The San Francisco call., 1896-06-05
Pencil and Pen Drawings of
Primary and Grammar
Pupils.
THE PROGRESS OF ONE YEAR
Children Who Can Illustrate Their
Own StorieS-A Feature of
Our Schools.

Drawing, since it was placed under the
immediate personal supervision of Miss
Katherine NJ. Ball, has grown to be one of
the leading features in the course of study
of the public schools of San Francisco.
Pictures appeal strongly to the minds of
young children, and when they are suf-
ficiently far advanced in their language
studies to write little stories there is moth
ing they like better than to make for them
original illustrations.
Two exhibitions of school drawings will
be held next week for the benefit of
parents and persons interested in the
progress and proficiency of the teachers
and pupils. At the Clement Grammar
School on Geary street, between Jones
and Leavenworth, will be seen collection
of some 500 drawings in pencil and pen
and ink, all of which have been executed
during the past year by the young lady
| students of the San Francisco Normal
School.
at the Henry Durrant Primary School,
| Turk street, between Buchanan and Web
| ster, the numerous sketches exhibited Will
| give an idea OF the skill acquired by chill
| dren in the primary and grammar grades
| in free-hand and mechanical drawings.
| All of the specimens are to be mounted
upon cardboard and advantageously ar
ranged upon the walls, where spectators
can examine them at their leisure.
| 1t is now two years since the study of
drawing in all the schools of the depart
ment, the High schools excepted. was in
| trusted to the supervision of Miss Ball, and
the results are wonderful improvement
in the methods of teachers and the skill of
the pupils.
The Normal girls, during the past year,
| .Azl 1f
geometric solids, with objects based upon
them, the principles of simple construc-
ton and constructive drawings, compris-
ing patterns, etc. The appearance OF OBJ
jeCts together with the principles of per-
spective have also been studied and many
sketches have been made of foliage and
flowers, fruits and vegetables, etc. Round
| and angular corner objects have been
drawn in outline and light and shade in
both pencil and pen and ink. The simple
elements of decoration and design have
| been taught, and the study OF color has
also received some attention.
| 1t is not the intention o: the system TO
| make artists nor artisans, but to train
students in the things which are the
fundamentals for spe cial lines in lie.
students entering normal schools, ="
said Miss Ball, "are expected to be familiar
with the common branches of education,
but | find that in drawing, music, calls
themes and vertical penmanship they are
irregularly prepared. A large percentage
of our students have had no training what
ever in these lines.
"Of the students in our Normal School
so per cent had never studied drawing; of
those who had, 20 per cent had worked
only IN mechanical drawing and the re-
mainder in free-hand drawing. Some Of
this number had drawn from only fat
copies; others from objects. In the study
of historic ornament, the analysis of style
of decorative art and the study of color
the girls were entirely ignorant.
'Drawing should be scientific and artis-
tic, educational and technical. The scien-
tihc and educational should be acquired by
all. The artistic and technical can come
only with long-continued training. With
but little training as foundation, when
so much is required Tor efficiency, it can
easily be seen that there is much ground
to be covered by the students in a short
course of one year."