Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-09
A R 7 N 0 T E s.

Much has been said both for and against
art training in our public schools. Those
who look upon art as a luxury and asso-
ciate the term merely with picture making,
naturally deprecate its introduction: While
those who realize its ethical value, and ap-
preciate the fact that it is all-incluslve.
earnestly advocates it's institution. The Gull
tivatiOn Of public taste is a thing of very
great moment and hand-in- hand with this
goes the education of skilled artisans. Our
public school art courses are aiding the de-
velopment of the one; our techn!ca! training
schools in the production Of the other Since
the centennial exposition we have made
long strides in the right direction, but we
have still far to go, and helpful sugges-
lions for further progress may be found in
a knowledge OF a system adopted and sue
cessfuIly carried out in Austria; an inter-
esting account of which is given by A. S.
Levetus in the current number of the In
ternatonal Studio. Less famous in the art
world than her national neighbors, Italy.
Germany and France-Austria has for many
decades enjoyed celebrity for her crafts
her glass, her pottery and her carvings have
been famous in every land; and of recent
years her effort has been not only to sus-
tain but to increase this reputation. To
this end the state has established about
100 craft schools in which working men
can receive a thorough education. Students
are admitted when twelve or fourteen years
of age and graduated at eighteen or twenty.
The elementary Misunderstanding, writing.
commercial arithmetic, bookkeeping, etc
are taught In EACH as well as some specific
trade, such, for example, as glass making.
pottery, cabinet making, basketry and
stone cutting. The fees are nominal, and
after the completion of the course steady
employment is assured, the manufacturers
cooperating in this way with the govern
ment Any student, moreover, who displays
exceptional talent is sent with an annuity
to the academy, where he may learn TO be
artist a teacher. Each school is fur
nished with good art library from which
the students are permitted TO draw both
books and designs freely, and through
which the best attachments are brought to
general notice. experimenting the regular
schools are night classes for working men
and "Wandercurses' courses given
by travelling teachers in the mountain viii
lagos which are too small to support
school of their own. There also cir
culating libraries and travelling exhibitions.
which are carefully prepared and well pa
troniZed. The industries which have long
been located in certain sections are nur
tured and new ones are rarely introduced,
the object being always to perfect rather
than increase current production. In every
way the students-apprentice and working
people are urged to be skillful and are
maze 10 take genuine prlde IN thelr work,
regarding 1t in its humbest form worthy
of their art and their effort. And herein
lies the secret OF their success.
Deerf1eld, Mass, is one of the centers
OF the crafts movement in this country.
There, eight years ago, was organized a
Blue and White Society for the pur-
pose of reproducing the colonial embroider-
les, whose popularity was at that time re-
vived; and there, now, every summer many
persons flock to visit the exhibition of han
dicraft set forth by. the outgrowth of that
same organization-the people of the VIII
lage. Every one sends something, from the
doctor to the blacksmith, and each in his
own line is master workman. There are
rag carpets and rugs, bookbindings and
embroideries, furniture, baskets, jeweIry,
and even bayberry dips. The articles, one
and all, made by amateurs during
leisure hours, and though they are for
sale are not produced primarily for that
purpose This is, indeed, the true art spirit
and those who posses it must of necessity
find success.