New-York tribune., 1905-04-17
NEW FINE ARTS SCHOOL
PLANNED FOB COLUMBIA.
Cooperation 5cith M. ". n. and
National academy of Design.

The fact was made public at Columbia Uni
versity yesterday that plans for a great school
Of fine arts in all respects worthy Of New York
and OF the university are rapidly approaching
completion A mint of the nature of these plans
was contained in President Buffers last annual
report TO the trustees. They involve cooper
alton among Columbia University. the Metro
politan Museum Of Art and the National Acad-
emy of Design 10 establish and maintain in
struction in the fine arts on as high plane
exists anywhere in the world.
President Buffers plans for the proposed
school were outlined in a communication ad-
dressed, a short time ago. 10 Frederick Dielman,
president Of the National Academy Of Design.
in which he said:
Columbia University IS ready ana willing to bear
arts Of the highest grade in the city of New-York
1t is my hope that such school can be brought
stltutions in that will prove most effective
tween the university and the Metropolitan Museum
Of Art on the one hand, and between the uni
tersitv and the NiusenT1 take o The form Of bu5iTp
educational rs well as exhibition value and that
shall be used for educational as well as for eX-
would have university lectures upon the his
tory Of art both in general and in It's special
ne.a az me museum IN dne pIesenfe oI me 9o1eGtS
scholars that the university could obtain. would
develop its Instruction in the principles Of aesthetics
in the history OF art as an element in civilization
10 the Information appropriate 10 the making of a
on the other hand, it seems to me quite clear
that tho history Of art education shows that
personal contact between pupil and master which
was so effective an element IN the development OF
the artists of the Middle Ages, is the secret of the
process. To this end propose the formal CO.
ap % cn1so1 IN T5o ay 91t he he a1sf 9t pa s %
ters of painting sculpture and decoration, selected.
they have been by their predecessors in the
academy. because Of their achievements and their
The university has after nearly three years of
careful study Just announced a plan for the re-
which Involves the application here of the atelier
system which has proved so successful in Italy and
naturally be included in any school Of fine arts
our plans in thefr entirety involve professor
ships OF painting. Of sculpture and of decoration.
praey e0G @ in fRe Aeademy m Of Of beSg8 seR
scheme as have outlined were approved. and If
funds for building were available, the university
would be able to go forward with the project at
for use at the opening of the academic year IN
September, 1906. The period intervening could be
70 the elaboration Of 2 plan that would commend
itself to the Judgment Of III" leading artists and
patrons cf art.
a somewhat similar communication sent
by President Butler 10 the trustees Of the Metro
politan Museum Of Art. and the president of the
trustees. J. PierponJ Morgan. was authorized to
appoint a committee 10 confer on the PROPOSE
tion with the committee Of the Columbia Uni
y-ersity trustees which consists Of President
Butler George l.. Rives and Seth Low An
outline Of the project submitted to Sir
Purdon Clarke when he was recently in New
York. and he expressed great satisfaction with
It,
II is now recognized that the policy of the
university in recently reorganizng and strength
cning the department of architecture and i'm
calling Or. Cornelius Rubner of Carlsruhe, to
be tho head Of the department of music.
integral part Of the plan for tho School Of Fine
Arts
If the universty's plans in their entirety
carried out . fine arts building will be erected
on South Field. probably at Broadway and
11Gth-st.. Immediately adjoining the subway
station In this building the instruction in
architecture archaeology. painting. sculpture
and the arts Of decoration will be given. it
is estimated that II will take at least a year
after the funds have been procured to erect the
building
The university council is now at work on
detailed plan for the organization and constitu-
tion OF the teaching faculty Of fine arts Repre-
sentative artists. to whom the undertaking has
been made known. have expressed themselves
very warmly in commendation OF it.
Messrs McKn, Mead & White. architects.
say
The announcement of the plan for tho establish
menf of a School Of Fine Arts al Columbia Uni
versity. and the close cooperation between II and
the Metropolitan Museum of Fine Arts is one Of
great import for the standing of IN this coun-
Try. Not only thereby will the proper iuterde
pendence Of tho various arts be furthered but the
vital question Of general cultivation as founda-
tion 70 build upon viii receive recognition for the
frst time in the United States: From the point OF
view Of the architect. who is absoluteiy de
pendent upon fhe other arts for the fn.! compile
tion of his work the importance Of this movement
cannot be 'erestimated.
H. siddons Mowbray. Of No G6 West 11th-rt
has written to President Butler as follows
An art school such you have in view, embrac-
ing as il does Columbia University and its School
of Architecture, the Metropolitan Museum and its
library. casts and pictures, and the National Acad
emy ~ Design. with its technical schools, would
broaden the whole field of art education ard give
10 The country art school such as does not now
exist From The point of view of the mural painter.
il Is step OF far too great importance not TO meet
win hearty cooperation. Two highly valuable re
g,lifs would accrue. the least-the closer
sssocia tion Of the architect and the painter and
. more complete knowledge of what has been done
IN mural work Both Of these points are Of vitol
i,nrorfance ~ broadening the education OF the
student and raising him 10 higher plane OF useful
ness.