The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-06
ART AT SING SING
Since the New York Law Stops
COnVicts
From Comp citing With Free
White Labor Outside.
THE STRIPED FELONS
Are Now Set at Free Hand
Drawing.
Sculpture and Other EIevating
Art May Be Adopted.
THE STRIPED FELONs

New York, Feb. 6-Sing Sing prison
turned it's hand to art yesterday for the
first time in it's history
Some thirteen hundred convicts are
behind the bars there, 700 of them idle
and praying for work, relaxation, exer-
cise-anything to take their minds off
the awful monotony of thinking, think
ing all the time.
Employment for 600 of them has been
found in the prison messroom, kitchen
and offices, in the stone sheds and on
odd jobs. But for the other 700, 21 hours
out of "a locked in their 4 by cells,
Warden Sage has been connecting all
sorts of plans, and One-the class in
free-hand dra Wing-iS at last started.
The convicts heard a week ago that
30 men would be selected to learn draw
ing Who was to teach ?That was cas-
lily provided for. Behind those gray
walls is an architect, clever and caDa-
possess himself of other peoples money.
1t landed him in the Erie penitentiary
seven years ago for two years and in
Sing Sing in 1895 for four years and ten
months more. But he is a mighty good
draughtsman for all that. His draw
ings for the new prison mess hall at
test it.
How the convicts plotted and schem-
ed to be among the 80 lucky ones who
would have occupat ton for half day
six days a week. 1t was hard to make
a selection, but Warden Sage succeed
ed, taking men either for theiry inteIli-
gence and good behavior or for inge-
Unity shown in the way they had dec
GRATED their cells.
When dinner was over at noon the so
were told off. With dozen keepers in
charge they were marched out in lock-
step through the prison yard to the old
DruSh factory, now idle under the law.
Upstairs and into the big room they
walked. Before them were ten tables
htted with drawing boards and black
board on the wall.
There stood the convict architect,
crayon in hand, doing a few prelimina-
rles just to get his hand in. Deity,
lightly he played over the blackboard
with his facile bit of chalk, evolving the
most wonderful curves, convolutions
and conventional designs. Then the
lesson began.
It was a straight line he drew first.
illustrating at the same time the proper
way to do it. Fifty pencils followed on
as many states. A few were almost as
good as the teachers; most of the rest
were WOeful failures. Again and again
they tried. The teacher went around
among his pupils, correcting one and en-
courag1ng another. Some labOred fear
fully, clutching the inoffensive pencil in
a jiffy.
Now here is simple curve an
nounced the teacher, suiting the action
to the word
Again the class followed suit. They
We're all greatly interested-that was
pam TO see, every one apprecia ting the
rellef from the awful monotony of the
cell and insanity, perhaps.
The two-hour lesson was up all too
soon. States, pencils and pads were put
away and then the lockstep, but 20
times more cheerily than any day since
work was legislated away from those
80 and their mates
we hope" said Warden Sage's sec
rotary, ito make these so men proficient
IN free hand drawing SO that when their
terms expire they can have something
whereby they can earn a living AS
each shows aptitude he will be ad-
Vanced into a class where the others
cannot hold him back. There will be
drawing from models and the antio11e
and gradual progress till they can do
work from life
we are talking of a class in sculp-
ture and modelling, too''