New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-29
THE EXPERIMENT A SUCCESS.
RESULTS OF OPENING THE ACADEMY or
DESIGN FREE ON SUNDAY AFTER
NOONS-REASONS FOR THE

The succass Of the experiment OF the Natlohal
Academy Of Design in opening its galleries free
on Sunday afternoons has been gratifying ana IL
Is proposed - future exhibitions 20 continue u
have them open a part OF each Sunday, without re-
str,ction In any way to the public. At the seventy
third annual exhibition. which opened on Monuay'
March % and closed on Saturday. May H. the gal
leries were open free Sundays from to p m
The attendance averaged onc thoushhu enc" sun
day and the visitors We're orderly AND apparently
much Interested After the movement origlha'eu III
the council with j. Carroll Beckwlth, it met with
practically no opposition from the BODY OF Acaue-
nlcians. who had observed he popularity OF Tree
Sunday c,cnings at the Metropolitan Museum OF
Art and the American Museum OF Natural hls-
tory Twenty years ago the experiment OF ci'ais-
inc only fifteen cents for admission on SUNDAY al
the Academy was failure the attendance being
smaller than on weeK days. Regarding the Sue
cess Of the present movement. MT Beck"lth saiu
to n Tribune reporter yesterday:
'The free Sunday openings at the Academy u
Design have given the members Of tho council the
greatest satisfaction in the results obtaineu par
ticuarly so In the intelligent interest shown by the
SIX .housa nd people who awaited themselves OF thIs
orportunity. The gate receipts during the week
undouhi cdly suffered In consequence OF TINS puoic-
spirited action the part OF the NatioI'h hcau-
envy but it is the purpose OF the council ana OF
tho Acadcmicians 10 make our institution part Vi
the people instead Of combining It's sphere to the
forced naturally to look for his patrons among
those who have the means. but to be truly part
of the great world in which he lives his "ork
should be recognized and appreciated by the
masses 1t u.s. therefore. borne in upon the Acade-
micians that the wider their field OF usefulness as
n factor in the elevation and education OF the
masses the more thoroughly will the Institution
command the respect and interest VI those WIZ
have the advancement of our community al ncar';
The Academy will find II necessary TO appcaI
10 the generosity OF our intelligent citizens -
complete the great building which II mas panneu.
The knowledge that Il is source or pressure
generously given large masses or our peoPIe'
That IL has established itself as one or the Tree
agencies toward enlightenment in our community
certainly must command the respect and consdera-
ton of our citizens even though their interest III
the individual product OF the American puhooV o.,
may be small Tom Taylor. In his Lie OF Slr
Joshua Reynolds speaks of the condltlon OF thlhss
I'm England Al that time follows: The grand
tour was still a part OF every gentleman educa-
quired by the few. and It was thought an absolute
canon Of good taste 10 profess most s9Ne Lts
contempt for native art The condition OF Things
existing in London in 1853 Is not dissmilar from
those here to-day Exhibitions by Foreign painters
often Of mediocrty Will be enthuSiastlcaii! NJ
they will neglect to visit the annual eXhiniuors
OF either the Academy OF Design or the Society OF
American Artists. and even the names OF aDic ma
tive painters will he entirely unknown 10 them.
II is therefore, the purpose OF the Academy 10 en-
large the reputation Of the American painter all
In its power. and to advance the cause OF the arIs
by freely opening its doors 10 the intelligent
masses. hoping that It's receipts VIII not De SO
materially deprecated thereby as 10 cause the
institution financial embarrassment