The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-10-10

Baltimore, spent part of the week with
| Mrs Barnes parents, Mr.. and Mrs. vii
liam o. Hughes
| Miss Ella Mitchell, of Baltimore, re-
turned home on Monday after II visit to
| Mrs. T. l.. Hanway. VIRGINIA.
School Room Decoration.
(Read by Miss Florence Street, at Teach
ers' lnstitutc)
One evening i'll the olden time, Persian
ambassador with his train was entering
the CITY of Sparta. He had come from Il
nation of slaves, from land whose cities
we're surrounded by huge walls of brick
and stone. He gazed around him in sur
prise; there seemed to be freedom every
where. He saw nowhere the furtive glance
and fearful tread of slaves; each man was
his own master The city itself lay open
to the free breath of heaven. Upon the
fertile plain there were no towers or
battlements, and the hand ofpeace SEEM
cd resting over all. Turning to the
spartan ruler, the Persian asked in
voice of wonder. 80 King, where are
YOUR walls - A smile frightened the
face of the leader ofheroes as he answered.:
Come tomorrow at sunrise, and climb
with me the heights of yonder pinnacle,
and will show you the citys walls"
rhe next day just as the sun was rising
i'll splcndor, over the eastern hills, they
climbed to the top of a lofty temple. Be
meath them, upon the plain stood the
Young men of the city in battle array;
their FURNISHED arms shone in the morn
ing sunlight, and there bosoms throbbed
with hearts truer than steel. They gazcd
upon them for moment, and the King
turning to the Persian, said proudly,
Behold, Wonder are the walls of Sparta,
and every mans a brick" Centuries
upon centuries have passed away and
still the saying fingers. 1t is spoken
lightly and thoughtlessly by many, yet
there lies beneath it thought, for truth
and beauty, unsurpassed
Just as each soldier was brick in the
walls of Sparta, SO is school decoration
Il brick in the development of the char
;tcter of each boy and girl placed under
our care. Picture study and school
decoration are twin sisters and go hand
in hand. Material for school room deco
ration is i'll its position for a definite,
clear-cut purpose. 1t is ''artfor the eye
The objects chosen to adorn the rooms
should not only make their mute appeal
to the pupils; they must be spoken abe ut,
utilized and made to play their part in
Generous educational scheme. How many
times has teacher found her children
alive with interest when certain pictures
were happily explained? Pictures are
studied for the messages they have t" tell
us, for the spirit which underlies the art
is attempts and for an acquaintance
with masterpieces which are classic in
their power Agreat picture is something
to know and love A grand example of
sculpture, reproduced in plastic form is
lust as valuable.
Pictures chosen should be in sympathy
with the age of the pupils who will come
i'll contact with them, and of such a
character that they will breathe an i'll
tlunence into their daily lives. 1t is fair
question and one which a practical par
cnt will often ask the teacher, just what
purpose have you in this decoration of
school rooms with photographs and
casts? Educators tell us that a feeling
for art, can we not say development of
taste?-comes through recognition OF
the beauties ofnature in connection with
contact and study of mans artistic pro-
| auctions If we do not train the boys
and girls oftoday in taste as we'll as litera-
ture, mathematics and morality, we are
Sinking our educational duty. No
amount of talking will ever bring about
4 sense of beauty unless the development
is nurtered on the sight and study of
| beauti ful things This is the place and
opportunity for our picture study and
| school room decoration. Every dollar
expended in the decoration of the school
room i'll picture study, or on the trees and
flowers of the school yard is going to
grow and multiply in the higher educa-
ton of the people. Inmaking selections,
the aim should be to select first, pictures
of general art value for enjoyment and
spiritual uplifting; second, pictures for
streng thening and enriching grade work
in language. Do not choose costly
pictures but choose only good compost
lions of standard artists.
Right here, we would say: See that
your pictures are neatly framed. Large
| snowy frames are not artistic. In my
own experience, l have found the disci-
| plne of the room is made easier by max.
| ing the room attractive, and by having
| things ofinterest about. Children absorb
the atmosphere ofthe room unconsciously
and are made better if the arrangement
is artistic and elevating. There are so
many little things which go to make up
| lUG dDpGfil Noul 9SAo'A'"' = IN
room should be long and pleasant, with
large windows, atfording excellent venti-
lation. On every available bit of wall
have blackboards and maps. The walls
should be clean and white Allow no
accumulation of dust and cobwebs. Have
curtains of a light color, pleasing to the
eve. By the way, these same shades may
make the whole room appear disorderly
One shade should not be found rolled to
the top of the window, while the Others
are found at varying lengths Uniformity
of arrangement helps to the orderly effect
Blackboards do much toward the adorn
mcnt of room. They should be cleaneo
at the close of each day. With coloreo
cravons, arrange borders for the top o
the boards. The teacher or some arts
tic pupil may furnish the design. These
decorations should be in keeping with the
time and place, that the pupils see mcthoe
in all things. How inappropriate woulc
: the thistle down of September and thu
milk-weed of October be in the spring
months and the nest-building robin il
, the fall Have the time, place and de
sign in accord. Then too, i'll my OWL
school, l always keep one corner OF ;
blackboard for calendar The children
refer to this calendar, which is made b,
one of their own number, rather than tn
printed calendar which hangs i'll tn
r room. The decoration of calendar
should follow the seasons and be sug
yestive of the month or the work of tn
| month The September design may b
: made attractive by sprays of golden-rod
, astcrs or lunches of fruit; that of October
r by sprays of autumn leaves, or bursting
S milk-weed pods; while that of Noven
Der shows harvesting or Thanksgiving
r scenes A quotation each month add
r charm to the calendar. Only the picture
$ which help to educate and elevate tn
e child, to impress upon his mind ideas {
=. the good, the beautiful, and the true
: should have place in the school room. n
' primary room should be without it
e Madonna.
4 Pictures of animals should abount
a Birds in their natural colors are interest
e ing and instructive to the children. TIL
# walls, too, should be decorated wit
photographs Of foreign countries, {
D beautiful scenery, of great men, and a
r that shall influence the pupil to scare
:. deeper for knowledge and that shall IL
3 fluence him to seek loftier ideas of lift