The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-04-12
A NEW YORK'BOY,s VICTORY.
Winning His Way Into Frances
Great Art school.

Winning His Way Into Frances
Great Art school.
| An American lad has Just won rare
hOnors in France. Henry L. Levy, still
in his teens and only year ago a Wall
street messenger boy, has won prize in
Paris for which ambitious men often
strive vainly for years and years.
From his babyhood he has shown
marked taste and talent for art. He was
barely out of frocks before be began to
draw. Before he could read he could
sketch with facility. Friends there
were who thought this talent should not
be too much encouraged, fearing that
the child would develop into a dreamer
only caring nothing for practical things
But others, more clear-sighted, were at
hand TO applaud the skill of his pencil
and, through Public School No. Is and
into the College of the City of New York,
he made his way, turning always to &C
count every opportunity he found to ad-
vance in art attachments, AT the end Of
the course in the latter institution be
stood first in the class of drawing and
captured a medal. Some of the lads
work begah to attract attention. Con-
stant Mayer conceived a warm personal
interest in the stripping and did much to
encourage him, urging his entrance to
the New York Art League, where lat the
end of one season, lie passed an examin
alton that brought him out No. /.
But young Levy wasn't rich, nor was
he willing to have his parents make
financial sacrifices to help him along in
this work that had so much more of
pleasure than certain profit in it. Thus
in vacation time he became a messenger
boy in Wall street, finding employment
with the banking and brokerage firm of
Kohn, Pepper &c Co., Mr.. Pepper being
a relative. He worked hard, he had
good pay; what he made he saved, and
one day last spring he suddenly aston
shed his friends by announcing that if
he had the chance to study abroad he
could achieve certain success. Edward
Pepper, his uncle, encouraged the idea,
and last July the lad sailed for France
and entered the Julian Art School in
Paris few months later
About Christmas he wrote home that
he was going to enter the lists with the
host who each year seek admission to
lEcole des Beaux Arts, the Paris School
of Fine Arts, supported by the French
Will u lllSlbll DhSh DO1 Ollh
the discovery of America, rich IN the
renown of five centuries of dazzling
genius. Realizing how remove is the
chance of any but an exceptionally tai
ented youth, more particularly one with.
out influence or patron, to gain admis-
sion to this famed institution. Henry
Levy's New York friends wrote him
that they thought he would do well to
abandon hope which they clearly saw
was eXtravagant to wildness.
"Well, l am going to try, anyhow,
came the plucky answer. I've begun
to prepare for the test and l am going to
stick
And the boy kept his word Examina
ton day came on the 1st of March.
Three hundred and forty candidates be-
sides the young New Yorker were on
hand hoping to get the prize of admis-
sion to the BeauX. Arts. Eighty of the
$40 were successful, some of them men
of years, artists already of reputation in
Paris some of them having even had
pictures on the walls of the Salon.
Eighty out of $40 successful, but fore
most, he who wins the title of Premier,
is Henry l.. Levy he who only last year
was Wall street brokers' messenger
boy, Suddenly the French Government
becomes his patron.
1t was not only IN drawing that can
didates for admission to the school had
to pass, but included in these examina
tions are mathematics, geometry, archi-
lecture, anatomy, ancient and modern
history, and modelling. At the close of
the examination the American lad was
1raIitad for 1ra mn from Iifa with EO0
marks, the hiGhett record obtainable,
while in the total of other branches he
scored 1926, there, too, being foremost,
the man closest following him getting
only $50. And the brave boy was hand.
icapped, too, by the fact that English
and not French was his native tongue.
A letter from a prominent New Yorker
now in Paris says /: This boy has made
us Americans here incline toward put
ting on airs. His victory is astounding.
Only one who has the chance personally
to see the contests that are made for ad
mission to the Beaux-Arts can appre.
ciate what is really signifed by young
Levy's taking the premiership in such
an easy off hand way. There is the
making of great artist in that boy
This is the modest way that the lad
himself writes home about his accom-
plishment i am glad to report to you,
he says, that | am received at the
Beaux Arts with the title of Premier
that is, have obtained the highest mark
in drawing from life, and also in other
branches, having good lead over No.
2. l am now exempt from all further
examination for admission, and am
member of the school until the age of
80, whereas all others (unless they re
ceive lnedals) are compelled to take fire.
quent examinations if they wish to re-
main. Please do not think | am i'm
modest in this unreserved account of my
success; tell you candidly all about 1t
because know it makes you as happy
as it does me. l realize what you wrote
me. that success comes slowly, and takes |
time. There are plenty of examples to
show me that students starting out as
have started have often won a share of
success in their youth, and never after
risen above that. My good fortune con.
vinces me that I've got lots of hard work |
ahead if want to hold my own, and
am ready for it. Two weeks hence am
to be in the studio of Gerome, to paint
under him, to enjoy his greatness. Two
weeks! That seems a long, long way off. |
But it's coming. And your New York |
boy is happy.'-INew York Times, April
I'd.