known by means o
! things in common use the difference between RICH
and wrong form, it Is intended that space of th
size of small house shall be partitioned off in tn
museum, and be furnished with the few pieces O
furniture needed in it. all strong and sip4pfe of goo
/ form and good Workmanship. The walls will be O
good color, and few good pictures will be hung ol
them. The curtains, the eroekery, viii be of goo'
material, good shape, and good color The win
1 dowS viii be supplied with growing plants. Sucl
lures books that beautiful things can easily b
obtained by thousands OF people whose homes a
present contain almost nothing which they can ad
! nlire.
1t is intended that there shall be in the museum
| good examples of etchings, engravings from cop
| per, steel, and wood, photo-engravings, photo