The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-06-02
DANA SCHOOL.
CLOSING
Tasteful Decorations, Appro-
pirate Exercises, InSpir-
ing Address.
NAMES OF GRADUATING CLASS


The commencement exercises Of Miss
Dana's School were held ia the gym
nasium Of the school last Monday, the
building being attractively arranged
for the occasion with decorations of
pine boughs, flowers, etc.
The graduates this year numbered
nine as follows: Classical, Grace Rum
sey Dana English, Carrie Louise Bell,
Margaret Holmes Capstick, Marguerite
Elsie DuMary, Elizabeth Faulds. Bea-
trice Amelia Hall, Gladys Dean Mathey,
Elsie Charlotte Soden and Agnes
Ritchie
The school marched from the main
building to the gymnasium singing
the school hymn. First came the I'M
dergraduates marching in pairs, then
came the graduates, each bearing
boquet Of pink sweet peas tied with
pink ribbons. Then followed Miss
Brownell, Miss Newell, Miss Lyon and
Miss Grouse, all of whom have been
connected with the school faculty for
a long time. Following them came
the Rev. S. w. Dana, DIR. Erdman and
Edward Howard Griggs. The gradu-
ates, members of the faculty and
guests of the occasion occupied seats
on the platform, while the under
graduates were seated at the front of
the room.
The exercises were opened with
prayer by the Rev. s. W. Dana, after
which the Glee Club sang Natures
Resurrection" by r. Huntington
Woodman.
Then Miss Miner, who is taxing
post graduate course in music rend-
cred as a piano solo, Scherzo, by Men
delssohn, an encore being required.
The speaker of the occasion was Ed
ward Howard Griggs. He referred to
appropriate commencement time when
nature is putting on new life and made
brief reference to Miss Dana s decease.
During the past twenty years, he said,
there has been great increase in the
attention given the fne,arts. Almost
one-half of the students in the Eu-
ropean art schools are Americans
about as many pupils of the German
music schools. We are reaching out
In every direction to bring home the
Significance of fine art. We have
turned to the higher things, and the
speaker predicted that within few
years will come renaissance in the
field of art which we will enter with
the same enthusiasm as has been given
to material things.
But before this comes to pass, GER
tain misconceptions must be over
come. The worst is the notion that
art is dispensabe and only has place
after the material has been satisfied
Art is serious business. Ideals are
the most useful things. The mis-
chievous notion is not only held by
the uneducated, but, astoundingly so,
among those who regard themselves
as cultivated in the circles which
stand merely for wealth or merely for
polite society. Art however can have
no greater reward than to dignity the
life of the moment, but we must rev.
erence art to get that idea.
A second misconception is held by
many very good people, but hopelessly
Philistine, who feel that art, is only
art if it teaches some moral or lesson.
But the business of art is not to
preach sermons or teach morals. Bred
of the second is the third error, a re-
action of artists against the former
idea, therefore art for arts sake. 1t
is Justification to artists and may
mean something high, but unfortu-
nately the term is used to mean some-
thing else, and becomes arG for techni-
queS sake. There is, of course, great
difficulty in technical expression. We
must train the physical and mental
habit to make expression. Art begins
with dream of attaining a place
along with the masters, bat the stu
dent becomes interested in the techni-
cal difficulties and loses the vision of
the painter in seeing how he over
comes difflculties
Three quesuions arise. What is art
after all I? What will art do for the
man who creates What will art do
for the student who appreciates?
A statement OF what art is is diff
cult, but there is something common
in painting, music and literature. All
are expressions of some phase Of the
spirit of man. Hschylus Michael An
gelo and Beethoven we're all brothers
over the centuries. They thought so
much and felt so much that they found
the forms of expression inadequate
and broke over.
Sophocles, Raphael and Mozart were
brothers, because they all rest you
and give you peace. Men whose per-
sonal revelation strike the minor
chord.
Art is ever new all is incarnate in
personality. No two leaves on the
tree are Identical Art must interpret
as well as express. Even in photo-
graphy the camera shows nature
through the spectrum of you apprecia-
tion. Write novel about your own
i