River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-02-03

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of something that has been in
existence before.
Improvements are but develop
ments not inventions.
Hence it follows, that the examples
placed before the infant must be such
as may lead him in the right direction.
Every child as we'll as every man is
being educated unconsciously every
day The real education is not de-
rived from books but from life and
the things incident 10 life.
The eye receives impressions quite
as readily as the ear and often to
better purpose. Into one ear and out
Of the other is true of the sense Of
hearing but the passage from eye TO
eye is not a straight line.
Hence we derive this corallary;
That it is we'll to give some express
sion of the harmonious and the
beautiful to our school rooms.
That the parent is as much interest
ed in this proportion to its value as he
is in the extension of the black board
and the furnishing Of school appara-
tus, which too often convey impress
sion fully as erroneous as correct.
Maps are useful but not the best
articles of ornament to a room and
last better if carefully protected from
the effects Of dust and weather
But pictures may be both instruc-
tive and ornamental They may at
once develop the taste, the sense of
beauty and stimulate enquiry in the
youthful mind
think every one who has visited
1 rye art gallery will appreciate the
ia {, that standing before some
be utful painting he begins to en-
quire as to the thought or fact that
stimulated its connection and de
yeIopment, and this leads to an exami-
nation of history: and perhaps out of
this single painting would come an
impulse to learn, that would result in
a large addition to the stock Of
knowledge possessed by the one who
first perhaps gazed carelessly upon the
painting.
Place a few we'll selected pictures in
school room let them each be ex
pressiye of some idea, within the
mprehension Of the children, let
them at proper times have the right
to study th"m, even without the
teachers aid, (and be permitted to
copy them in their own rude forms)
and the children of that school will
have their tastes better formed than
before, and are quite likely to make |
enquiries in relation to the historical |
ideas upon which the pictures are |
founded which may greatly stimulate |
them in their after courses and study. |
| think there are few parents, that |
do not take real pleasure in finding |
that their children manifest some |
special degree Of skill in artistic pur-
suits. Nothing else can explain the |
immense trade in par!or organs, to |
secure which the father often mort |
cages his property. And few parents |
but take great delight In exhibiting |
the really crude but TO them beautiful
sketches made by their more ambitious |
children.
Such parents should take great de- |
light in having their children in their |
school room work surrounded by he |
best models adapted to their age and |
developments Of artistic work, in |
picture, sculpture and mechanical |
drawings, for these often approach if
they do not attain the dignity of real
artistic work, and may often be better
understood by the child in special |
work Of the school
Let the walls of the school room he |
tinted some grateful shade avoiding
the glare of whitened walls. Let
pictures hang above the inevita bic |
black board sufficient in number to
alleviate the effects of the board sur
faces Of black which mark the work
shop. Let mouldings giving the |
natural color of the wood, but in
harmony with the finishing OF The |
woodwork run along the wall surfaces
to which the pictures can be attached
without the hideous effect of nails |
roughly driven 10y unskillful hands or
The scarcely less disagreeable picture
rails Of conventional form, thus
teaching neatness even In adornment'
let few choice casts of statuary sub
due the wall surfaces, living plants
relieve the glare Of the sun light from
the large windows and some bright
color of flowers aid to beautify The
teachers desk, that repository OF
everything appertaining to the
scholars life and you will have a room
that in itself educates for better
things, that teaches truth in express
sion, eauty Of form, harmony in
mans creations.