The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1899-02-16

Fund and the Good Works That
Are Done with II.
To become Royal academician, or at
all events an associate, is the ambition
of every young artist, for mem bership
in the academy means much more than
the mere right to put the letters R. A.
after ones name and to exhibit pictufes
in the fine galleries at Burlington House
In the first place, an academician is an
esquire by right and not merely by
courtesy. and. further, he is entitled,
should he ever come on hard times, to
substantial pension of between $3.50
and e4OO year. If he dies leaving bis
widow unprovided for, the academy al
lows her liberal sum for her mainte-
nance.
The associates and the associates wild
ows are also entitled to pensions on a
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 a mem.
ber 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 on the list of candidates.
Once down his name stays on the list,
either until he dies or ia elected or vol
UNFAIRLY removes IL, and this explains
why one finds on the roll of candidates
the names of many ar lists once popular
but long since forgotten by the public
When vacancy occurs among the
associates, printed copies of this list on
blue foolscap paper are sent to all the
members, together with a request that
they shall attend at the academy on q
certain evening. when an election will
take place The elections themselves are
conducted in a singular and somewhat
complex fashion peculiar to the academy
"a method which took the place about
30 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 pencil the name
OF the artist for whom he wishes to
vote and hands the paper so marked to
the secretary. These soorings 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
10 sc%
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 academicians 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-
smy.
The academicians are elected in pre-
clsely 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 to work extremely we'll in practice.
Sometimes though very rarely, a tie
occurs, and in this case the president,
Or, in his absence, the academician who
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
the chairl 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-
nicians, Sir John Millais, the late
president, was elected by the unani
nous vote of the mem bers. fact which
must have been extremely gratifying to
hat great artist But on some other co.
'asions the fight for the presidentship
has been very severe indeed
The post is we'll worth struggle, for
t carries with it substantial remunera
ion, hesides great social and artistic
distinction The late Sir Francis Chan
rey left el00, 900 to the academy, out
# the interest of which salary of some
$500 or 5000 a year is provided for the
PRESIDENT
The academy is immensely wealthy
The receipts from the annual exhibitions
lverage from e2O,O0Q to e25, 600, and
t is believed. thas the money invested
n the hands OF the trustees does not fall
ar short of $500, ,000 Out of this mon
y the schools lin which 200 or 800 stu
lents are instructed gratuitously) are
Imported and a great many pensions :,
md donations to decayed artists are ,
,iven. Little is heard of these charities
y the public, but they are very consid- {
rable, and the declining years of many
id painters and sculptors are made easi- q
r by them. 6
Upon the academy also falls the OK.
ense Of the annual banquet, which
osts perha ps e4OO or $500, besides any
lumber Of minor charges. as, for exam
lie, the payment Of the selecting and
anglng committees at the spring ex.
ibltiQn. Pearsop's Weekly