New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-09
DR.. HANEY PLEADS
FOR BILLBOARD ART
No Reason Why Signs Should
Be Eyesores, He Tells Mu-
nlCipaI Art Society.
EUROPE KNOWS BETTER
Blames Our Crudity on Our
Lack of Good Taste-City
Should Benefit by It's
Signs, He Says.

A plea for more artistic billboards and
advertising posters, illustrated by lantern
slides and colored Autographs, was made
last night at the annual meeting of the
Municipal Art Society. at No 1i9 East
18th street. by Or. James p. Haney. d.
rector of art In the New York public
schools.
DR.. Haney said he had spent consider
able time. studying billboard advertising
in Europe. particularly Germany. and had
found the people there far above the
United States In their ability to advertise
in a manner unoffensive to the eye.
"Billboards have become a nuisance in
this country" said Dr. Haney, "primar-
lily because we. as a nation. are still In
the process OF learning the meaning CT
the words good taste We are a great
Industrial people. without industrial art
Abroad the restriction OF the billboard
has not acted TO lower the standard Of
art 1t has tended to raise it and make
it pay handsome revenue. Fewer sites
are offered. and those which are under
municipal control are made to contribute
TO the city exchequer.
Mayor Gaynor's commission to study
the matter OF billboards IN this city re-
ported that in Berlin the advertising on
city owned billboards paid a revenue Of
almost 10000 a year. The same is true
in many South American cities.
ION the Continent advertising as an art
has a repute which II does not enjoy here.
Men are especially trained for this work
in industrial art schools There is not a
city the size OF Hoboken in Germany
which has not at least one school Of
such type. Hero in New York. after
years OF striving. we have one Industrial
arts school. an evening course, opened a
month ago.
German art Libraries join in collecting
advertising posters. On such n high
plane has the art OF producing them been
placed In all the museums are collec-
tons OF the poster makers-some OF them
the most highly talented artists in Ger
many-products. very much doubt II
the Metropolitan Museum of Art has q
single poster in It's galleries"
Commercial art in the United States.
Or. Haney said. was a term of reproach.
Our painters and art schools maintained
the deluslon. he added. and the American
students aimed at being makers OF plct-
ures. while our we'll known painters held
aloof from making signs for trade. In a
dozen German cities, he said, one could
find the names of as many of the coun-
try's leading artists attached 10 designs
advertising articles OF household USE DR..
Haney mentioned and showed lantern
slides OF posters drawn and signed by
Jank, Bruno Paul and Peter Behrens, all
known in German art and architectural
circles, al well as designs executed by
Klnger. Bernhard Hohlweln. Glpkens
and Obermeier. the country's leading
poster artists.
Some system OF exhibiting posters such
as is followed in Germany, DR.. Haney
said. would improve the appearance OF
American cities, especially in New York.
Klosks. turrets or four winged slgnboards,
limited I'm size. he said. would improve
the appearance OF New York In an ines
Unable degree.
At a business meeting Of the Municipal
Art Society, held before DR.. Haney's
address, the following named were elected
TO the board OF directors: Victor d.
Bremen. sculptor; Roland Holt, Francis
c. Jones' painter; Charles r. Lamb,
architect: T.. Stage Within and Frank B.
williams.