The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-04
ART IN SCHOOLS.
Hiss Eifie Graham's Plea to
Women's Federation.
Should Encourage Development
of Art in America.
SHE LOST HER NOTES.
Address Was Informal and Out
of the Ordinary.
December Meeting Was Most
Enjoyable Event.
SHE LOST HER NOTES.

Art was the subject discussed at the
December meeting of the Topeka FEEDER
alton of Women's clubs at Unity church
Wednesday afternoon.
Mrs. Alice Worswick of OSkalOosa,
who is chairman of the department OF
art of the state federation, and has
done a great deal to further art inter-
eStS in Kansas WomanS clubdom, be-
sides being herself a painter of attain
ment and promise, talked on the Value
of Art to the Individual" and gave
very graceful exposition of the subject
showing how a love and knowledge of
soul, enriches the emotional nature and
increases the sympathieS.
She was followed by Miss Eff1e Ora
ham of the faculty of the Topeka High
school, whose very entertaining discus
sion of the Value of Art in the Public
Schools" was listened to with marked
attention and received with frequent
laughter and applause. Miss Graham
said in Introduction that she could not
hope to say anything new on such
well worn subject and that her personal
interest in it was her excuse for the at
tempt. but her address was character
lied by exceptional wit and originality
and although she confessed at the out
set to having lost her notes her hearers
missed nothing through the extempor-
aneous nature of her talk which was
thoroughly informal and very different
from the usual club paper" In Miss
Grahams opinion the principal object
of art in the public schools is the Great
ing and education of a public taste.
THE artist and skilled artisan" she
said, must have their public without
which their work becomes a purely per
SOnal pleasure and benefit and misses
its most important object, the uplifting
of humanity 1t is literally true that
man may not be famous without the
consent of his neighbor. A knowledge
and love of good pictures and other
works of art is the best method OF
teaching a child sentiment and instilling
patriotism and a love of home in the
growing mind.
Miss Graham condemned the Amerl-
can invasion of foreign art museums
and the carrying away to this country
of the art which is SO distinctive a part
of the development and civilization of
other lands comparing it to. the desc
Grafton of burying place. She thought
the money spent in the purchase of for
eign objects of art might better be de
voted to the development of American
art possibilities, the building up of q
native art and the elevation of the
American public taste. Such an eleva-
ton must. she insisted, come through
literary narrowness of the American
educational ldea4 which demands that
a person know the poetry of Greece but
not its sculpture, and the history of the
middle ages but not their architecture
Art education is not, Miss Graham sug-
gesteds for women's clubs alone. 1t Is
not for the feminine gender, first person
ana singular mum Der, but should be for
the masculine gender, first, second and
third persons and plural number; but
this can only be brought about by It's
introduction in the curriculum of the
public schools, by which the whole peo-
Die, men and women alike. may BIZ
taught a knowledge and appreciation
of art and the public taste be thereby
elevated. She closed with a plea for
local art interests. the arts and crafts
hi ~
especially for the manual training high
school for which the citizens of Topeka.
VIII be given an opportunity to vote in
January, and which she asked women to
help by their votes and influence
Miss Wilma Tyler, of Junction City
a harpist of more than local reputation
began and ended the progra mime. Her
first solo was Saint-Saens Phantasie
ana she RESPONDED to an encore with
Hasselman's Au Monasterie. Her third
number was Thomas Echo of the
Waterfall Miss Tyler is a young wo-
man OF charming appearance and en-
gaglng personality in addition to being
a capable and sympathetic artist
Preceding the program was q short bust
ness session at which the St. Cecilia MH-
sic club was voted member of the fedpr-
alton and the following Individual Nom
bers taken in: Mrs Barbour Walker of the
College OF the Sisters of Bethany; Mrs.
Elon Clark Mrs. Charles Curtis, Miss Dol
" Curtis, Mrs NJ M. Flynn and Mrs.
George H. Mays
A letter was read from Mrs. Thorpe, po-
nee matron, asking the assistance of the
Federation for the Poor Mothers club,
which meets twice a month at the police
station with her for sewing and social sii-
version. The club has 80 or 40 mernbers.
Mrs. Thorpe also hoped the federation
would remember the children of the poor
at Christmas time as it did last year and
begged 1t to make some effort to put Il
stop to offensive advertisement, both in
poster and pamphlet form, which she con-
siders a baneful influence among children
of the lower classes. This matter was re-
ferred to the ciycs committee
Mrs. George B. Manning, chairman of
the GIVES committee, requested the wo-
men of the federation to make early shop
ping hours part of their expression of
the Christmas spirit of love and unset fish
ness in consideration of the shop employees
whose work at this season is so exacting
and whose hours are so long.
Mrs. R. S. Finley of Xenia, O., who is a
charter member of the oldest woman's
club in the United States, the Wornan's
Literary club of Xenia, O., organized in
1867, spoke briefly. by invitation of the
president, Mrs. H. o. Garvey, who pre-
sided.
On the platform with Mrs. Garvey were
Mrs Worswick of Oshaloosa Mrs Finley
of xenia o. Mrs w A. Johnston presi-
dent of the state federation: Mrs. John 3.
Sims the new recording secretary of the
local federation, appointed to succeed Mrs
A. H Vance. who has left Topeka for
new home elsewhere; Miss Lucy Kingnlaf,,
Miss Beck president of the Holton federal
tor of clubs, and Miss Tyler Of Junction
CitZ.