The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1911-01-05

IN N AYBE your boy isn't men,
EN, tally constructed for trade
&SAN| or any of the so-called or
kWN# binary occupations of life.
gT and doesn't care anything
about amassing fortune
or fame in mercantile or mechanical
lines. If he IL that kind Of lad, he
may have any one of number of spe-
,cial leanings. For instance, he might
aspire to be a great tragedian. or
pianist, or-or an artist.
1t Is the last occupation (using "oc-
cupation" advisedly here) that shall be
the subject of this little talk. If your
boy has leanings toward painting or
the higher forms of drawing-and by
leanings means native ability, more
4han mere inclination-by all means
encourage him; for there Is big fu-
ture awaiting him out in the world,
and he will not have to 60 through SO
many hardships as he might find In
other lines Of endeavor before he sue
ceeds. There are plenty of illustrators
and painters that make money, big
money, and there Is room for innumer-
able others on the same high plane.
However, out of all the millions that
take up various lines of life work,
probably a greater percentage fall by
the wayside in art than in any other
line not even excepting the stage. And
all of this, or most Of 1t, comes from
the enthusiastic praises of relatives
and friends for the foolish little draw
ings, natural to every boy and girl,
which are mistaken for high artistic
promise.
Because your boy can make draw
ings that seem fairly good Of houses
and barns and COWS, 1t means in itself
nothing more than that he might be-
come good copyist ultimately and
draw fair ordinary salary. 1t certain
ly does not mean that he is an artist.
But If he has imagination and original
ideas and can get at the underlying
reality, the point, of the thing he Is
trying to depict, and can push these
ideas out through the end of his pen
OR pencil or brush, he has something
in him worth cultivating. even if his
drawing, his technique, is faulty.
Technique can be acquired; but he can
never learn to be original and to have
Imagination.
The art schools are crowded to the
doors with students that mistook abil-
ity to draw for artistic instinct, and so
great is this percentage that more than
one wsll-llnoWn and sensible artist has
declared that it would be vast benefit
to the people at large if every one of
these Institutions was transformed into
school, Of craftsmanship; for the dor
mant artist will find way to make
himself known, even If there is not a
single school to go to.
These remarks are not made to dis
courage YOU, nor to hinder your boy If
he is an artist in embryo. These OBJ
servations are only to encourage eau
ton.
But, taking it for granted that your
boy has Imagination and originality
not genius OF rare talent, but only the
average, ordinary degrec--he will have
shown 1t long before he is sixteen, as
the walls and barn doors and fences
and school books and teachers COM
ments will have made manifest. At
that age he car 60 to art school If he
wishes; that is, If you are able to pay
his expenses. These will not neces-
sarily be any more than his cost of liv-
ing; for there are numerous institu-
lions provided with funds giving free
tuition to deserving young aspirants.
But If you cannot afford to send him
to school, and he must go to work.
don't make the mistake of putting him
at some trade on The false idea that he
can make more money; for he can
probably earn as much in the begin
ming at an occupation in keeping with
his ambition, and he will have the
greater reward as he advances.
One of the best schools of training is
in newspaper offices where art STATS
arr employed. OF course the method
of getting job is by applying to the
manager Of the art department.. The
newcomer will spend most of his time
In the beginning at the duties of an or
binary office boy; but before long he
will be set to drawing borders on pic
lures, and pasting pictures together on
what are known as ''layonts" quitting
groups together in groups .ust as they
arc to appear in the paper, before be-
Ing sent to the engraver). He will, of
course, be observing what he artists
are doing, and will be practising him
self whenever he gets an opportunity,
and, possessing determination will ar.
range to attend school during odd
hours.
After awhile tho manager will give
him unimportant assignments. and he