The Columbia evening Missourian., 1921-05-18

Art for arts sake. That is the feeling
one has after looking at the exhibit of
drawing handwork. painting and writ
ing which was on display on the first
floor Of the courthouse yesterday and
today. II is all the work Of the children
Of the Benton. Robert E. Lee. Jefferson.
Grant and Eugene Field schools. and for
originality. variety and color can not be
equaled by the toy department Of large
store during the Christmas season. The
walls are covered with posters. landscape
paintings, costume designs, and birds OF
all hues are suspended scrass the tran
som. Everywhere are bright colors and
interesting objects. The posters are the
work Of the children in the first. second
and third grades, and were made on the
cooperative plan, each child contributing
a tree, house. bird OF fence. These
we're then pasted on an appropriate back
ground and show decided tendencies to-
ward The impressienisiic and futuristic
schools Of art; vivid cOlors and unmis-
taxable proportions. Then there were
smaller works depicting scenes from
stories which had been read to the child
rem. Each drew a piciure showing the
reaction in each individual ease. One
such picture, portrsys the Pilgrim Faith
ers at Thanksgiving feast dressed in
black, with Top hats. dining with red
men. There were also drawings and
paintings by pupils in the higher grades,
landscapes, costume designs and interior
decoration. The latter was TO teach the
children perspective and good color com
binations. In connection with nature
study. the pupils in the seventh grade OF
the Lee School made folders. Twenty
native trees Of Missouri were selected.
The boys secured cross sections Of stems
Of the different trees, polished and past
ed them on the bottom cover Of the fold
er, below a painting Of. the tree. Inside
we're drawings from nature, and short
composition.
MADE HAND-BOUND BOOKS
Long. low tables were covered with
handmade articles, each group by itself.
One table contained handmade, hand
bound books, decorated with original de-
signs. They include books Of travel, IL
lustrAied with sketches. crsyop pictures
and water color paintings. Then there
are classics, '-Snow-BOund." Robinson
Crusoe,' and -Evangeline," the story be-
ing told entirely by means Of pictures,
from the forest primeyal'' to the church
yard. One can find books Of scenes.
dress design and books on animals and
industries. One book entitled Cos
tunes Of All Nations" has among others.
pictures Of a catcher and PITCHER. In
addition, there were samples Of card
board construction, paper baskets, light
shades and an entire writing desk set.
Samples Of sewing by fifth grade pu-
pills occupied a eenier table. Every
stitch was by hand. and the articles
SsTe enhanced by embroidery or GRO
cheied work. A large white quilt with
blue. pine tree design suspended from
the ceiling. is the work Of the children
in the fourth and fifth grade. In one
corner, there are rugs, plain and stencil
ed, woven on handmade looms con-
structed by the boys and girls.
Dolls, one would think, are the special
province of girls, but on table display
ing dolls made Of bottles, corn cobs,
stockings and rags, are specimens OF doll
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