The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-22
TINY WlELDERS OF THE BRUSH
What They Do in the Public SchooPainng and Drawing
Glasses at Work Under a Journal Representatives
Eye-Enthusiasm for the Work.

SO
first grade, futile school. "sit up straight
like little soldiers. Before we begin to
paint We're going to talk about some
thing. What do you like to do best IN
school?"
moments pause for consideration and
then forest OF little hands waved wild
~. As the babies were called upon to
answer. one by one, the answer In nearly
every case was, ITO paint"
Why? queried the teacher.
Cause It's pretty answered one lit
tie tot, and another thought 1t was fun.
very bright little girl answered, "cause
it's pretty scolors.." In answer to the
question, What do you like to, paint
best?@ boy said Santa Claus; but that
was because he was thinking Of Christ
mas. joys. Another baby liked to paint
windows, cause IT amt SO hard" and
la third chose anterns, cause there 8
,colors inss'em. ~ Then they, were asked
to tell which Of the great, bright lanterns
hanging across the corners they liked
best, and with few exceptions they chose
the biggest and brightest.
The lesson for the day was landscape
In colors. and after reminding the chill
dren that the SKY was blue highest up
and reddest near the trees, the teacher
asked:
Children, how do you make snow?'
Don't put any paint on" was the an
swer.
eyes. and how does it look If you don't
put any paint on?"
1t looks fne!''T
The children worked busily but quietly,
| and when each sky had blossomed forth
in just the right hues, the teacher re-
marked, Nov, that is beautiful sky,
butt looks lonesome. I wonder why?"
Several little hands few up.
Cause there. amt no little girls play
| in there, was the quick response.
The object of painting landscapes is to
The primary grades are more successful
in this work than the higher grades. The
former, thinking they cannot do what IS
required OF them more readily follow :di-
rections; while the larger pupils want to
add their knowledge. During the fall and
| spring the little ones are sometimes taken
| out where they can view landscapes, by
having their attention thus called to
scenes, they often report having seen
|Nbeauttful red sunsets and moonlight.
At the Bremen School.
The small students of the Bremen school.
of which there are three rooms full, are
| as deeply interested In painting as those
| of other schools. In the first room dainty
little lanterns of contrasting colors and
ooo SAoQO0 WOlO AAdA6S0 IL 6AOuPS "
| two, with dark backgrounds. The pupils
were encouraged to make large pictures
| with free, sweeping movement, as the
tendency OF beginners is to do cramped
work. Attention was particularly directed
TO shape, color, and especially to the
wavy edges and crinkled surfaces which
| were represented by darker horizontal
lines. -
why do you like to paint lanterns,
children?" asked the principal.
Cause they're kind O. easy" was the
answer from boy. The class finally de-
cided they liked the pretty. airy things
because they were of varied, brilliant COL
ors and pretty shapes.
The children are taught to be. critical
Of their own work. By observing the
work of other pupils and by frequent COM
parsons with the models, they perceive
their most glaring mistakes and how to
rectify them 1.-The pupils necessarily have
an Ideal of the, study; and by attempting
to express this ideal, the imagination is
developed. s~' 1850 y @Fi% y"
In the second room the teacher. remind
ed the pupils that the ,colors of their
skies must blend and must not be Of
straight bands like a layer cake. Clouds
were fluffy and white; and If the skies
did not show their effect 1t would seem
that the pupils had not thought In the
/
near, the pupils we're at work on pretty
gifts for respective papas, and mamas.
Each tot had a heart-shaped enclosure
in which he dropped clear colors for a
stained glass effect The second grade.
also painted heart-shaped valentines, but
these were done in clear red, tied with
pretty bits of ribbon, and bore within
an appropriate sentiment.
Why the Heart:
These little folk were not quite sure
why heart was the chosen symbol; but
one child approached the truth when he
said: "When you give 'em to people
they'll think you love 'em." mail
carrier with wraps and bag, all complete
even to a valentine, posed before the
fourth grade Another grade, in a very
mastery fashion, sketehed Abraham Lin
coin splitting rails. - -
In the Higher Grades.
The most telling effects of training
we're shown in the work of the higher
grades, which included the principles of
perspective With "hnders," the pupils
Of the sixth grade selected groups Of the
models before them that would fill their
enclosures we'll and make artistic pictures.
After sketching the group prefer
red with With p Zen or tb begn aa1soped
their sketches with black, white, and
tones OF gray-the tones being suggested
by the colors OF the models. The effect
obtained is called the t'fat poster; no
shading is represented, merely high
lights.
The spirit Of the children in their art
is that OF earnest effort. There is no
trifling nor shirking; each child works
with deep interest and pleasure, and
despite the fact that every child does not
possess an artistic temperament, the re-
suits obtained are marvellous.