The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-12
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
mo Time for Art.


To the Editor Of The Journal: q
1t is comforting to learn from yester-
days editorial that Everyday citizens
may express an opinion concerning the
education of their, children even though
they have not the training of the teach
ers and do not understand educational
methods and purposes as well as those
whose profession it IS fotteach.'' In view
OF this gracious permission, permit me to
take issue with one or two statements of
the editorial in question
We. are given to understand by the
Powers That Be, that our children shall
understand primitive art whether they
learn to spell or not The artistic fac
ulty must be cultivated mark the word
but lit must be remembered that some
children can't learn to SPELL 1 submit
the question, is not one power Of the mind
as susceptible of cultivation as another?
Is 1t not the function of education to
remedy natural DEFICIENCIES? Is it wise
to meet an imperative need of modern
times with the weak wall of Can't
am tempted to omit the apostrophe-and
spend the time, strength and patience of
an already over-worked teaching force In
futile attempt to initiate the wigwam
art of 'low-vaulted past?
With regard to Frech methods in Amer
lean education: There are temperamental
reasons why the meat of one would be-
come the. poison of the other The men,
tally of the American differs as widely
from that of the Gaul as does his ply
sique. A composite race, with Saxon
characteristics predoninating, It is doubt
l'ful If the most careful cultivation can
achieve for the American the things which
are the birthright of .his trans Atlantic
brother. He mayslack finger tip dextrity,
but his ideals Of life, physical, mental and
spiritual. are imneasurably higher, and
to an everyday citizen, with no predi-
lection for fads Or fetichism, lit seems" the
height Of folly to set up the French. mold
| as the: pattern forfhe American mind.
| We want our children ito be first of all
| good Americans, brainy, common sensed
men and women of affairs. not ashamed of
any honest work To that end dignity
carpentry and metal work, cooking and
! sewing, by giving manual training its
due recognition, not at the expense of the
! higher education, but that it may be made
! symmetrical and practical, And leave
basketry and rug weaving where they be
long-on the shelf Of some museum Of In
dian antiquities. 5=s%! E,f@; T.. .z"<<
| - - y , S.. James E. Smith,:
Pastor Fifth Az, Congregational Church.
Minneapolis, Marchi1a, 1908.
Mr.. Smiths fondness for irony keeps
y him from putting a fair construction on
the editorial he criticizes. Certainly the
editorial did not advocate neglect of spell
ing. Neither did 1t say a word in behalf
of basketry or rug weaving. If Mr. Smith
has been reading r h e j urna at all
closely, he knows that our position is that
regardless Of the general principle that
there should be art and manual training
in the school, basketry may be far from
the right way in which to introduce it.
We have taken the position that the ques-
ton is an open one and should be investi-
gated. We think that Mr.. Smiths idea
of emitting art instruction entirely from
the public schools Will find few supporters
among educational authorities. 1t woulc
be interesting to know how we can have
a symmetrical and practical education
that leaves out art altogether. We feal
Mr.. Smith has some of the prejudice
|against art as Of the devil that Mr.. Vroo
man spoke Of. It would be interesting
for instance, to have him prove his the
sis that the American ideals Of life, phys
ical, mental and spiritual, are higher thar
the Frenchman's. Mr.. Smith might be
able to make a good argument for the
physical ideals and for some forms of the
spiritual, but on the mental or intellectual
side he would certainly have some trouble
1t is true, as Mr.. Smith says. that art
is largely temperamental, but it is MOI
true that Americans are lacking in the
art temperament. In fact. there are very
/ few natures that lack q latent capacity
to appreciate art. the cultivation of which
is essential to the making Of the best citi
zenship and the attainment Of the highes
satisfaction in life-Ed. Journal