New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-09
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
MIXED LIFE" CLASSES VI
STUDENTS.
MIXED


STUDENTS.
,o.1N WARD sT1MsoN TELLS WHY THEY AHH
s,.,crssr1r1. AT HIS INSTITUTE FOR
ARTIST ARTISANS
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
cir. Nv attention Is called to your very MINI
rd onnreciative article OF Sunday last upon the
'r..,,n,o for Artist Artisans" which. with Dr.
,Iohor newton. William Hamilton Gibson MIS-
cordaco Wheeler and other earnest co"orheI''
had the honor to found some seven years ago. 10,
the more organic advance OF American AT any
craftsmanship. -, -. ,,a
Az stated clearly at Chickering Han at '"e
time and at Columbia College ana o'"e. -,
nortant platforms since. the main OBJECT III
,,,ro,,,, rros ~ holm the masses OF active Ameri-
can skilled producers rather than the purely
frivolous and In an educational sense " '''"'
rate the vastly needed and now widely We'co'"e
reform OF DETECTING the attention OF s'uuen.S a''
manufacturers from purely serviie, ih''a"'e VI
mechanical borrowing of foreign plumes 10 'he
rcspcct for personal expression ana hatlohai char-
actor. the utilization OF imitess material TOT
beauty In our native land. and the observation
and application OF underlying principles OF beauty
that are universal TO all ages and Materials from
the essential or aesthetic unity OF art or the arts
". have had reason TO rejoice at the broad appre-
citation and welcome accorded our motives ana
methods. alike by the press and thousahus Vi
Young people already directly or indirectly bene-
flied. In this country vital idea ~ certain
sooner or later to take vital hold OF lhteiiise".
leaders everywhere. The Columbus centennial
demonstrated what splendid possibilities In artistic
expression lay before our Nation. II ohy 'hs
shackes OF foreign Alterations and speculations
could be broken and a vital. organic self-de-
velopment begun as. indeed. true education In all
other lines Is called for.
Il also proved anew the truth We have made
n cornerstone OF our instiutIon-one well known
and respected by all great ages ana arusuc M
tionaties-viz that there IL essential difference
I'm shirt between good art, fundamentally or
Enthusiastically" applied; that IL. between the public
and private phases OF the same true spirit.
Just In religion. The great Greeks. Italians ana
Japanese were az essentially artistic and en-
durIngly beautiful" In domestic and Industrial as
In religious commemorative arts
We catch Durer and Quentin Matsys at their iron
work: CelIini turning with equal skill from n
silver goblet TO "A 'Perseus. and Raphael or
Ia Vinci rejoicing In delicious ornamen'atioh as
In mural frescos. Mind Is ever superior to matter
and IL IL the man ennobling the material, more
than the material the man. So that II Is sometimes
seriously questioned whether 1t does not call forth
a far higher artistic sentiment and cultivation
charmngly to appreciate interpret and reapply the
spirit and principles OF nature 10 beautiful design
than TO copy" any number OF still objects
There can be no question that some pierie can
vas by some fossllIzcd poser In an academy Is
masterpiece in stain glass. japanese bronze work
or Persian tapestry Finally. since the questions
are OF most pregnant and pressing importance
industrially and Internationally just now ana
are urging widely for solution. Will you allow me
o clear mp issue you raise In the matter OF
cocducaton OF sexes?
You kindly state that have been "success'ul
where ST Gaulcns and many others failed,
cic. Will explain TO what principle and method
! attribute this success which We carry through
all departments and classes quite as much as IN
the If" ciasses. and az you truly say without
the slightest trouble" for many years. Certainly
not mp 20 the present time or my personal absence
FIRST I mn that the study and work OF
women need, IN general. the strength energy ana
persistent Nigor of IN" men wotk IN Aisht 10
Stimulate and fortfy them. while the men require
tho dclcacy. senslbty and taste OF tru" women TO
r'nn" their thought ana labor. or Else most itr-
qI"niy ih.ir tone ana tolI become cYAts.. III
comes weak or impra, ti.aoIr. IN a't hlu niu
try. in society and lie. they stand for halves
dustry mi q bear "A just proportion and truly re-
fleet this inherent spirit and purpose In nature s
work
A. regards their practical association In the ma.
tgrc work AMI study OF a mature institution
the better FOR beng expected 10 bring 10 the
studio the same standards OF refinement courtesy
brought IL In the fault OF the individuals or the
methods a, outside. I, Is a simple matter to any
instructor who proposes TO be a true gentleman az
ind out that he looks himself and expects them
10 look for the beauty" OF the nude rather
Than the nudity" Of beauty. And tina, even then,
In irstciass art school the living model should
never be nude" but merely undraped to the es.
sentlal measure requisite 20 give flndamentai
,ruthfunes-. nobility and plastic vitality to the
lines and forms OF NE. which true drapery was
intended to augment and express. while IL
chastrns and refines
To IN. pure this much OF truth must ever be
essentially pure. and all else had better stay out OF
art for nothing In more essentially refining and
than such constructive sincerity and admiration
for IN. handiwork OF Deity, q, which. physically,
the human figure Is the sublimest example. Had
We more Of this knowledge and reverence We
would not endure the monstrosities and distortions
81 fashion, The trouble has been that. In all
education. have been too superficial and me-
chanlcal. too little fundamental and vital. If We
educated our young from the beginning. as Froebel
and Spenser suggest. along more vital lines ana
organic steps OF development and tangible ex-
perence." rather than rclteration ana limitation:
w., would i'm the end be- better thinkers. doors and
citizens generally.
Art education has suffered from the same false
leadership. We lavish millions on pompOus shells
empty Of vital instruction and significance; or MI
them with obsolete ideals and thricetold tales
(mercly for curiosity and mostly misunder-
stood while universal nature the mighty mother
OF all true Inspiration AMI principle. remains
largely neglected practically voceless. And
/ finally end. too often. by committing the art
education OF refined children to narrow tech
ncali-ts and mannerists. whose manners al
home and abroad have been neither refined. truly
artistic pure, The long struggle 10 Great.
for the young the advantage you record, would
never have broken my health had there been a
/ public cooperation at all commensurate with the
educational and industrial issues inE0Iyed,
Educational Director.
| saranac Lake y. Y. Thanksgiving Day. 1884,
| WHERE ARE THE GOOD LAUNDRESSES'
| To the Editor OF The Tribune.
! I,I, Ian To-