St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-10

many we're compelled to turn back in
sore disappointment as were able to
get inside. 1t is estimated that
there were fully $500 souls
that listened with deep interest
to the exercises and the lectures-the
most interesting thus far in the session.
Standing from the aisles to the doors,
and even out in the corridor. the gal
lery-everywhere where any one could
get. every inch was occupied, flguratiye-
ly speaking. The large and spacious
platform was filled with seats, where
sat the lecturers and the officers.
After fervent and eloquent invOca-
ton by Rev. A. II. Heath. of Plymouth
Congregational church, Miss Ada M.
Laughlin, of the ST. Paul High school,
read an exceedingly interesting paper
on The Moral Value of Art Educa-
tion." An epitOme follows:
Nothing is more vital to the nations life
than cthe education of its children. What
to teach and how best to teach it, for cen-
turies has agitated the best minds, and will
continue to furnish the impulse for their
most thoughtful activity.
America i'll its vigorous youth is recognized
by Its elders as a present and rapidly in
creasing power. To sustain and strengthen
its national character. its people must plan
wisely for the culture of its youth.
10 whom should this guidance be en-
trusted?
1t is difficult to state with previty the value
OF candor and innate truthfulneSs in those
who teach at all; of so absolute genuine
ness of conviction and devotion, that one
cannot help putting ones whole strength
into the work.
But learning and skill are OF no avail if we
lack faith, ii we do not truly worship the
themes we interpret We must believe in
what we do or no one will believe in US.
Since it is healthy growth and development
that we seek, rather than results, we must
lead children to use their own minds, to eX-
ternalize their own thoughts, to harmonic
thinking and doing, to discover and create,
to recognize in Nature the worship of God.
All children should be taught enough
drawing to be able to express themselves
readily with the pencil. Not with the pur-
pose of making artists of them, but because
daily life. This study aWakens an apprec1a-
ton for beauty and truth, and leads to higher
ideals in conduct and workmanship. There
is yearning towards beauty in form and
color as well as in sound and morals, and it
is to this upward tendency of the mind that
the wise educator will address himself The
higher our conception of material beauty,
the higher will be our ideal of moral beauty.
From the employment and consequent
habits of the nation are del eloped the indi-
vidual characteristics that determine its life
and influence. How little we should know
of many times and people but for their art!
History has remembered the kings and war
riors because they destroyed. Art has re-
membered the people because thby created:
The Imperial Art institute in London was
established In memorial of the fftieth year
of Queen Victoria's reign. This is one of
many enterprises of similar character for the
advancement of the masses of European
workmen tending to unite pleasure with
daily toll. We, as nation of peace, main
tanning the smallest standing army in the
world, i'll our public education are doing
nothing compared with Europe to ad-
vance and ennoble peaceful occupations.
What is being done i'll America towards fit
ting the people for adjustment of their re-
lations to peaceful labor is being done wholly
by private enterprise. Pratt institute in
Brooklyn. whose varied work is illustrated so
beautifully in our city to-day, Is maintained
wholly by private enterprise, and is training
1900 young people to self-reliance and skill,
the expense to them being merely nominal.
Philip Armour, of Chicago, has in view the
establishing OF similar enterprise in his
own city.
With the diminution of hours of labor for
the workingman rises the demand as to how
he shall spend his time Because more
leisure is coming to the people, we must
create foster and nourish the de re for pure
and elevating amusements and this foster
ing of correct tastes mustDe begun In child
hood and cared for under the state and civil
authorities.
s'Few studies can claim to do as much as
music and drawing towards advancing
children in paths of peace, obedience and
order, giving them present happiness, future
occupation and a constantly elevated enjoy
ment."
The great charm and power in the master
pieces of art lie in their being materially
things of skill and spiritually interpreters of
the intellect, emotions and passions of men.
appealing to their affections and becoming
the companions of their lives. Man in every
age has been the servant, pupil, disciple of
art, commanded by it, strengthened by 1t,
blessed by it. Its voice is Irresistible, coming
from the divine source of his own life and
lifting him into the life above, just as the
vitality of the plant lifts and transforms into
itself the hitherto inorganic elements of earth
and air. The lifting power must come from
above, and this power of art is one of the
greatest by which our material life shall
reach its highest spiritual development. The
very recognition of beauty is all earnest of
immortality.
The American people in their necessarily
mechanical routine of life need this heart
relief as much as rest of head and muscle.
The theology and the school cannot safely
sever themselves from the commerce of the
nation. History shows us that whatever this
has occurred the most fatal results have fol-
lowed and the great force for revival or
maintenance of national veal has been and
is the development of material resources, in
dustrially and artistically
America must not judge herself nor her
arts By standards of Greece and Rome, for
the conditions of life now are vastly changed
and much improved. We cannot do, even if
it were thousand times better worth doing,
anything we'll, except what our American
hearts shall prompt and our American skies
teach US, for all good workmanship is the
natural utterance of its own people in its own
day. The art life, which is the result of
this new industrial activity will come
from the sure and gradual elevation that
is the necessary outgrowth of universal
purity of thought and action. Inspired by
the purpose to educate and thus redeem the
masses, to awaken and stimulate an apprecia-
ton of nature as the GENERALIZATION of Gods
thought-dominated by the Christian idea
the leavening of the entire lump, the nations
aim shall be-not the development of incl
lect for intellect's sake, nor science for
sciences sake, nor art for arts sake but
everything for humanitys sake-to make hu-
manity God like