The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-15
ART EDUCATION.
The Application of Science to Prac-
teal Purposes.

The field of human knowledge is
broadly divided into three great
branches of science, art and literature.
The first two deal with substantial
| things, while the last has for its field
the realm of the ideal.
Science" being the knowledge of
things either material or ideal, our
art" becomes the application of sci
ence to practical purposes. Ruskin
tells us it is the modification of sub
stantial things by our substantial
power" Or in a nutshell, Science is
knowing; art is doing" If, then, we
consider it to be the adaptation Of
things in the natural world to the uses
OF life, the question Of it's practical
value is half-answered at the Begin
ming.
But the field of art by this definition
is so great that there must be a re-
striction to some particular line to en-
able us to focus our attention. Our OBJ
ject is to consider the valuable results
Of education in training the young to-
wards ability to produce changes in ma
terial things which will fit them for
greater utility in the economy Of the
world, increasing their value as they
become better adapted to minister to
the needs of life in its ever widening
circles.
To judge of what training along the
lines Of technical taste and beauty will
effect when applied to the Industrial
arts, we have only to look back to
Europe and see what has been done.
We find that the material condition
OF the masses depends largely upon the
skilled artisans whose taste and tech
meal ability have been developed and
trained together. The prosperity Of diff
ferent countries depends to a great ex-
tent upon the quality of their manu-
fsctured wares, judged by their beauty
OF form, color and finish. This Is par
tlcularly the case in Germany, Switz-
erland, England and France, the most
advanced and prosperous of our neigh
borS over the water
Especially is 1t true in France that
the condition of the skilled workman
is better than elsewhere, and this is be-
cause the standard Of taste and the art
OF the expert mechanic is such that
his product is in demand everywhere
TO people in general, France means
Paris, and the whole world recognizes
the "Particle de Paris as HAVING
charm, finish of form and color NOT
elsewhere obtained
In view of the applica ton of taste
and skill to the development of the
peautlful In the attractions of Paris. its
boulevards, public buildings. theaters
and museums; the 1,O01 attractions
which make this city the playground
OF the world, where it used to be said
that AL good Americans hoped to %
when dead" now changed to where
all rich Americans go to spend their
money" and to which all the world is
glad to pay tribute. In view of all that
art means to this city, what would be
the answer there to the question, Does
it pay?
1t is said that in no other country is
the artisan as much of an artist as in
france, and one reason is claimed TO
De because he is taught drawing in the
primary schools, then in the higher
grades, and when he is at work the in
structlon Is continued at evening art
SCHOOLS. In all the important towns
| tnere are schools of the fine arts and
artlst1c designing supported by the
municipalities and subsidized by tha
general government. To the art schools
OF Lyons, Limoges and other weaving
and pottery centers we pay unconscious
tribute in the purchase OF the products
made by their skilled students.
IN Germany and Switzerland attend
ance at school is compulsory to the
age OF fourteen, and during this time
drawing is one Of the regular branches
taught, and when the boy leaves school
ana enters the shop he finds an excel
lent system of evening Continuation
SCHOOLS, well attended by brother
workmen of all grades, and he is en-
SOo. o6So Ny his eHlplOyer TO pursue his
| studies. Nearly all who are engaged
| IN manufacturing industries avail
| themselves Of this evening instruction
| The higher instruction of the univer-
| sites and art schools is too well known
to need mention here, but the German
| is beginning to think that the instruc-
| ton in his universities and technical
| schools is giving his competitors foo
much Of an advantage, and about the
| middle of February decree was issued
| by the German government forbidding
| the future attendance of foreigners in
! the machinery and engineering depart
ment of the Berlin technical school. and
| the same action has since been taken
| in Darmstadt. 1t is expected that the
| government will shortly restrict the at
| tendance at universities and Industrial
institutions, as it is known that the
matter is under consideration.
| Industrial art education began in
| England as a direct result of the great
| international exhibition Of 1852. When
| the English productions were placed
side by side with similar manufactures
from the continent the contrast was so
| great that it was determined at once
that art training must be provided in
order that the British goods might be
| able to compete in design and finish