New-York tribune., 1905-06-08
F4CULTY OF FINE 4RIo.
Columbia,s Plan for Hork sc'th
1codemu of Design.


-. 30 f,olpr,bia University expressed py
formal resolution their desire TO estaosh s.n"V ~
OF fine arts in cooperation wlth tiie - -
Academy Of Design. They referred the
a committee which will confer AT an eaiiS 70 70
with the council of the National Academy OF De
sign. tb
A plan for joint action by the university aii"
Academy of Design in the establishment Oh sueh .,
school has already been approved by 'he .e.
Of the National Academy of Design. and ratiieu
49, Tho academy itself by large majority. 1t Is
nrobabIe that the arrangements for the proiecteo
school of fine arts will be concluded carry III '"e
autumn. s
AFTER the meeting of the trustees on Monday
President Butler made the following statsment:
While the proposed cooperation between Colqna- I'M
bia university and the National Academy Of De
sign was still under consideration by tne ausiS u AZ
cuss it public Now since see the aSad Sef
eny ana tne tSemssves upon the subject may be
proper to state exactly what is proposed: os %
merge T e" the National ACADEMY Of Design With Go Go,
unbia University ndeT r. any There viii
be no change whatever in its direct activity except
coe 'ne parf of larger and more inclusive school
The university in its own interest would naturaLy rally
desire TO lay the strongest possible emphasis upon
the individuality of the academy with whlch IL was
IA what has been proposed and what has been un-
der consideration by the university authorities tot
9na arfs on plane with the faculties of law. med
cine and applied science. For this faculty the uni
& 1 sddion If Is doing through the art de-
successful work yet attempted in America IN con-
What are needed to Complete the plan for this
faculty are, first, the invaluable cooperation and
association of artists themselves; second proper
and SCHOLARLY i9strHGton in the 4 history and
he ffs er Gt 1s m eonnecc with painting
sculpture and the decorative arts az has recently
large part. these needed additions be provided
with the greatest efficiency the smallest cost and
i1 he ar N flp hN
It has been suggested that the professorships of
painting sculpture ana decoration in the proposed
faculty of fine arts should be filled and maintained
by the academy Naturally. the fncumbents or
these professorships would have the same great
auth m and that attach to the
so far as concerns his own methods Of work and
Ii a proper building wore erected on the uni
versity grounds the academy would thereby be
ns Of b3dng for
NhsteveT ou.ldns was erected would Of OF necess,tiy
buildings on Morningside Heights 1t would be
large enough 10 accommodate not only the several
departments included in the faculty of fine arts,
administrative OFFICES of the academy.
The proposed co;operaticn has met with the tt en-
particularly those who have been most closely
S' Of art educaton John mn La Fargo ' Augustus m st
Gaudens. Frank D, NIiliet. John W Alexander,
F. Il BiashfleId. Dana G French. Thomas Hast
Ings. Frederick Dieman. and nnumerable others hers
of the policy proposed by the university. At a
recent meeting of the New-Yort Chapter Of the
American Institute of Architects, with George 3.
Post in the chair, resolution unanimously
being taken by Columbia University to elevate and
improve instruction in architecture and the other
fine arts
few persons who have expressed in public dis
approval of the underta king have done appar-
emily without understanding what was proposed
and WITHOUT realizing what typical modern uni. uni.
versity like Columbia is. They have feared thaf
the university would in some way put shackles on
the methods of teaching painting, sculpture and
decoration which have been developed by artists;
IS imposed on all subjects. and university meth
of discipline to which all students subject.
Greek and mining engineering are taught in the
same university. not without embarrassment.
but to the great advantage of both, because the
teachers of each bring their experience and knowl-
edge to bear the general problems of university
| administration and development. The undergrad
uate student. particularly In his early years: is
/ or the student far advanced in his professional
| course. Students of art will find strange or
| fcrbdding atmosphere n Columbia University.
| They will be under restrictions save those i'm
posed ordinarily ladies and gentlemen. It is
| hard to why there should be any greater diff
Guilty in maintaining a faculty of fine arts in CO.
lumbia University than in maintaining faculty Of
law or medicine Another consideration which ap-
parently escapes the attention of those who do
see how fine arts be included in a university
system relates to the Importance of offering to
students who not themselves specialists in any
| form Of art a acquaintance with the history and
the significance of art part of their general in
formation and culture. Not only has art education
itself suffered by long exclusion from the universi
| ties but the universities and their educational
ideals have suffered through the exclusion of the
! art element itself OF the most important fac
tors the history of culture.