Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-09
AT DENNISON SCHOOL
ADDRESS EXPLANATORY OF
STARS ART COMPETITION.
Supervising Principal Clark Speaks in
Praise-Lively Contest Among
the Schools.

Supervising Principal c. S. Clark, at
meeting of the teachers of the Dennison
building yesterday in the interest of The
Stars school art competition, in an earnest
address the value of the movement from
many points of view, said in part:
Nothing but praise Is heard for The
Stars gift for school room decoration This
is the first influential agency outside of the
administration of the schools to undertake
to help decorate school buildings What
ever has been done heretofore the teachers
have done and each is now showing his
appreciation of The Stars help by enthusi-
aStic efforts to win a collection for his own
building. I think the contest itself is good
thing for the children. Full of zeal and
eagerness they are trying hard to gain
prize in an honorable competition. That
IS good training. Moreover, to collect the
votes, count and arrange them, properly
label and forward them, to do all this
neatly and promptly and with accuracy,
to have the count right when delivered, is
metic. 1t is a happy combination of interest.
something the child thinks is worth doing
with practice in doing It."
While the first division is the last to hold
a general meeting. teachers yesterday quot
ed THE last shall be first" Everywhere
they said teachers and pupils are stimulated
to extra eXertion.
School Room Decoration.
Superintendent w. H. Maxwell of New
York city said recently in regard to school
room decoration and art teaching:
First arises the question, Why should
We teach art in the public schools? The
answer to this question must be found In
the answers to two other questions: What
is life for which education is preparation:
and what is education? Life, as we see It,
says Herbert Spencer, Is the continuous
adjustment of internal relations to external
relations. In other words, life is the con-
tinuous establishment of harmonious re-
lations between man and his environment
Education Is the training that brings man
into harmonious relations with his envi-
ronment, partly through knowledge of the
exterior world. partly through knowledge
OF the possessions Of the race.
one Of the most priceless gifts of the Gre
ator to humanity; and the Interpretation
OF this beauty by great artists Is one of
the most priceless legacies each generation
leaves to its SUD eessors. The great artists
the architects sculptors. painters. poets
have interpreted for us the beauties OF the
external world and beauties Of the human
soul in moments of repose and moments
of passion. in seasons OF noble exertion and
seasons of heroic self-sacrifice. Through
the work OF the artist. through the study
Of art. 1t Is that we learn to appreciate the
beauties of life and the beauties of nature.
True 1t Is that every human soul is born
with some inherited power OF approaching
the beautiful: nut we have only to look
around us to see how soon and how easily
Lack Of Appreciation.
"Switzerland, with its sublime mountain
scenery, has never produced great poet
or a great painter. Tho great majority
OF our own people have little real apprecia-