The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-02-23

has taken, which Is childlike and due
as much to the idea Of enumeration
as to ignorance of perspective. Don't
talk of perspective to No. 6. but ask
it II the pictures of Nos. z, and
do not look more natural Perhaps
next time It will put them on the
shelf In the same plane as the mug.
Freedom for Artistic Child.
The qualities of Nos. z, s and Z
are worthy of praise, not for the
praise of the child. but that the quail
ties praised may be emulated by the
rest.
1t were. better to enlarge on the good
points in these drawings than to find
fault with No. 6. No. cannot help
it that 1t cannot see as No. s. 1t was
suggested that the child should not
spective, but if No. should ask If
one could not see in the top Of the
mug, say: Yes. can you? And If it
should ask if 1t should not be drawn
SO that one can see in it, say yes, if
you know how and wish to. This is
advisable that no constraint of any
kind be placed upon the child's ex-
preston. 1t is as unjust to hamper
it when it can draw and see as to ex-
pect it to draw and see when 1t can
not. This does not mean that the
child can depart from the given theme
or by unnecessary accents of charac-
ter attempt to improve its work, but
that the child that can draw might
easily find the purely geometrical
forms too mechanical for the freedom
and power of its knowledge of draw
ing. Here the teacher must use his
discretion.
Learn by Imitation.
1t will be found that the good draw
ings of the class teach it far better
than the teacher. A few bright pupils
will raise the standard of excellence
of the whole class where the best of
teaching would make slow progress.
Where such excellence does not hap
pen it depends upon the teacher to set
the best possible standard of excel
lenee for the pupils to strive for.
1t has been found good plan to
give the subject with it's symbols and
examples of application ON the black
board at one lesson, then give the
child until the next lesson to think
out it's story and draw it at its leisure.
Some children are slow at inventive
thought and others are shy, and the
work done in the schoolroom is never
as good as the work done at home or
under less pressure.
Use Lead or Slate Pencils.
Now, word as to mediums. It is
not so much what medium is used az
how it is used. Water colors and col.
ored chalks have been introduced in
the schoolroom with questionable sue.
cess for the majority of children. The
manipulation is too difficult in the
case of water colors. Not much more
than an obvious and meaningless col.
oring has been accomplished with the
colored chalks or crayons. Pen and
ink is too difficult for all but fes
who have prediction for drawing
with it. Crayon and charcoal work
have no advantage over pencil in
school work. The pencil is so muck
easier handled and SO capable of all
the expression of line that is neces-
sary that it is here suggested as the
best medium, with a good second in
the despised slate. Knowing that this
preference is open to much dispute, 1t
is added that outside all the fuss and
bother of paints, water, ink, ETC., there
is the objection that all these medi-
ums, except lead pencil and slate PEN
Gil, require constant consideration
of the handling of the medium, and it
is not part of this method to train
the child in technique, but to give ii
freedom of expression in drawing AS
to papers, any paper that one can
draw on that will not smudge is al
right.
As to Size.
Let the drawings be of fair size, no.
under two inches in any dimension
About four by six inches should be
the average size, the point being tt
avoid littleness or the uselessness OF
too large space for the medium.
The last illustration (group No. 81
gives the carrots and stewpan as .
subject to follow the apples and mug.
The forms are but slight variation
from these, and offer chance to ap
ply the suggestions made on the first