New-York tribune., 1901-01-29
d" AMERICANS INARTISTIC."
WILBUR REAsER SUGGESTS AS REM
EDY THAT ART IN COLOR AND SOUND
BE TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOLS.

That the Americans people are deplorably
tnartistic and that in color and sound should
be placed the same level Of importance as math-
ematics and grammar in the public schools were
two OF the opinions advanced by Wilbur Reaser
yesterday IL his talk the development of artistic
feeling in children before the women's branch of
the Society for Ethical Culture. Mr. Reaser quoted
Gilbert Hamerton TO the effect that is itself
development of true culture as proven by the
many highly cultured artists who have had no
Special intellectual training. An educated man is
one who has complete Of all his faculties is
definition by brilliant writer" said Mr.. Reaser
'and If that definition be correct IS edu-
bated who has not developed the sense Of form and
color, and learned TO use eye and land. The ordi-
nary education, even including college course gives
no such training 1t merely turns out at the best A
fine intellectual machine. How often one sees a
Of this in a study Of inconceivable ugli-
ness. while a properly balanced education would
have given him the power to express himself in
his surroundings"
Mr Reaser thinks that most children have the
power to use the hands in a creative way and a
Nivid imagination that leads them invent and
represent stories and that these faculties could be
developed at early age.
IF ] We're TO ask you what studies are most
important in school" said the speaker. you would
probably reply, Mathematics and grammar You
nre wrong, Music and are far more necessary
20 real living. / know nothing about mathena tics
and have lived al my life without grammar but
could not live without music and color, do not
mean 10 say that they should be taught like gram
mar but the child should be SO surrounded by
them that his whole life would absorb them The
home is the best teacher. The child who grows up
In atmosphere Of artistic feeling will need
little definite training. except much will
enable him 10 mis- hands TO express what his
eye sees. Most people 90 through life blind
three-quar,ers OF the beauty Of nature, when. II
their parents had called their attention the glory
Of the sunset, the simmer of the sea the wonder
ful beauty the forest. the impression would
color and vitalze their entire lives and open
eyes TO all loveliness."
Mr.. Reaser spoke Of a teacher in Chicago. who
fitted little hallway a beauty corner" for
her pupils. n had a good. though small, stained
glass window. divau covered with Eastern
rug, Braun carbon photographs OF few fine
paintings and few other artistic trihes
The children rejoiced in il greatly, and day
she asked them what they would keep, if they could
have only thing left Of the corner. The de-
cson almost unanimous for the stained glass
window What neXt2' she asked, and they
thought they would like 10 keep the beautiful
crapery the diVsn. They expressed the love OF
color that is instructive In humanity. But there
was another lesson. A little Italian who had been
almost unmanaseabe, changed greatly In short
time, and the teacher asked him how he had be
come saeh good boy. lie pointed TO a picture OF
me SiStne Madonna, saying, How can feller do
had things when she's lookin "A him?
After Mr.. Reaser's talk, which frequently
and heartily applauded. questions asked and
answered, and then . clock tea was served
Ia the absence of the president. Mrs OlleSheimeF,
owing 10 Illness in the family. the chair was
cuped by the first Vice-president Mrs. Theodore
Hellnan. The Rev Anna Gariin Spencer
nOunced the speaker for the day. but de-
tanned by illness. ana Mr.. ReaSer. whose lecture
was TO come later, took her place