Newark post., 1919-07-02
BRINGS RUSKIN'S
MESSAGE TO TEACHERS
First of Lecture Series Deliver
ed by DR.. Hills

ueilNcIeu iIle llTSC OF Cne SDlenQlQ
course of lectures to be given at
the Summer School.
He was introduced by DR..
Joseph H. Odell, director general
of the Service Citizens under
whose auspices these lectures are
given, as one more alertly in touch
with the problems of the age than
any man living.
''The Centennial of John Ruskin
and His Message to the Twentieth
Century" was the subject chosen.
Through keen analysis of the
life and purpose of this great man
he brought to the assembled teach
ers the message that Ruskin would
have them receive-to awaken the
imagination of the boys and girls
and manufacture souls of good
quality" The way to build up
great state, he said, is to awaken
the minds and the consciences of
these boys and girls that they may
be enabled to see that Life with
out industry is guilt and industry
without art and education is brut-
aity."
Ruskin, he said, instituted four
great social reforms in his CEN
tury-the diffusion of the beauti-
full among all the people; the
establishment of the social settle
ment; the institution of the sum-
mer institute for bringing educa-
tional opportunity to al 1.-THE peo-
pie; and the teaching of an
entirely new conception of the fine
arts.
Ruskin taught that beauty is not
an aristocratic thing, designed for
the few of greater opportunity, but
something to which every man is
entitled. In support of this theory
he spent thousands of dollars
making over the cottages in Shelf
field which someone had said was
the ugliest place in England. He
rought to them and to others of
his time beautiful paintings
hitherto kept in few galleries
for the edification of the more
fortunate classes. He brought to
the poor new conception of color
in clothing and changed the whole
idea OF, beauty which spread over
the whole world.
His establishment of a Social
Settlement inaugurated the whole
conception from which Jane
Addams got the idea of Hull
House. This idea spread until
> now there are 500 of these settle
ments in this country alone.
The Chautauqua designed to
give the poor a chance to come
into contact with the best in art
and literature was established to
this country after Bishop Vincent
had seen the operation of ST.
Georges Guild instituted by
Ruskin.
This man taught to his genera.
tion new conception of the fine
arts. Mans creative genius de,
pendent on his power as "see-el
of Gods marvellous plans" Illus.
trations of this embraced the in.
vention of the loom, the outcome
of observing the structure of the
tendon of the knee; the Gothic
window the outcome of observing
the position of the hands in prayer
DR.. Hills dewitt particularly or
Ruskin's pioneer work in emphas.
ziing the individuals responsible,
ity to society. He compared the
reception of Ruskin's views with
that accorded every great pioneer
leader in thought, and showed by
reference to confucius Socrates
Jesus, Lincoln, that all such WORLD
benefactors receive little recogni.
tion until after death when an.
other generation is accorded the
proper perspective and can rightly
judge of their achievements.
Wealth is under debt to power.
ty, wisdom under debt to ignor.
ance, and men of ability owe ar
obligation to those who are un.
able" These words, the speaker
said, are the basis of the present
social reforms, adding that eve
owe homage to the man who
single-handed, dared to think, say
and act in behalf of social Justice