Evening star., 1901-05-31
RESULT OF ANNUAL EXHIBIT
AWARDS MADE TO PUPILS OF ART
SCHOOL.
Medals and HOnOrs Distributed Upon
Report of Committees Judgment
Large Crowd Present.

The Corcoran Gallery of Art presented
gala appearance last evening, the occasion
being the annual exhibition of the work of
the pupils of the art school and the award
of medals and honors. The imposing stair
way was tastefully decorated with palms
and other plants, excellent music was rem
dered by a band and more than fourteen
hundred people were present.
At 8 o'clock the bugle sounded, the signal
for the presentation of awards. The presi-
dent, secretary and other members Of the
board of trustees took their places with the
instructors on the main platform Of the
stairs, while the interested spectators gath
cred from all directions and thronged every
approach. The very eagerness Of all to
hear and created considerable excite
ment, so that it was several minutes after
Mr. Andrews stepped forward to deliver his
annual report and address before he could
make himself heard.
''Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen" he
said. THE good people who have honored
us with their presence this evening will
kindly bear with me whilst l utilize the
only opportunity vouchsafed to me during
the year to convocate the whole of the
Corcoran School of Art and to call the at
tention Of the pupils thereof to certain
matters that I consider essential to their
welfare. In the first place, l desire to state
the customary facts and statistics concern
Ing tHe COuOltIOH OI tIle ScHOOl IOT Iu0 cur
rent scholastic year. In numbers we have
largely exceeded those of former years.
The total number of students in the life,
antique, portrait and still life classes is 127;
in the water-color class, eighty; in the
night class, somewhat over one hundred; In
the modelling class, about twelve; making
a grand total Of 319. Sickness, removals,
inclement weather and mistakes regarding
their calling cause many to drop out, but
there are always new recruits to fill the
ranks, many already making application
for the winter session. The average daily
attendance has been somewhat over 80 per
cent of the whole number on our list.
II have to congratulate the school upon
having made good progress in the results
of the years work, in the manner of the
study, especially in the qualities of sinceri-
ty and earnestness. These qualities have
been insisted upon time and time again, but
the final conviction of their truth and alb
solute necessity comes too often upon the
day of prize awards, and then, according
to the temperament of the students comes
either despair or renewed determination for
the ensuing year, which latter usually re-
suits In success. All this arises from
lack of exerting the faculty of observation
that faculty which is the basis not only
OF all art, but of all science. That. this
faculty never has been Systematically culti-
waited In all our schools Is blot upon our
whole system Of education the only excep-
tion being our modern kindergarten. To
cultivate this quality set yourselves to
draw some. object you have seen during the
day You will find by this process not only
gaps in your minds, but will soon find that