New-York tribune., 1908-11-01
ART In THE SCHOOLS
Nezo Plans for Their Decoration
Memorial to Mrs. WiLkte.

Two public school buildings In Manhattan VIII
be decorated this winter by the resuscitated art
committee of the Public Education Association un-
der the Craftsmanship of Miss Florence Levy Money
has been contributed to decorate one OF them IN
memory of the late Mrs. John Wilkie, who spent
much time and thought the decoration Of Pub
lie School g. near Seward Park The building TO De
decorated IN her memory will be either NO. Il OF
No, 65 both the lower East Side.
The other building to be decora ted. is Public
School 190 in East SD street for which money was
raised last spring. The decoration of this building
has been carefully planned by j. P. Haney, super
intendent of art instruction. and Thomas Tryon'
the architect. The walls will ali be panelled' so as
make definite spaces in which to place the p1ct-
ures. careful study has been made Of the pict-
ures to be used from three points: The character
OF the pictures suitable to the mental grasp OF
each grade; the pictures suitable to the wall spaces
and light, and the pictures themselves as deco
ration. In the classrooms pictures will De placed
for their decorative effect and for their pleasing
nature to the children The corridors viii be given
up pictures chosen for their instructive nature;
pictures of famous buildings, persons, places and
| historical scenes These be taken into the va
rlous rooms whenever 1t is desired to illustrate
some point in the lessons. Particular care VIII De
taken to choose pictures large enough to be seen
plainly by the children.
In recent years this committee has placed <llVo
I worth pictures and casts In twenty different
buildings. For the last two years 1t has rather
| hibernated. but last spring it took new lease OF
| life It is striving to recrganize itself on
| totally different basis, similar to that of the
| Municipal Art League of Chicago. The latter con-
| sists of delegates from fifty-fve different clubs
| both Of and women, and each club which
| sends delegate pledges annual amount for the
| support of the league. The art committee as at
present constituted. possesses no funds and has TO
! give OF its efforts to the raising ot therr
| 1t desires to secure delegates and annual con-
/ trbutions Of $25 each from many different or
ganizatons possible, and Miss Levy is at present
! presenting this matter to the various women s
! clubs of the city
The committee is also in the field for contribu-
! tions for craft scholarships and craft prizes
| Throughout the schools there pupils so inter-
ested in the handcraft work that they voluntarily
| remain after regular hours TO practise IT, ana
teachers voluntarily remain with them. An ex-
! hibit of this voluntary work given last year.
| From among these pupils the art committee would
| like to pick those of special talents who are too
| poor secure a thorough training. and give them
scholarships Seventyfive dollars would constitute
a years scholarship at Pratt Institute the School
| of Applied Design for Women, or various other
! suitable schools.
! 1T would be a saving of talent" says Miss Levy
| It's rather pity to think of boy who is ca
! pable of becoming q skilled goldsmith going into a
| sweatshop. girl capable of learning to design
| beautiful fabrics making buttOnholes for a living
| There will always be plenty of people to do the
| common things, while for the finer things we must
| still import work and workmen from Europe The
| government Of Chilli has for years past pursued
policy of picking the talented children from the
| public schools and giving them scholarships for
special training In the last sitting the most tai
| ented of all get scholarships which will give them
years of study in Europe, with a pledge on their
part to return to Chill and work there for GER
| tain number of years afterward"
| For prizes the committee would like to have 500
| year contributed, with which to present prize
| to the class turning out the best handcraft work
| during the year The prize would go TO the whole
room, encouraging class pride and team work, in
| stead of individual competition. 1t would be fine
| nature and would be plainly labelled: won by
| the class OF 19- for the best craft work of the
| year in the schools Of New York" incentive
| to all succeeding classes. One of the we'll known
| artists of New York has declared that he would
| decorate such with frieze, free Of charge,
if the Of the materials and mechanical work,
which would be about 800, could be paid.
There is popular interest and activity in art
matters in Chicago which does not exist in New
York. said Miss Levy. land it is largely due TO
the policy of the Municipal Art League of that city
At the 1903 exhibits in Chicago twenty-seven sep
arate receptions held of many different
! clubs mems as we'll women's. All these clubs
| did something for the encouragement Of art dis
| played the exhibits. Some bought pictures for
| their clubrooms Others gave prizes varying from
| the $500 purchase by the Art League a prize of
S25 offered by club the best piece of sculpture
| There many art societies in New York, but
| there is no cooperation among them-no concerted
effort 20 encourage public interest in art. We hope
this art committee Of the Public Education Asso-
citation will make q nucleus for the sort OF
effort is shown in Chicago, directed toward the