Evening star., 1905-10-22
Approval Of the Teachers.


Words emphatic come from the teach
ers. Now. at last said one. who voiced
the views of many others. the work OF
school room decoration can be taken up
again. Congress has not seen At to make
appropriations along this line. and the
teachers individually cannot afford to put
such specimens of art In the schools as are
desirable. -...-.-
Some years ago. by concerted action on
the part of teachers and pupils. money was
raised and a beginning made in the fitting
adornment of the school buildings. but the
rule of the board of education. passed since
then. prohibiting any collections or assess
ments OF money from the pupils or even
he holding of entertainments to secure
funds has cut short all chance OF continuing
the work. OF course the rule Is good and
in many ways necessary, but IL throws the
whole burden OF school room decoration
the public-spirted. The Star SENS to have
perceived the need and taken the role of
public benefactor. In no other way a.
present do | see how the schools can have
hose collections of superior merit which
alone create a culturng environment.
Washington. itself so beautiful. should GER
tainiy have beautiful school buildings
Value of Art in the Schools.
DR. w. 7. Harris. commissioner of educa-
ton. In recent lecture on the value of art
and literature in the schools. said:
"Ali that man does contributes to rev.
rlation of human nature In It's entirety. but
art and literature lead all other branches
OF human learning in their capacity to man.
ifest and illustrate the desires and aspira-
lions. the thoughts and deeds OF mankind.
Hence the educative value of these things
In tho presence of the conflict of moral
ideals. the struggle of passion against what
is rational. the attacks of sin and crime on
the divine order of the world all that is
deepest in human character is manifested.
Art and literature portray these serious
collisions. and. like the mountain upheavals
hat break and tilt up the strata of the
crust of the earth and reveal to the geolo-
Sist the sequence of the forma tions from
The most primitive to the most recent so
these artistic situations reveal to all men
the successive strata in the evolution of hlI-
man emotions ideas and actions Thereby
the single individual comes to know the
springs Of action of his felow-men.
The Highest Form.
The highest form of art is reached by the
so-cdlled nations-Greece and Rome They
arrived at the expression of freedom in
The body-freedom in its pose and freedom
IN It's action. This IS properly called grace
tulness. The limbs of the body are obedi-
ont to the will of the soul. When the limbs
IRE IN the way, when the soul does not
know what to do with them, we have awk-
wardness as a result, and not gracefulness
The Greek artist would not paint family
group with their arms folded or their hands
folded Their hands and arms would be in
action obedient to some purpose of the soul
Greek art seizes for its theme some mo-
ment of life when all the limbs are re-
Tuired to express the purpose of the SOUL
rs. for instance, in the Apollo Belvedere.
II II takes for Its theme a sitting figure
he Olympian Zeus-it poses the body In
such a way that we see the full control of
iGe will over the limbs. The sitting Zeus
could rise instantly and hurl his thunder
holt. The classic repose' of which we hear
is ever graceful repose; graceful be-
'ause the whole body is pervaded and con-
rolled by the soul.
Selections for the Schools
The greatest works of art ought to be-
come the most familiar ones to the people.
care should be taken. .lerefore in the
school To select these great works and to
lead the pupil into an understanding of the
motives of their composition and. next to
point out the artistic means and devices
for the expression of the thought or idea
portrayed. for l have said that a work of
art is the union of thought and matter.
The senses perceive the material object, but
higher faculty of the soul perceives the
work of art and enjoys the spiritual sug-
gestiOn. In II.
For painting. let the school get good
Photographic reproductions of Raphael's
4 ransfiguration.' 'Sstine Madonna ana
ST Cecilia of Holbein's Dresden Ma
Ds Nincis Last Supper On stated Occa-
sions. say twice month, explain to the
pupils the motives that the artist has de-
picted in the composition OF his picture.
for the composition is the first thing to
study in work of art. The pupils will be-
come sklllful in Interpreting pictures after
the analysis of few famous ones from
the great masters.
For sculpture, besides the figures on the
Parthenon, get photographs of the Apollo
Belvedere.' the LAGOON. Michael Angeles
Moses and the Medic marbles. and also
of the antique busts of Zeus Otricoli and
'Hera LudovisL
IF these photographs OF architecture.
sculpture and paintings are made to adorn
the walls OF the school room. they will pro-
duce permanent effect on the pupils mind
iu the way of refining his taste. even IL no
studies are made of the motives that the
artist has brought into their composition.
But. of course. the composition lessons
should be provided for in the program of
rvery school
Art and literature preserve for us the
precious moments, the elevated insight OF
seerS who are next to the religious seers
The greatest teachers of the human race"
ECHO OF WORLDS FAIR.