Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1902-03-27
of the Beautiful"


The following well-written arti-
ole, read before the Portland Wom-
ans Club, and written by Mrs. II.
f. Heppner, is republished at the
request of her many friends here:
"When q schOolhouse is to be
built, let the Woman's Club he on
hand 10 zee that the lot chosen is
one suitable for the purpose, not
only hygienic but attractive, com.
handing, if possible, fine view.
for history tells US that the influ-
ence of fine scenery is always en-.
nobling. Then, if it is possible,
employ the best architect and have
the building model of beauty in
side, where the children stay, as
well AS outside, where the public
sees it in passing, but if the school
house is in the rural districts, and
there is no money to spend on ar
tistic effects, let US see what a few
intelligent women can accomplish.
First, ask that instead of the IN
slightly white plaster the walls shall
have a delicate blue tint. that will
greatly relieve the children's eyes,
while it gratifies their good taste.
Then expend a few dollars-only ~
few are needed--for good pictures,
portraits Of famous men and
women, copies Of celebrated pict-
ures and photographs of famous
places, that literature, history and
geography may become real to the
children at the same time that their
sense of the beautiful is being cul-
tivated.
"Above all, have few flowers
bout the schoolhouse, a few flow
ering plants in winter, a garden or
even window gardens in summer,
for flowers have always refining
influence But what is the effect
Of a schoolhouse decoration; what
is the influence of the beautiful
upon the children in our public
schools? asks the practical. The
first and direct answer comes from
the public school teachers them
selves, who say that the scholars
have sense Of pride in their art
istic surroundings and willingly
lend their aid in advancing the
work; and, moreover, when the
schoolhouse has been made attract
i've better order is kept, both in
and around the building, and in
stinctively muddy ovcrshoes are
removed at the door. Is not this
sufficient test Of a refining influence
to satisfy the club women who have
worked for school decoration?
"And Mr.. Ruskin, than whom
we can ask no higher authority,
answers the question in these
words: The first and most impor-
tant kind Of public buildings which
we are always sure to need are
schOolhouses, and l ask you to con-
slider very carefully whether we
may not wisely introduce some
great changes in the way Of school
decorations, for there certainly
comes period in the life Of a we'll
educated youth in which one of the
principal elements in his education
is to give him refinement OF habits
to increase his Lodily sensibility
and refinement and show him such
small matters as the way of hant;-
ling thing properly and treating
them considerably. Not only so,
but | believe the notion of fixing
the attention by keeping the room
empty il a mistaken one, and even
if it be fixed, by an effort, on the
business in hand, that business be-
comes repulsive, more than it need
be, by the vileness of the ASSOC
citation, and many a study appears
dull or painful to a boy when it is
pursued on a blotted deal desk un-
der a wall with nothing on il but
scratches aud pegs, which would
have been pursued pleasantly
enough in curtained corner Of
his fathers library or at the lattice
window of his cottage And while
the children, 'the citizens of to-
morrow, are feeling the influence
of the beautiful in more artistic
school buildings, the village i'm
provement societies have a grand
work to do in making more beauti-
full the streets and public breathing
spaces, and inspiring the people to
take better care of private grounds.
"To appreciate anything we must
first learn its value. The man who
sees in a beautiful tree only its
worth in lumber, and in Niagara
only a valuable water power going
to waste, is an example of a person
in whom the inherent love of the
beautiful has not been cultivated.
The love of beauty is an attribute
OF man, and if it is crushed out we
cannot expect finely rounded
character. The character of him
who has not appreciation of the
beautiful is as far from the perfect
whole as that of him who has no
sense of the practical. The infu-
ence of the beautiful is ever uplift-
ing, ennobling and refining, so
there can be no grander work for
us than to wage ceaseless war
against ugliness and to cultivate in
ourselves and in those with whom
we are surrounded a lova of ba.uty