National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-29
Art and American Industries.

TCT hOule ytuIb past we nave Deeu 30
deluged with ant, artists, art critics, Ruskin
and water, Oscar Wilde, and other camp
followers OF culture, that many sensible
people have come to regard art as only an
other name for humbug.
Additional strength is given to this opin-
ion by the comments Of Mr.. Ruskin, the
high priest of art, upon so many subjects OF
pressing and profound interest. He speaks
benefit of the human race went for nothing
when compared with the color of a cloud or
the view from some Swiss mountain top.
Personally we must say that under the
influence OF Mr. Ruskln's driveling utter
anees OF later years, which appear to be as
inhuman, immoral, and untruthful as the
seXless figures In Burne-Jones's pictures or
the brutal monstrosities of Zolas novels,
our contempt for art had begun to assume
the fine proportions Of Matthew Arnold's
feeling for the Philistine. People don't
thiak much nowadays of misappled brute
strength, whether in Samson or a Sulll-
van, but they take off their hats in protest
against mere physical force In opposition to
much OF the boasted refinement and windy
sentimentality OF what is falsely called art.
Under such circumstances we hail with
gratitude the advent Of book which prom
ises to rehabilitate genuine art, and to place
that exacting mistress upon solid and
rational basis.
This volume is the more remarkable, and,
we may add, reliable, as having been issued
by the United States government from the
bureau OF education, under the supervision
OF Commissioner Eaton and the editorship
OF Col. /. Edwards Clarke, A. M. The lat
ter gentleman Is an art devotee, who has
made the subject lifelong study, and
who brings to Its treatment long expert
ence, wide culture, and the results Of ex-
tensiye travel in Europe and Great Britain.
The title Of the book is "Art and Industry,
Industrial and High Art Education I'm the
United States" and the main object of It's
l,lOO pages is topoint out that (1) America
is nation OF workers; (2) skilled labor is
always and everywhere more valuable than
unskilled; (3) America is at present far be.
hind European countries in most PROVINCES
OF artistic work; ~ the remedy for this
lack of skill is to be found In making draw
ing, which is the basis of all mechanical
skill, compulsory In every public school in
the United States.
SCOPE OF THE BOOK.
The purport Of this volume, which lead
ing metropolitan paper calls "a monumen-
tai work" can be most readily gathered
from some passages in Col. Clarke's intro.
duction;
nation OF workers must be taught how TO
work. The conviction that In the in
reduction Of instruction IN drawing In all the
public schools of the country, and In the future
development of industrial art education which
must inevitably follow such universal elemen.
tary training OF the hand and eye there will
be found, In no small degree, a remedy for the
acknowledged defects Of our present system of
exclusive literary education, largely prompted
the preparation of this work. In the artistic
development Of our resources will be found, It
Is believed, the surest foundation of our
future material prosperity as nation.
The question Of the kind OF training that
shall be given In the public schools OF the
country is vital one othe political economist
no less than to the mOraist and the aw.maker.
The guiding purpose OF this report is
to make clear the mutual relation of the arts
to show the importance to the country of the
general application of art to industries; 10 de.
monstrato the possibility Of successfully dc.
Neloping IN any country, by definite educa- |
liOnal processes the taste and skin reauisite TO
the probable prosecution of such artistic in |
lustriesi to urge the importance, both of com. |
the elementary training needed at an
rHrly age aud Of making the rudlments of This
Industrial education universally a part OF the
raining Of every child In the community ns
he knowledge Of the alphabet snow made; TO
Illustrate the possibility Of doing this, as shown
~ the recent educational history of different
Countries and communities; 10 point out the
Imperative need OF beginning this training at
'nce TO call attention 10 the extraordinary
ABILITIES possessed by the communities of the
'nlted States in their public school systems
or the most rapid and successful Introduction
I this trainings audio emphasize tho direct