Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-08

provementS along artistic INES
for several of the local school pullolhss'
This league was formed several years
ago and has done much. considering the
limited funds at its command. Its nrst
work was the decoration Of the Hubbard
School, which stands as a type OF excel
lence both in planning and decoration.
Other schools were then taken up In turn
in various sections of the city, some Old
buildings and others new. In each IN
stance the league had the cooperation
of the municipal architect, under whose
supervision the designing and repairing
of school buildings come. and worked
with him. supplementing his Efforts
Formerly It was the custom 10 have all
the walls of the school buildings white
and bare-no thought was given to deco
ration or esthetics in any form. The hrst
step in the direction of improved appear
ance was taken when the Western. Hisn
school was built. At the Suggestion ot
DR. r X Lane. then head principal VI
all the high schools the assembly nan III
thar building was tastefully decorated,
with the result that marked improve
ment was noted in the conduct OF th5
student body. What was proved true ny
this instance has been found unlVeiSais
true and now throughout the country
marked Improvement III the design ana
finish of ali pubic school buildings IS 10
be noted Here in the District OF Coiuni-
bia the change has OF necessity peeh
gradual. The new school buildings are
good in design and satisfactorily finished
with view to suitable decoration, but
many of the old ones are still pare ana
rather forlorn. These have been done
over and their walls tinted as rapidly as
appropriations would allow, but this Is
not very rapid and much still remains to
be done
During the past summer the league
loaned some aid III this direction. At all
tunes II has aimed to take INTO consid-
Grafton something more than superficial
decoration, the mere empacement OF PIE
lures. TO put a few pictures on the
walls is not creating dscoration-the
whole aspect must be regarded. To some
OF the schools casts nave been gwen as
well as pictures, TO others pictures have
been loaned.
The Library of Congress has co-operat-
ed with the league in lending handsome
prints from its duplicate collection Sc
cured through the operation or the copy
right law. These the league has framed
in standard styles and has circulated
among the schools This is an important
work and one which should be heartily
supported. The influence OF environment
is very great and the period gwen 10
scnool attendance the most impression
abie III a lifetime. knowledge and ap-
iireciation OF art is DIES -Fab.e, not III
. der that artists may be more numerous
/ out that the individual may be enTlched
1 and profited; for in proportion to one
/ understanding is ones sense or ENJOY
| ment quickened and enlarged Art opens
| the eyes and strengthens the resources
| OF pleasure.
! The School Art League OF New YORK
/ is very wideawake organization. IL
/ was established on somewhat the same
basis as the Washington league, but mas
| added TO it's scope OF activities. IL CON
/ ducts lecture courses for its members
! and the pupils in the schools and has m
! augurated series OF Saturday talks III
/ both the Metropolitan Museum and the
| Brooklyn institute Museum, by which
means ii AIMS TO bring the children into
actual touch with the real treasures of
going habit, A junior membership was
| started this year among high schooi STU
dents. and within ten days OF the first an
/ nouncement no less than 1oU names were
| enrolled Last year the New YORK
| League held forty meetings. seventeen or
/ these were exclusively for pupils or the
1 public schools. and the attendance was
| over suto Several of these meetings
] were held in connection with important
| exhibitions. and took the form OF per-
| snpaIly conducted tours under expert
! leadership. In addition To this our New
| York sister organization gives scholar
| ships to industrial art schools ana
| awards medals for fine craftsmanship.
Two hundred of the latter were awarded
i last June, all of which were paid for py
Andrew Carnegie. The field is very wide'