Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-12
SEEK TO RESTORE ART
ACADEMY FOUNDED IN 1885
Garden Fetc to BE Held This After
noon and Evening by
Art Club.
PROCEEDS FOR LIBERTY LOAN
Red Cross to Have Booth on
Grounds, Where Members May En-
roll-Original Seal OF Old Acad-
envy Has Been Found.

In a patriotic effort to restore the
first Academy of Fine Arts in America
and at the same time aid i'm raising
the Liberty loan. the Art Club will
give Liberty Loan Garden Fetc" to-
day from until IL o'clock. at the
corner of Eclviderc and Grace Streets.
The proceeds from the fctc are to be
invested in Liberty loan bonds. and
will serve fund for the rcStora-
ton of the academy. which was found
cd in Richmond in 1855
AZ The garden fctc. Roosevelt Page
Will open the program with a talk
on the Liberty loan. and addresses on
the same subject will he given by w.
T.. Dabncy. Colonel Thomas Is. Nc
Adams. John Stewart Bryan and
the members OF the Liberty loan
committee. Patriotic music Will he
rendered 10y Mrs. Charming NJ. Ward
and her committee. and Mrs. j. *.
bowman will sing the 'Marscil
laisc' from the balcony of the Art
Club Mrs. John Stewart Bryan has
presented u lamb which will he auc-
toned for the benefit of the club fete
The day of the garden fctc coiuciding
with tho Red Cross registration day. Il
booth of the Rcd Cross. i'll charge of
Mrs. Harry Wayt. will be placed in
the grounds of the club. \ table from
which subscription cards TO the Lib
crty bond-acadcmy fund may he OBJ
tanned Will he in the center of the
grounds. while booths will he arranged
in tho garden and in the club. Espe-
cially attractive will he the booth till-
ed with specimens of tho handiwork OF
tho club members. Miss Billie Bush.
of the Academy of Music company, will
assist in receiving at o'clock and will
give several songs and dances later.
In case OF unfavorabc weather the
fctc will he postponed until Wcdncs-
day afternoon and evening.
ART ACADEMY WAS
FOUNDED HERE IN 1TSG
The Academy of Sciences and Fine
Arts, which the Art club hopes to re-
store. was founded in Richmond in
1855 by II young French officer. QucS-
nay de Rcaurcpairc. who had come to
this country in 17s7 TO serve in tho
American army. hut who had been com
PEELED. through sickness. to abandon
his profession of arms. lie remained
in this country, and at the suggestion
of John Page, of Roosevelt. worked to
establish academy of fine arts in
Virginia. ON May s. 1856, after $1,000
had been subscribed by NirEinianS. Il
constitution was adopted and six coun-
ScllorS To the academy were elected.
They were as follows: John Ilarvic.
l
Goodc. Colonel Thomas Randolph. Or.
James McClurE. Or. Foushee. Robert
Boyd and benjamin Lewis. who was
elected treasurer
Tho Academy building was erected
on the ground now occupied by the
Retreat for tho Sick, the Monumental
Church and the Medical College at
Twelfth. Broad, College and Marshall
Streets. The gardens were laid out
on the general plan of tho gardens
of the Louvre. and the buildings was
used both as school and as an au
ditorium where dramatic performances
were given. The curriculum, as
planned. embraced: foreign lanEua ges.
mathematics, design. architecture,
civil. naval and military; painting.
sculpture. engraving. governmental
physics, astronomy. chemistry. minera :
loGy, botany. anatomy and natural his
tory.
Both men and women We're admitted
TO the school. and the founder himself.
taught the first classes in drawing,
painting and foreign languages.
TRACES or ORIGINAL.
STILL IN EVIDENCE
Two years after the founding OF the
Academy. Ouesnay de Beaurepaire
went 10 France in the interest OF his
Louis XVI. who heartily approved of
the institution. Some charming de-
scriptions of Richmond scenery are
found In the little book of memories
published by De Beaurepaire after his
return TO France.
The original seal of the Academy
which represents the goddess Of Wis
dom, with an owl upon her helmet,
and attired in suit OF armor. holding
a spear in one hand and the seal oi
the United States in the other. is in
! the possession of the Art Club as is
the early constitution.
The efforts OF the club to restore tho
| Academy are particularly timely. as
America is again allied with France
/ IN war for freedom, and the club
! hopes to make the restored Academy