The Washington times., 1911-12-29
SOCIETY GIRLS Of.
WASHINGTON STUDY .
ART OF PAINTING
New Fad Taken Up BY
Women Heretofore With
Social Proclivities.

Miss Alys Meyer. Miss Hildesarde
Nasei. and Miss Yyonne Townsend arc
leaders in tad that washineton So
ciety giils quietly ina aagurated atoot n
month ago.
The fad is painting. Forsaking anna
teur theatricals. which, during the
activity OF Mrs. Alice CLIFFORD Barney,
now Mrs. Christian Hsmnick, AFFORDED
the channel through which the younger
social sct found diversion. they have
taken UP painting. For the last month,
at the Corcoran Gallery Of Art School,
they have toiled three times a week
with paint AMI brushes. first .etndying
from the statues or artiqUfty Just now
the enthusiasm Is greatest. TIE school
has closed for the holidays, tut with
the opening on January l the girls will
begin studying from living models. And
those who know about art say the per-
mission to paint from life" is a mark
of advancement.
The daughter of the Secretary of the
Navy and the Secretary of Commerce
and Labor and Of Lawrence Townsend,
former minister to Portugal, are not the
only members of the class. Miss Marie
Stevens, who made preparatory tour
through foreign galleries when she was
abroad last summer with her parents,
Major and Mrs. Pierre Stevens; Miss
Julia Whiting. daughter Of DR.. and
mrs. Guy Fairfax whiting who al
ready has become widely known In
amateur theatricals; Miss Mary Nc
Cauley, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Ed
ward McCauley, and Mrs. Thomas Ca
sey. wife of Col. Thomas Casey, U. 8.
A., are some members Of the class that
60 through all the hard dr,idgery that
makes the true artist.
They do not get any consideration
because their fathers are Cabinet min
listers, or army officers, or diplomats.
This was shown this morning, when
T. c. Messer, head of the school, was
asked about his class. 1t developed the
artist knew his pupils by name and re-
membered Just what progress each had
made, but In most cases he didn't know
Of their distinction in the social world.
officer?'' ne asked. fIt never occurred
to me to ask. Girls are Just girls when
they come down to school. But she is
doing fine work. So is Miss Townsend
painting from models Of the old mas
tcrs. Indeed, Miss Townsend already
has gone into the life Glass;"
Mrs. Townsend was regretful that
wav into the newspapers.
"Yvonne always has had liking for
paintings, and she used to spend a lot
Of her time while we were in Europe
looking at pictures in the big galleries.
She and friends are going down there to
learn painting. just as some girls take
up music. She seems to Ike II. She,
was mighty proud of being promoted to-
the life class. Before that she had been
doing work from the. statues Of an
tidlity."
The art fad is merely another. chap
ter in the lives Of these young society
women. who already have had enough
interesting experiences to make most
girls envious.
Miss Townsend was the playmate of
King Manuel when her father was min
lister at Portugal, and long before that
potentate knew he was to be King. She
attended a private entertainment given
by the late King Edward when Beer
hohm Tree and his daughter played
"Trilby." At that time she met her
former playmate Maiicel, who then
was King, and their long talk together
gave rise to the rumor that the two
were engaged.
Miss Alys Meyer has been in Russia
ahd in Italy when her father held dip
lom8tic posts at the capitals of those
nations, and at both she had a chance
to go through the old world galleries.