The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-04-20
MANKAT0 ON TRIAL
Mr.. Crouch Talks of the Art Ex.
hibit in This City.

Excuse me, sir, but can you direct
me to the public library?" inquired
stranger at the union station of a citi,
zen of Mankato. "Tm told that the
State Art association is holding an eX-
hibit there. | have missed my train,
and so | should like to spend my three
hours wait at the exhibit, though, of
course, I can get but very general no.
ton of it in that time"
eff you are ready to go I shall be glad
to accompany you since the library is
on my way"
"What a generous provision by the
state this is! A rare opportunity for
your town too. No doubt your citizens
are enjoying their privilege
swell, no; can't quite say that they
are. My name is Crouch, and you will
perhaps think I'm rightly named. But
you see it's like this. Our people don't
|
hibition as well as the pictures-a sort
of trial, as it were, at least before the
State Art association, just as other
towns in our state have been. You know
that when the exhibit was held at St.
Cloud, although the record showed many
persons in attendance. very little of
the kind of interest that counts, was
shown; for the sale of catalogues was
not great, there was little voting, and
not picture was bought. While at Wi
mona two pictures were purchased and
much more interest taken"
(which example do you think your
town will follow, Mr.. Grouch?'
"Only the outcome will tell, but at
present Il think we are going to flock
with st. Cloud Birds of feather,
you know"
"Maybe the affair isn't well planned
or competently managed"
"Quite the contrary. You seem inter-
ested. Let me give you the situation
briefly and explain to you our scheme,
which | think you will say is an excel
lent one. For example, take our plan
for securing a picture for the public Ii
brary One of these splendid works of
art-something that will be public
education A competent committee has
chosen from the large number of good
| things, five fine large canvasses all suit
able for public building. Ten cents
entities one to a vote In this way, you
see. a large fund could be accumulated
and done in such way as to be burden
some to no one; while many of our citi-
zens could well afford to vote many
| times"
"And are your people not voting?"
"This is one of my worries. Not as
they should vote. They either do not UNI
derstand it, or do not realize what they
are allowing to slip through their
| fingers"
"And yet, doubt not, that all who
visit the exhibit would say that one
visit was worth more to them than ten
cents Each person who visits the ex-
hibit should cast at least one vote, as his
| price of admission
"Just so. Why, sir, our people do
not realize that the state is trying an
experiment. If people generally do not
give some sort of support to this af-
| fair and show some sort of real apprecia
ton of the states effort, do you suppose
| this expense will be continued by our
state, year after year? Moreover-and
this is point the people should under
stand-it will soon become impossible
to get pictures loaned by good artists
outside the state"
GLOW so?"
Because they expect not only to be.
come more widely known by such ex-
hibts of their work, but also to sell
pictures. If they never make sales they
will cease to loan to the exhibits, for
their pictures are tied up for months
| in making the rounds of the various
cities, at the same time losing all chance
for sales at the home studio.
"But perhaps the canvas are too ex
pensive for your people to purchase-you