Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-08-07

BEAUTY OF ARCHITECTURE SELDOM
CONSIDERED.

Mind-fncuicnte . Taste For no Beau
tifui-ohset Lessons In shade and Color.
Influence Of Surroundings.
A writer in The Atlantic Monthly is
OF the opinion that the modern school
house is altogether too plain and devoid
OF ornament. This is a serious defect,
according to this authority, and no sup
ports his statement as follows:
The boy may not feel that his sur
roundings are anything more to him
than a part Of The great educational
machine that Is forming him for future
action; II SO the greater pity for a lost
opportunity. He may, ON the other
hand, develop an admiration for the
mechanical perfection Of his surround
ings, in which case he is likely to un-
derestimate and think poorly Of beauty
which is unaccompanied by technical
perfection.
Much Of thecarping criticism, the dis
satisfaction with simple means, that is
SO characteristic of certain types Of citi-
zens can DO traced to association with
tho complex surroundings Of modern
buildings. Tho effect Of quiet beauty,
of walls growing old gracefully with
the soft colors that age enhances, OF
stretches Of sward from which vines
Chamber and cling to projections and
spread lovingly over broad surfaces, to
gather III swaying masses from string
courses and label holdings; the init
mate, affectionate character Of diamond
PANIED windows and OF postern door
ways. which seem to court companion
ship by the very necessity for close con-
tact in passing through them-all are abb
sent from tho dry formality Of the school
house which we build.
Perfected methods Of lighting, of pro-
viding fresh air and Of withdrawing vi
tiated air, of heating and of plumbing,
receive full need of attention, the needs
of association with beauty little or none.
This is well enough SO far as it goes.
but is not productive Of pleasant remi-
niscence to the pupil He is Taught lit
tie by his environment; there are no
sermons in the stones Of his school;
there is no subtle influence teaching him
by the best of examples, that of the OBJ
ject lesson, to appreciate light and shade
and color, and to grow fond of them, SO
that he looks back upon them with affec-
ton end demands that they enter into
his Life in after years. 1t is the stima-
lation Of this desire for good things that
is SO important and SO abiding q quality
in the education of a child. To have on
ly the Lest about ono means that moth
ing short Of the best will satisfy. And
this does not imply e~xtravagant tastes
or perpetual disappointment.
The hest things ere more a matter Of
choice than Of cost, and they may be
quite as frequent as the inferior prod |
ucts, if we only know how to discrimi-
neto between the two. To be educated
to Lnow good architecture f~oreshadows
the elimination of bad architecture, and
education is Ell tho better for hav.
ing been inbibed while young. Thore
arc attempts being made 20 beautify the
interiors of sciioolrooms, by hanging
photographs and prints OF paintings,
~~1rt~~-~-= rs-iIitScttuO uIoOu tit L
the walls themselves to be t;rtoG
iii harmonious and quiet colors. Casts
upon pedestais and bas-rclicfs used as
friezes are Glso suggested. These are All
Of value as object lessons; they instruct
aud influence the pupils taste, and
awake an appreciation that would 9th
lie dormant. IL 10 hardly proba-
be, however, that the memory Of these
will ca,.se strong affection for the places
in which they arc to be found, certain
ly not. rs strong affection as would be
felt for tho incloscd playground, and
the columncd porch, and the gabled
walls Of an English school. 1t is not
to crown a wall with a pleas
ing cornice or to place windows in just
intervals upon aplain facade i'll order to
that facade remembered with pleas
IRE.