New-York tribune., 1902-02-20
MRS. SETH Low A LEADER.
HER DEEP INTEREST IN A MOVEMENT
TO FOSTER INDIAN ARTS.

With Mrs. Seth Low as chairman Of the meet
ing the women of St Georges parish considered
SSeiuay the question of how best to preserve the
arr OF basketry among the Indians of
'aSHd' baskets from the collections of Mrs F
- DouoledaY and the Rev. William Conway of
Norwalk, Conn, decorated the platform and to not
re" present the beauty of form design and ex-
quislteness of workmanship were a revelation.
MI conway IN an interesting address said that
'he art OF basketry is passing away much more
rapidly than the Indians themselves and he made
strong appeal to his hearers to place the industry
on hrm footing before the last of the old soua VS.;
VINO mold the secrets of symbol weave and dye
have gone.
lie contrasted the artistic specimens before him
cach OF which was unique, with the German i'm
Porteu baskets ordinarily used in the household
"hlch are reproduced by the thousands He caIed
%''eHuoh TO the symmetry of a beautiful Pima
Nashe' which he said, perfect as If turned
oE lathe. Its surface was covered with the
ScaIps or woodpeckers. bluebrds and yellow birds
so closely and defty into the fibre as TO give
'le Sheen and simmer Of the richest velvet Wam-
pun ornament finished the edge, and surmountins
II were single feathers from the top knots of male
quails. for each of which a bird died
ouch baskets he said. take one suuaw
nlohths' and even years, to make and into them
Ihey weave their hopes and fears, their prayers
and their Ideas OF the beautiful world about them
Ihey ind their designs IN the zigzae lightning
the flight OF birds the ripple OF the stream the
seedpod Of plants the scales of fish the incoming
wave the tortuous course of the snake and the
uucA sailing on the water In the various weaves
are round thirty. forty, fifty. sixty and even sew
ehty strands to the inch. being so fine as to
need good lens to detect them.
In a Pima basket he showed the mvstic swa-
stika found in the remains of all primitive peoples
On others was the Greek fret in many variations A
"dtertiGht kliktat basket, blackened and dimmed
by use and time. but stilI firm as the day IT
had probably been used for ma ny years for cooking
Ahother, bowl shaped. had years of domestic
service as a meal basket. Mr. Conway described
ule me neIIlou OF COOKING IN basket 1t is filled with
water, he said and redhot stones are drOpDed into
II II win the tood to be prepared. be advised the
members of the society study carefully the COZ
.tctnns or baskets IN the American Museum or
.EEa'uItl history and to acqnant Themselves with
the Kind OF baskets the Indian can make
IN uTectlnS attention to choice Aleuti.t Island
uiShet Mr. conway said that until the beginning
3l lt nineteenth century probably before 1910 the
nau . peeh used for decoration by the Aeuts Since
tha' Tune the bright colored woods obtained from
me trader have been employed. Mr.. Conway
tHouSht that further generations would severely
name me people OF this for its treatment of
the Indian and for nothing more than for it's inert
ness IN allowing the decadenCe of one OF the most
Bishop Rowe. of Alaska. is ready TO lead in the
effort 10 help the Indians of his diocese be self
&C SchiS1ehn. chairman Of the Indian committee Of
81 George s Branch OF the WOman'S Auxiliary To
the Episcopal Board Of Missions, will hold a con-
IeIeHce win MIN during his visit here, and the
committee will then decide what tribe or tribes
Shall recelV" its aid A considerable sum Of money
has already been raised for the purpose and teach
teach the young women of the tribe their ancestral
art Ihis work will take the place OF the box
Indians by the organization.
Among others present at the meeting Mrs.
DoubedaN, VINO Is enthusiastic In furtherinE the
effort; Mrs James T. Gardiner and Mrs. Lorillard