, 1888-02-01
FIELD FOR FEMALE TALENT.
School of Industrial Art in Philadelphia.
One woman's Work.

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Centennial exposition in 1876, a COM
mittee was formed and provided with
$50, 900 in cash, for the purpose of secur-
ing from foreign exhibitors specimens of
their best handicraft in industrial art
subjects, TO be used as n nucleus for an
educational museum in this city, the
same to eventually comprise a depart
ment of a school of industrial art. This
was one of the practical methods adopted
to render the Centennial exposition of
permanent benefit. 1t was successfully
carried out through the efforts of one
woman-Mrs. E. d. Gillespie, who is a
grand niece of Benjamin Franklin. She
worked in season and out toward the
accomplishment of her plans.
The result of her labors is the magnii-
cent collection of art works that now fill
the Memorial hall in Paramount park,
part of which were purchased and the
balance donated by foreign and native
exhibitors. These works are employed
as models, from which are drawn art in
SEPARATIONS, that eventually find their way
into the carpets, china, calico and the
thousand II one other things of art, S
well as domestic economy.
1t is to the city of Philadelphia and the
state of Pennsylvania, supplemented by
the generosity of q few public spirited
citizens in the eastern states and in Phil
adelphia, that this important art move
ment has been made in this country.
The best features of the South Kensing-
ton Art school have been localized, and
the methods of the French, German and
Belgian designers have been freely util-
lied. The progress made by the latter
country is something wonderful, many
of the best suggestions coming from
there.
Among the subjects taught are de-
signs for carpets, rugs, wall papers, in
which there have been n progress within
the past five years that is simply marvel
ous; oilcloths, calicoes and all sorts of
textile fabrics, two-thirds of all the
genuine Smyrnas," are made in Phila-
delphia. In clay modelling for the deco
rative art trade instruction is given. A
particularly important branch is the
china decoration. The advancement made
in pottery manufacture has brought into
demand hand painters of all descriptions,
as well as designers who can make the
patterns hat are printed upon our more
common stone china by machinery.
China decoration has kept pace with
china manufacture, and now American
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both England and Holland.
The purpose of the school is to furnish
such instruction in drawing, painting,
modelling, carving and designing as is re-
quired by designers, superintendent and
workmen in the various decorative arts,
and TO serve as a training school for
teachers of these branches. In the pur-
suance of u instruction the pupil is
taken through each successive branch
of practical art to which he or she is
adapted. No knowledge of drawing is
required in beginning, and all studies are
directly from objects and from nature.
As the pupils advance they are taught
to mako their own designs, the character
of the designs being confined as closely as
possible to work that could be applied to
practical use. Even if the life classes,
where copies are made from the semi
nude, the models are posed in attitudes
that could be applied to architectural de-
signs. In fact, in no department is the
industrial feature lost sight of, and from
the first attempt in geometrical drawing
to the highest perfection in copies from
life this object is kept steadily in view.
An important feature of the instruction
is that of compelling the pupil, after
having made the designs, either in textile
or in a purely art department, to work
them out in real articles. Looms exactly
like those used in New England and
Pennsylvania manufactures are provided
and the pupil makes a rug or a piece of
carpet from his or her own pattern.
In an institution owing its existence
almost wholly to the indomitable pluck
and push of one woman, there are natur-
ally a large proportion of women stu
dents, but they are by no means the
majority of those benefited. Ambitious
artisans in the hundreds of industrial
mills of the city find here immense advan-
tages for self Improvement. Women find
the same, and they are awaiting themselves
of the privilege, both here and in the older
institution for industrial and art advance
ment-the School of Design for Women.
The latter was a pioneer in this country
in the task of providing congenial and
profitable employment for women.
Within a few months art schools in
three large western cities have sent repre-
sentatives to this city to ask after the
feasibility of industrial plans. 1t is rec
ogniZed that women must be provided
with the means of earning q living, and
the vast field of industrial art furnishes a
broad and hitherto uncultivated and I'M
occupied one. The number of women
now filling remunerative positions in the
mills as designers attest the claim of in
dustrial art education to notice.-Eugene
NJ. Camp in San Francisco Chronicle.