The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-12
MASTER BASKET Man.
George Wharton James Has Been Sc
cured for a Lecture in Min.
neapolis, Feb. %.
He Is the Originator Of the Basket
Fraternity-Com for the
Teachers Club.

An announcement of very great inter
est to the teachers and basketry workers
is that George Wharton James, author OF
Indian Basketry," and of a great num-
Der of other interesting books and maya
zine articles. has been secured for a lee
ture on basketry. This will be given on
Monday evening, Feb. %. at the Unitarian
church under the auspices OF the Teacners
Club. It is entirely autside OF the course
Of entertainments managed by the club
and is purely educational in it's purpose.
Mr.. James is an exceedingly interesting
man and possesses probably the most
complete knowledge of Indian baskets OF
anyone living. He is deeply Interested III
the perpetuation Of the ancient industry
in it's pristine state and was the orig1na-
tor of the Basket Fraternity which has
it's headquarters as Pasadena, CAL This
organization is for the preservation OF the
art among the Indians and for Its estab-
lishment among others interested. The
details Of it's plan include the collection
of reliable and accurate knowledge of In
dian weavers' methods and work and It's
dissemination by means of a travelling col
lection Of typical baskets, lantern slides.
photographs. basketry material, bulletins
and lectures. It is proposed to make
national collection Of typical baskets of
every weave and style to be found in the
world, but especially and primarily of
baskets made by the aboriginal tribes of
North America, and to place it where 1t
| may always be accessible to- basket lovers
| for purposes of study. The fraternity is
seeking to suppress commercialism among
the Indians and Ito encourage a spirit OF
love for good and artistic work; to Danish
| analine dyes, and restore the use of ma
| tive dyes, native shapes and designs and
carefully prepared materials and artistic
| work It will also seek to influence the
| Indian department Of the government tc
| earnestly endeavor to work to this enc
among all the agents, superintendent ant
teachers in it's service and to require al
young Indian girls to learn the art as par
! Of their school education" ~..... ~.
/ The fraternity has a quarterly bulletin
the first issue of which was made re-
Gently; it is entitled. How to Make In,
dian and Other Baskets and is by Mr.
James. The second bulletin will be or
Living Indian Weavers;'' the others TO
the year, Typical Indian Basket Shapes,
and Typical Indian Designs These ar,
finely illustrated. Mr.. James lecture il
one of those provided by the fraternit.
and the loan collection Of baskets is sen
to places iE which the organization ha
twenty members. Mr.. James will brin,
with him to Minneapolis a fine collection
which will be shown in some public place
Even the program outlined above doe
not constitute the whole scope Of tn
fraternity for it intends to organic
classes and to enlarge the circle of thos
. who know and love good basI1etry wor
and especially Ito promote the organiza
ton of classes for the teaching of bask
etry in orphan asylums, prisons, poor
houses, insane asylums etc.. in order tina
easy and simple employment may
found for the unfortunate which will hel
to relieve the monotony of their live:
Every effort also will be made to Great
a market for the baskets as made, as we
as Indian baskets" go