The San Francisco call., 1897-04-29

amen.
The beginning of music is amen. 1t is the
one great keynote of nature. II you will only
give up sensu ollie and stand upon the same
platform of CHrist the music is there waiting
for you.
Miss A. NJ. Beecher followed the Hindoo
sage. Her address was In part as follows:
Somebody think it was Oliver Wendell
Holmes-said: can take the place and ii 1
cannot fill it l can at least rattle around a
little while. This gives me opportunity of
making my first address in California before
the Woman's Congress, for which congratu-
late myself, though have deep sympathy for
you.
l am also permitted to wander about in a
very promiscuous sort OF way on the subject
before you You need not be surprised If l
emulate TO You the one of whom Sam Slick
around.
Words are the labels of certain things which
enable US to understand each other, SO that
words do not always mean the same thing 10
every one. Yet they mean in general the
same thing.
The etymology of the word should give us
lhe Keynote; II means the educing, the draw
ing out, ana not the patching on. There is
nothing in ali nature that has not its line of
oeeuty, but for the most part we study beauty
as II II were something OF external and not OF
The soul is simply what we may call an sg-
gregauon, what our metaphysicians have
labeled faculties. 1t is the ego IN man. say
man, put mean woman as well. When say
man be so kind in all eases as to remem Der
that l rnean principally woman.
A little girl in Sunday-schooi was once asked
what the soul is ana she said: lit is the think
OF u.s." l believe that IS a good definition.
Another definition that has been in use from
time immemorieI is the divine spark. That
has never been challenged even by maIeri-
alists
will now speak of my visit to California.
II has been q dream so sweet that almost be-
lieve l am dreaming still was asked while
ago what / think OF California. Ny answer,
delivered right here, is: ''I have unpacked
my trunks and sent them to the baggage
room"
Mrs. ouiton read Mary Newberry
Adams paper which advanced mum Der
OF startling theories. Among other
things IN the paper Mrs Adams said:
Education in the public schools should be
fitting for citizenship based on the founca-
ZION OF ethical conduct, which is: so act
that the Immediate motive Of thy Will can be
the motive OF all intelligent beings" If this
is begun in the kindergarten and is the basis
on which every grade cultivates the elements
OF character there is the education fitting
them in the public schools to be benefactors
for the public in return. Should the
public build houses, supply teachers and
be at this immense expense TO educate
the children, unless they and their parents
enter into compact that they will, or far
as they are able. return the worth OF this edu-
cation TO the Nation in character worthy OF
citizenship and a benefit to the public who
supplied the expense of the charity? Does
not the acceptance OF charity enfeeb!e moral
worth?
Ii the child is educated in the public schools
at the expense OF the public, should they not
take an oath 10 repay for the expense by
Ia Dlishlng such g character as Will be OF worth
10 the pDOlic and the Nation.
Morality Is cultivated by a child's under
standing that she is g responsible being-a
part OF the community, and that if she fail in
her part the Nation suffers To receive MEM
Dership to public scnool ought TO en- join upon
pupils and parents duties and responsibilities
10 thereby be. so far as they are able, good
CltlZ There should be SnCh binding
promises as the following: "I hereby promise
10 have my thoughts, my habits and deeds
such that my State and Nation will be some
what repaid Tor my educa ton, and Will be g
worthy citizen OF the United States"
DR.. Walk discussed at some length Mrs.
Adams paper. saying among other things:
While perhaps it might partake of good in
some measure, when We begin TO make rules
for children We have tendency 10 make so
many OF the N that they become hard and fast,
and the result would be, in my estimation,
not the best, not producing that sense OF graft
tude and the highest form of character Tor
which we are pleading in the child but would
tend TO make mechine-hke children, autom-
alta. AS the story goes, an old ScottIs divine
had been elected ruling elders: Rule well,
but cinna let any one know that you are
doing it.'
The Rev. Eliza Tupper Wilkes closed
the morning session. In part she said:
1 believe that beauty is elevating Harmony
Ol SOuHl. OI cOlOE, mas Dten the most perfect
expression OF the Divine. Beauty ana sim
plicity go hand in hand. In our own country
an earnest endeayor is being made 10 reach
the beautiful in life. Our own Keith in
opening his gallery TO the pu blic has done his
duty toward giving the poor man his hour of
inspiration and help Elevate the taste of
children and quiet disorderly little ones by
the charm beauty exercises over them. Chill
dren should hsVe about them copies of great
est pictures, plaster casts of immortal scup-
lures to form and elevate their taste. Art is
longer the vocation for the Orad
ones; II IS no longer TO be only in the homes Of
the fortunate.
Schoolrooms should be decorated and de-
signed with care for the beautiful, and our
streets made less hideous for our ehildren's
eyes. We can shield from our children the
immoral novel but defenseiess are we against
and outragi ing the taste of the beautiful Then
l pray you begin now to surround your chi d
with the beautiful. and teach him reverence
for nature. "If / had but two loaves of
bread" Mohammed said 81 would sell one tina I
l might buy beautiful hyacinths to satisfy my
hunger"
The first paper of the afternoon session
was by Miss Estella Darrahs.
1t was discussion based upon a study
of the papers written by 400 California
school children in reply 10 the questions,
What is the most beautiful thing YOU
ever saw? Why did you like it?'
Among other excellent things in Miss
Darrahs paper was said:
The children show an inheren susceptibility
to the beautiful. On comparing the papers
with the "reminiscences OF the worlds great
artists and poets we came to the conclusion
that the human mind is so organized as to
spontaneously respond 10 beauty along cer-
tain definite lines.
Two papers were read, one by the great
Russian writer, Count Tolls tot, and one by
q California country child, showing this
parallel.
Tolstoi recalled as one of his most beautiful
memorie "a small pond with overgrown banks.
An ancient birch dropped over the pond,
partly clinging TO the damp banks, resting its
crown on tail stately ash tree and swaying
its curly branches on the smooth surface OF
the pond, that gave back the reflections.
The California country boy of Is writes:
''The most beautiful thing l ever saw was
little meadow In between the tops of three
mountain peaks, which cast their dark shad-
ows deep into the CLASSY lake, while upon the
banks grew beautiful green trees and as they
dipped their long waving branches into the
crystal waters they seemed to be refreshed
and made green and more beautiful again.
All! who can desert be such scene? Ny pen
refuses to write it. One feels as though lie
had been waited into a new world at such g
sight as this"
The vision of the great Russian was no
keener-his feeling no more exalted-than
that OF this country boy.
The facts shown by this study are that three
fourths of the children find the beautiful in
nature at first in isolated de tails. The younger
hildreu find an object beautiful on account
of its color.
We are incorrectly trying to educate chill
dren in art by giving the m type forms, trust
ing that by the contemplation OF perfect
forms-the sphere, the cdbe, the cylinder
they will grow into love for the beautiful.
With true art education the next genera
tinD Of California phiIdraO Had hxo l.