Middletown transcript., 1898-12-17
THE ROYAL ACADEMY
FACTS ABOUT ENGLAND's GREAT AND
WEALTHY SOCIETY,"

WEALTHY SOCIETY.
How the Members and Associates
Are Elected-The Institutions Big
Fund and the Good Works That
Are Done with 1t.
To become a Royal aoademician, or at
all events an associate, is the ambition
Of every young artist, for membership
in the academy means much more than
the mere right to put the letters R. A.
after ene's name and to exhibit pictures
in the fine galleries at Burlington House.
In the first place, an aoademician is an
esquire by right and not merely by
courtesy, and, further, he is entitled,
should he ever come on hard times, to
a substantial pension of between $3.50
and e4O0 year. If he dies leaving his
widow unprovided for, the academy al
lows her a liberal sum for her mainte-
nance.
The associates and the associates wild
ows are also entitled to pensions on d
somewhat smaller scale, so that there
are many reasons apart from the honor
and glory why the painter, sculptor or
architect should wish to become MEM
Der of the powerful and wealthy body.
When therefore young artist begins
to get on, when he has his pictures we'll
hung year after year, when they find
ready buyers and are talked about in
society, he takes the first step toward
election by suggesting to one Of the
academicians that he should put his
name down Gil tie list of candidates.
Once down his name stays on the list,
either until he dies or is elected or vol
UNFAIRLY removes it. and this explains
why one finds on the roll of candidates
the names of many artists once popular,
but long since forgotten by the public.
When a vacancy occurs among the
associates, printed copies Of this list on
blue foolseap paper are sent to all the
members, together with request that
they shall attend at the academy on a
certain evening, when an election will
take place. The elections themselves are
conducted in singular and somewhat
complex fashion peculiar to the academy
"a method which took the place about
90 years ago Of the rough and ready sys-
tenn formerly in vogue.
Both academicians and associates are
allowed to take part in the election, and
when the members are gathered together
each scores out with a pencil the name
Of the artist for whom he wishes to
vote and hands the paper so marked to
the secretary. These scorings out are
known as scratches" at the academy,
and the secretary, after examining all
the papers, duly announces how many
scratches" have been given to each
candidate.
The election is then advanced another
stage. The president, who, by virtue of
his Office, occupies the chair, directs
that the names of all those candidates
who have received more than four
scratches" shall be inscribed in chalk
upon the blackboard, while those to
whom only one, two or three votes have
been given have no further chance of
being elected.
The academioians and associates then
vote again for the candidates whose
names are on the board. The two lead
ing men in this contest are now selected
for final ballot, the winner in which
becomes an associate of the Royal acad-
emy.
The academicians are elected in pre-
oisely the same manner, except that the
associates are the candidates instead of
the outsiders. All this system of
scratches" and. "blackboards' seems
cumbrous and unnecessary, but it is
said towork extremely well in practice.
Sometimes, though very rarely, tie
occurs, and in this case the president,
or, in his absence, the academieian who
temporarily takes his place, has cast
ing vote When Mr.. Ernest Crofts, the
battle painter, was elected, he tied in
the final ballot with Mr.. jackson, the
architect, and to Mr.. Calderon (who in
the absence of the late Sir John Millais
occupied the ohair) fell the difficult
task of making the final selection.
The associates have no voice in the
election of a president, the power of
voting resting entirely with the acade-
micians. Sir John Millais, the late
president, was elected by the unani-
nous vote of the members. a fact which
must have been extremely gratifying to
that great artist But on some other oc-
casions the fight for the presidentship
has been very severe indeed.
The post is well worth struggle, for
it carries with it substantial remunera-
tion, besides great social and artistic
distinction. The late Sir Francis Chan
trey left e100. 600 to the academy, out
of the interest of which salary of some
$500 or e900 year is provided for the
president.
The academy is immensely wealthy.
The receipts from the annual exhibitions
average from 100000 to e25, 900, and
it is believed that the money invested
in the hands of the trustees does not fall
far short of e500, 900. Out of this mon
ey the schools (in.which 200 or 800 stu
dents are instructed gratuitously) are
supported and great many pensions
and donations to deoayed artists are
given. Little is heard of these charities
by the public, but they are very consid-
srable, and the declining years of many
Did painters and sculptors are made easi-
sr by them.
Upon the academy also falls the ex-
pense of the annual banquet which
costs perhaps e4o0 or $500, besides any
number of minor charges, as, for exam
pie, the payment of the selecting and
hanging committees at the spring ex-
hibition. Pearson Weekly.
A Brute.