Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1888-04-28

eleven schools with an attendance OF seven nun
dred bows, ranging in age from to 16 years. At
first the children were rather shy and had to be
coaxed into the schools but after few lessons
they became interested and brought companions
to share the instruction. All the schools have
about the same report to make,-at the start
shocking manners and morals, gradual but certain
improvement in both, and, lastly real interest and
pleasure in tasks that were found to be sort OF
play. The boys of less than 10 years were put at
sewing china buttons of various colors along the
lines of patterns traced on square or circular
pieces of cloth. There may not seem to be any
particular education in this, especially for boys,
but the very act of threading the needle is some.
thing to a boy who does not know what to clio with
his hands, and the placing of the button in the
correct position in the pattern tends to produce
accuracy of sight, which proves of value IN the
work that follows. To the pupils of 10 years and
upward is given drawing, the plan pursued being
essentially the same as that used in the public
Schools but with an enlarged application to hand
work. Each boy is encouraged to make his own
designs, the teachers exertng all their influence to
bring out any originality that may exist, directing
them in all instances to look about them for in
spraton, particularly to go to nature for artistic
the faculty of observation.
After this comes the modelling of tiles from clay.
This the boys enjoy, often taking a lump of the
material home, returning the next week with it
modelled in some original way. Ii this is found
worthy of the honor, it is used as an example for
the whole class. Thus is the designer rewarded
and stimulated to renewed effort. After being
sufficiently advanced in modelling, the carving
tools are given to the boy, and with these he is
taught the mysteries of surface work, intagio and
high and low relief. II is here that faithful work
in the preliminary steps becomes visible and the
capability of the pupil shows to the best advan-
tage. Bench work, which is the limit that the as
ISOLATION expects 70 rsech in this direction, is now
+" 0Per"oo" 11.-euu @nA-af l--i.eple, hut will
soon be introduced into all of them. Some little
work In china mosaic has been done, and leather
work and marquetry will find their places soon.
There is no reason why all these sminor arts
should not be carried to perfection by our Amer-
can children In Persia children from to 10
years are able to do very good work in mosaic the
children of Caro,6f like age embroider. in manv
cases from original designs, the poor children Of
Italy and Switzerland carve with facility. while in
the potteres of Spain the sight is common of little
ones of tender age shaping with delft fingers
shapeess masses of clay into forms of grace and
beauty. 10 be sure these are in nearly every in
stance endowed with skill which is transmitted
to them through line of ancestors who have
made such occupations life work The proven
bal quckness of the children of our own soil
should more than compensate for any lack of
hereditary knowledge. If the impotence which
this very quickness is apt to beget can only be
curbed and kept within the bounds of patient,
,plodding endeayor, real excellence in the Industrial
arts of the future is secured
An effort to implant the virtue of patriotism in
the hearts of the pupils is made by having them
sing American airs for fifteen or twenty minutes
before the lesson proper is begun These thew
shout with ~'gusto that speaks wen for their an
probation of tune' if not Of The sentiments ex-
The aims Of the Industrial Art Association Of