The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1910-09-16
THE BEADLE STATUE

THE BEADLE STATUE
Some Interesting Details of Building
ScuIptor's Clay Model
Sioux Falls-Very few persons In
the general community are more than
slightly acquainted with the work OF
the sculptor, though occasional lee
lures give us a few features of 1t. Our
children in the city schools work a
little in f%ashioning soft clay into
forms. From the beginning of sculp-
ture the first form or model was as it
now is, made in clay. This substance
can be easily shaped and changed un-
til it represents more or less perfect
ly the subject of which the marble or
bronze statue Is intended.
We can best report the process by
a description of the work of Mr.. H.
Daniel Webster, who is making the
| statue of Gen. W.. H. H. Beadle for a
niche in the rotunda Of our state
capitol at Pierre. He secured, through
the courtesy of the board and super
intendent, Prof. Mcdonald, a part of
the basement Of the high school build
ing as his studio. There he construct
ed two movable and revolving plat
forms between three and four feet
square and about eighteen inches
high, the stronger and irmer one for
the model, the lighter one for the
subject to stand or sit upon in posing.
The model being mainly of moist clay
must have some iron and wood inter
nal supports to prevent the clay from
settling down and losing form. So
iron rods pass up through the limbs
and body. neck and head and are re-
inforced with wooden braces; two
iron rods connect from each shoulder
through the two arms and into
hands. In addition a strong outside
iron rod, with a branch into the body
where it is braced to the platform,
supports and helps to hold plumb the
entire structure.
The clay must be thoroughly ground
and moistened and worked over. With
a box full of this the artist using botn
hands gathers it up and with force
throws it in place and thus builds up
firmly and compactly the mass OF the
body and nmbs; thus the model grows
outward from the central line to the
genera form, and the work increases
in care and delicacy until the last
touch is given to features and cloth
ing. When completed the model and
supports together weight about eleven
hundred pounds.
Yesterday morning the last finish
was given to this part of the work
and then two photographs were taken,
one OF the model alone and the other
of the model and the subject. Gen.
Beadle in a standing pose like that OF
the model and the sculptor at work.
The model naturally tends to dry out,
though nightly clad in wet sheets and
cloths. So Mr.. Webster began in the
afternoon another important step by
covering the model with plaster OF
paris. colored blue. This forms the
mould in which he will a little later
} cast a white plaster copy of the Model
AS this will have a finer appearance
than the clay it probably will be
| placed on exhibition for a short time
AS compared with clay the plaster
cast is firm, hard and not heavy and
| will be shipped to Mr.. Webster's
) home. There the marble form will
| he cut from a single block of Tennes-
see marble and the plaster cast will
be the guide. This marble has a gray
: and slightly pinkish tinge. The pure
white stone Is little used for human
= statues.
) The final work will be competed IN
some ten or twelve months when II
will be shipped direct to Pierre
placed in the niche and unveiled at tint
v fall session OF the State Educationa
S association in 1911.
The statue is a perfect portrait.
Upon the front base of the monu'
t ment the inscription Is as follows
which will probably so remain as Gen
Beadle wishes no blazonry OF titles
and sentiments. The two lines are
VIM. H. H. Beadle, Educator.
He Saved the School Lands.
Back into the box goes the ella!
while the whittier form goes east to 81
there exchanged by the skilled an
already famous artist to the marbl'
q statue. All who have seen the mode
praise it warmly. On Roosevelt ia.
e the committee met, examined an
warmly approved the model. 10 thos
to whom this seems so good there VIII
= be delight when the marble shows tn
j. artists splendid ideas in the sigma
beauty his chisel always gives.
Aberdeen-On the third day of film
for CHEYENNE River and Standln'
d Rock reservations lands, when mum
hers 8.2O1 and $500 were called, Du
"a eleven responded to their names, max
A ing a total of but So filings out OF ~
names called. Milwaukee officials her
At saw that road will resume throlg
ID train service to the Pacific coast III
Of %terrupted by the recent forest nre'
, - Cortopohar g