The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02
WOMEN ASKED TO AID
WIDE FIELD FOR THEIR LABoRs
In DECORATION or sCHooLRoOMs.
A Practical work for which There Is
plishea By Denver Women.

That this city has fine intellectual life
f. evidenced most truly b. the growth Of
women's clubs here. as well as by the grow
ing excellence In the training of the chill
dren of our public schools. Naturally, these
two developments are parallel results of
our age. II should be recognized that
wonen's aims and ambitions always find
harmonious complement in the advancement
OF children's interests and needs. The in
creased cultivation OF women must mean
the growth of demand for increased facili-
ties for the care and nurture even of chill
dren OF uncultured mothers This thought
was emphasized for me this summer by at
tendance upon the meetings of the Fedora
ton Of Womens Clubs in Denver, where
not only we're eloquent speeches made to
show the intimacy of the relation existing
between the women of even mere literary
clubs and the proper development Of chill
dren, but also reports were made Of many
practical schemes in actual action as the
result of certain attempts made in other
cities by club women to better the environ
ment of the children OF the commonwealth
Among the many such schemes in actual
trial and showing plain results was one
coming under my own observation and
ton Of the Indianapolis circle of women's
clubs In Denver 1.-The Woman's Club has
recently chosen four of the public schools
In East Denver as recipients of the gener-
our patronage of its membership. These
ladies had the walls tinted in the room of
the highest grade in each; then, choosing
a distinctive national collection for each
buiIding-EngIish in one Italian, French and
American. respectively, in each Of the other
three, they have made these rooms not
alone beautiful homes, but have. by special
tzation in decorative studies, so directed the
interest and knowledge that life in any one
Of these rooms for one year, even for the
most poverty-grown child, will hereafter
mean the permanent absorption of harmon
ious ideas in aesthetic culture. / visited the
English room; ii was a delight in its SIM
plicity, great variety, and effectiveness.
There was no crowding, no one thing SEEM
ed prominent, nor an inappropriate part of
a schoolroom. Pictures in black and white
and gray effects in plain wood frames, rep
resenting English artists through copies of
their originals, as well as pictures of Eng
lish statesmen, scenery and architecture
made the walls lose their glare. bust or
two. bronze shield with figures in relief
gave change of tone and form, while very
simple yet elegant mahogany cabinet, built
out from the wall on bracket supports and
containing a small collection of bric-a-brac
of English chinaware and vases, added
coloring and delicacy to the room. One
shelf had special collection of books very
carefully adapted to develop a suitable APP
probation of English greatness in art, in
history and in literature. 1t was easy 10
see what a stimulation one such room would
become; first of all. in each building; then.
later throughout the whole city and even to
the State at large. Children easily magnify
the pleasures of anticipation, and one such
-. f,asf1H inc al nod n a
max experience, would, to them, prove no
small factor in retaining a larger percent
age through course of grades
EAGER FOR BEAUTY.
as young people reach their teens they
seem to throw out tentative ''feelers." as it
were, after refinements; they reach after
beauty as they themselves grow towards It,
Their tart sense is extraordinarily active
and they themselves are but plastic ma
terial TO impressions of color, of form, of
music of poetry. They are especially
worshipful. not alone of personal adorn-
ments, but of all decorative attempts; they
will bend TO the loud if they do not come in
contact with the fine. Hence high schools
should be made very attractive places, both
externally and internally, especially the lat
ter. The impression made by such sur
roundings will be permanent and powerful
in cultivation OF character, we'll in
refining the lines of our youth. The whole
sour DioDOS out morally Wnen THIS yearn-
ing for sense harmony, so strong at fifteen
or thereabouts, is even but partially salts
fed. Thus aesthetic culture plays no mean
part in making happy homes and good citi-
zens who may possibly see to it that even
their city becomes beautiful, well-ordered
and clean The teens period is just the
time to bring to harmony and sweetness of
spirit one youth whose senSibiities or emo
tions are so rampant and ravenous. What
noted the signs Of this critical period Ia when hen
the soul OF boy or girl seems straining to
make for itself more attractive. imme-
date environment. Not 10 find such oppOr-
life; 1t means the stunted spirit, too often
with downward or pessimistic trend.
Weil-environed art lovers need not expect
those deprived OF such surroundings ever
TO be able to lift themselves into any def
mite appreciation of that winch alone grows
by the nutritious supply of the proper soil.
Slowly must the young generation root it
self into the new externallty of a proper
environment, and thus gather in a new SEN
sitiveness to the light and joy of it ALL
Mothers, have you ever thought that most
CT the waking hours OF your children, for
tive growing period, are spent by them
chiefly lii sitting in one, as now, too unat-
tractive and not too healthful school
beautiful homes be to them, occupied, as
they are, but little except in sleep, since
these homes are thus pitted against the
light effects and the unattractive interiors
Of most school rooms What chance. them
- llicfG AOI the great IltdJOIttls COIHlHSs
as they do, from homes in no sense any I'M
provement on school rooms in this regard?
Perhaps the mothers may not all have
noted the devotion to children's needs in
this particular, as shown by the many
young teachers of this city, who, full of in
tense realization of this crying need out of
their very slender salaries have made such
generous expenditures in this direction. At
present It is too one-sded a task. and the
result. good as 1T is too poor "A repayal for
such fine service to the State by these self
sacrificing zeaiots. They need help. but
whence comes it?
THE WORK ELSEWHERE.
Other cities have far outreached us I'm this
duty and privilege. One art association has
done and is doing noble work. II is strong
cultivation each year to have an exhibit at
our doors, az but low price of admission TO
our school children, and with their recent
successful innovation of free Sundays
But is it not little like giving fine wine
to the infant and expecting appreciation of
flavor? Children must be- matured, must
dwell in beauty and with art: it is their
birthright. as l take it, and we teachers and
closer bondship than the common purpose
10 help them to come to their own. At least
do the club women in Denver. by giving so
much actual benefit to their progressive
city, silence there any carping critics who
would cry, "Cui hon0?" as TO the value of
women's clubs Would not a similar service
to our schools be an easy accomplishment
for some of our well-to-do clubs2 ANY be-
ginning would prove acceptable; but it is