The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-12-08

and the artificial are often mixed, and
yet the term artistic, as applied to wall
paper, chrome Autographs or furniture,
repeated from one pattern, is a misno-
mer. Every true work of art, however
simple or humble, must show the direct
touch and character of 4 maker
| trust that it will be seen from what
| have written that a study of the
minor arts based on design should form
a branch of education in common with
writing in every school. 1t is not
enough to teach drawing as commonly
understood, or any art or arts by them
selves. Every child should learn origi-
nal design, with its practical applica-
ton to some minor art, as beginning.
This is the proper preparation-not to
be confounded or confused with "tech-
nical education," or the learning of
trades or any crafts simply as the
means Of making living. rs the
flower precedes the. fruit, easy art
should precede labor.
1t is to be desired, where such study
Of the IN nor arts cannot he introduced
III schools, ttat private c,ass;'S. or Cir
.lcs. or associations should be formed
This has been done on Il very large
scale in Great Britain under the
auspices and 10y the aid oi the Home
Arts and Industries \ sociation, which
has found and supplied teachers, mod
els, Eand-boo!ls, etc, for hundreds of
schools and classes. The amount of
industry which it has developed and
the degree to which it has stimulated
eXertion and ambition among the
poor is literally incalculable. Owing
to it, any lady who wishes to earn a
living or to do philanthropc work, has
only to join its classes, in which in
structions and materials are supplied
at the lowest rates, and soon become a
teacher Or those who cannot attend
the London classes can with great ease
educate themselves in design, ETC., by
correspondence.
1t is not a matter to debate about or
question, as to whether child can or
can not learn the minor arts in short
time; it is simply fact proved every
day in hundreds of classes in England
and other countries. In Hungary this
system, that was first set forth in a
pamphlet which wrote, by request,
for the Bureau of Education in Wash
ington, and first taught in the public
schools of Philadelphia, has been intro
duced into the fifty leading government
schools, and magnificent results Lave
followed. Those who would establish
a minor arts class will succeed by fol-
lowing these instructions: Let any lady
who can draw, though but very little,
and has the will to learn, obtain
manual of design, such as the one pub
lished for the express purpose by Daw-
barn d Ward, No. 6 Harrington ave-
nue., London. With this she can learn
and teach at once the elements of max
ing simple patterns. The most elab-
crate and apparently difficult designs
are often only a repetition Of details
which are by themselves easy enough.
He who can draw, cut, mould, or re-
poussey a single leaf can do the same
with a garland. But when design is
learned, though it be only of clover
leaf, one needs only the directions laid
down in manuals to carry it out in any
material. or these manuals the same
firm are now publishing at sixpence
each one hundred devoted to useful
arts and handicrafts. | specially men,
ton this because it is the only collec-
tion Of manuals in any language spec
tally devoted to minor arts, or home
industries, which embraces such vast
number, including several which are
entirely new.
1t has been observed that among one
hundred ordinary beggars or paupers,
we rarely find one who knows any art
or craft. For if person can only
make basket, he is generally proud
enough of his skill to practice it, anil
man can live as hundreds do in Eng
land, by only whiting butchers
skewers. | know here in Florence,
where | am now writing, a man seventy
years Of age, stone-blind, who earns
thirty cents day 10y seating chairs.
Even machinery, the great foe to help
less poverty, which has caused the
number Of paupers or really depend mt
folks in Great Britain to greatly in
crease during the reign of Victoria,
cannot utterly destroy every resource
of the weak.-N y. Home JournaI.
"Why, Freddy, exclaimed the moth
er OF Il precocious tive-year-old, "aren't
you ashamed to call auntie stupid?