The herald., 1897-02-20
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( FRIDAY MORNING CLUB :
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At the Friday Morning club yesterday
the program was both practical and
artistic
"Sioyd" was presented by Mrs. Fred
Wood, and Wood Carving by Mrs.
Grace Easement. Mrs. Fred Wood has
been working in Sloyd for some time and
she not only presented an admirable pa
per but also a collection of the results OF
her study from the first bit of work in
cross-cut and rip-sawing to some beau
tifully carved trays, brackets and book
racks. Mrs. Wood. in discussing
Sloyd, first touched on the age of man
ual training. which she brought down
from the early Greeks to the trades
schools of today. with touches OF differ
ent writer's and thinkers on the dignity
of labor.
OF Sloyd proper, she first quoted from
the annual report of the Massachusetts
manual training school, in regard TO the
theory of Sloyd, based on scientitc prin-
ciples In this it was shown that GER
tain brain cells are developed through
muscular activity, and that 1t is essen
tial to the welfare of all motor centers,
and especially the large and complicat-
ed motor center of the hand, that the
parts with which they are Immediately
connected should be used in an active
and varied manner Manual skill does
not reside in the hand, but in the BRAIN
manual training is but a form of mental
training
The value of a knowledge of the prop
er handling of woodworking tools was
shown and the stress laid on the simple
ity of the first exercises that lead 10 ac-
curacy and the cultivation or patient
work.
The aims of Sloyd were outlined pc
ing the formative and the unitarian
and further. the value of the work in
nhvsical DEVELOPMENT. The mechan-
ical drawing which precedes the Tree
hand drawing was discussed ana the
models which were on exhibition SHOWN
with interesting remarks that called out
many questions from the club women.
WOOD CARVING.
The second paper was presented py
Miss Easement on wood carving
Miss easement has been resident OF
Los Angeles for but short time, haVlng &
come from Cincinnati, where she
studied wood carving with Henry H. FRY
the most widely known artist In ms line
of work IN America.
Miss Easement has done some beautl-
ful work. One of her designs, mantel,
was published in the July NUMBER OF
The Art-Interchange Her nome Is
filed with rare and beautiful carvings.
With an instructive love for art, and a
cultivated taste. Miss Easement has the
mental equipment Of an artist
In the paper the young speaker pre-
sented before the club yesterday she
showed how in the various departments
of the applied arts wood carving was as
thoroughly domestic as any since by its
means the entire house could be made
beautiful, not only In purely orna-
! mental way. but in designs for doors
frames and wainscoting. and FURNITURE
The speaker thought it best to have a
small carver's outfit at first. and be able
to master each tool singly, and the style
of tool, the kind of wood for carving, and
the methods of work were all touched
upon.
The various stages of carving simple
surface work, low and high relief and
deep relief. applied designs and model
ing were handled by the speaker with
some of the difficulties that meet the
worker.
The acknowledged center of wood
carving is Cincinnati. o., where Benz
Pitman and Mr.. Fry have their homes
Mr.. Fry is one of the pioneers in woot
carving: he began his artistic career ir
| the old world. where he did some work ir
| the houses of parliament. His son, VIII
| liam Fry. Is with him in work on botf
public and private buildings. Theii
work on churches has been in chance
furnishings. The house of Mrs. Bel
lamy Storer was their last piece of work
where they were engaged four years.
In 1872 wood carving was distinctly
recognized as woman's work. Out OF
some work of the wife and daughter Of
Mr.. Pitman, exhibited at the annual In
| dustrial Art exposition of Cincinnati
grew the practical art department ir
| connection with the Art academy, a.
| that time part of the Cincinnati uni
versity The carving in the woman:
| building at the Worlds Fair was done
| by women. and was remarkable for its
good workmanship and artistic design