The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-11
SOUTHERN WOMEN WELL
 KNOWN IN NEW YORK
Departments of School Cover Whole Range of Pottery, and the
 Work Is Very
 Interesting.
BY ANNIE kENpRlck WALKER.

NE of the prominent and most in-
 teresting features of the Sumner O School of Ceramic Art at Alfred, N. Y, was the class in Ceramic design, under MT. Marshal Fry Having for years studied painting under William Chase. and more recently design and composi- ton under Arthur Dow. MT Fry has long .-x1-the limitations of the kind of china decoration which has been so popular during the last ten years
 In MT. Fry's class in Ceramic design this summer was Mrs J. B. Raulston of Birmingham, who spent most of her vaea- ton at the Summer School of Geran.e Art Mrs Raulston will conduct a similar course in Ceramic design in her studio this winter.
 The study of the principles of comps. sition. while so well understood in the northern studios, has not been emphasized as it should be in the south, and laose who will appreciate the introduction os this system of instruction believe tat lhe winter classes will lay the foundation in Birmingham of what will develop into large and permanent school of Ceramic design.
 Mrs. Raulston's annual art exhibit will be held tomorrow afternoon from 10 in her studio in the Watts building and art lovers will be given an opportunity of seeing some of her porcelains which were designed under MT. Fry.
 In a recent interview with Mrs. Raul stnn she outlined the basis upon which Beading decora tors now work; that IS the creative principles which are doing away t1... raf tgat revolutionzing the ceramic world,
 MT. Marshall Fry" said Mrs. Raul ston. lis the most earnest enthusiastic, conscientious young artist it has ever been my good fortune to meet. A genius, full of the highest aspirations, most in- spring to his pupils and a devoted son to a lovely mother, who is also an artist
 "Mr. Frys whole life since the age of Il has been given to art. For years he has composed his own coors, and now designs and builds in clay many of the forms which are carried out in the pottery at Trenton, N. J., and are afterwards deco rated by himself and his pupils. Mrs Fry, his mother, $ his willing and able assist ant in his work.
 'It has been felt by all who have given the matter any thought that the reason why the work of china decorators has not achieved recognition from the art world Is because they have ignored the principles which govern other branches of art and handicraft, and have allowed great gulf to separate them from other crafts and craftsmen thus denying them selves the influence and inspiration which they might derive from acquaintance and intercourse with them
 China painting has usually been un- dertalxen with little or no previous train ing in art and being thus without a foundation which would develop creative and original work, most decorators were dependent upon copying the work of the well-known teachers. What was lacking was power of appreciation Good things were seen but they were not cared for. because love of the beautiful grows only out of knowledge and understanding A growing comprehension Is gained only by much association with art or by intelli- gent and systematic study of the prn- ciples underlying it.
 ''Realizing all this, MT Fry has spent the greater part of his time for three wears in planning out a course of study for the benefit of china decorators-a a study of the principles which underlie ceramic as we'll as all other art. MT. Arthur Dow has been of great assistance to him in the work. The enthusiasm and the results of the class at Alfred indicate that this system of instruction will lead to much that is desirable Nearly all the