Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1922-07-23
EVOLUTION OF CULTURE IN AMARILLO

EVOLUTION OF CULTURE IN AMARILLO
Not many years ago the highest form OF art in
the Amarillo country was the expert throwing Of 4
lariat rope, facility in bulldogging steer. expert
craftsmanship in clipping of the neck OF vhiskcy
bottle with pistol, or perhaps shooting hole
through a man, hat. or vet some other form of
frontier art
These forms OF art" which seem scm.barbari,
to the drawing room kind Of the newer civilization
are nevertheless art for any pursuit refined down
TO the nth degree OF perfection become, art, tcchn.
cally speaking
But Amarillo and the Panhandle now look, ON
these cowboy forms Of art with a tolcrau, eve
merely. or as diversion to be seen at rodco per
iormauccs.
The evolution from these frontier diversion,
AVA, comparatively slow ior the first 20 or x year,
OF The approximate ~ yeI. Ut their development
The growth OF higher forms OF art hi, been
phcnomcnally rapid during the past few year,
In the days OF Andrew Carnegie and his library
building Amarillo is said to have had an opportunity
to get Carnegie library. bu, the dcyo,ccs Of the
cowboy arts, 50 it i, said wanted NO library I,
might increase their taxes. they said The,
preferred purc-brcd cattle to wcll-brcd BOYS and
girls They thought more OF the range, their herds
grazcd on than the shelves of book, their children
bruwscd through
Now, what a change amarillo the at, that. n
Is said turned down chance for a Carnegie library,
wa, The first town in TcNa, to get g county library
building This is certainly atoncmcnt Tor the past
dcrcIcuon. Stands now credtabc library where
" few years ago roamed cattle. Wcll-brcd boy, and
"rIs are recognized as being OF more worth to this
oun'ry than purc-brcd cattle
Les, than score OF years ago the only paint
ing that might be seen in this city were those Of
c7d SCENES hanging on the walls Of saloons. That
was the nearest approach to the art OF painting
"rk, OF art would have been looked on "a, signs
cii'mauacy In fact. art for arts sake was uu
.HoWH here until only few years ago.
\"W. amarillo comes forward as an art center
"I '1o entire Panhandle Of Texas. eastern New
''\I-o and southwestern Oklahoma About 100 art
..''r, Cor au art association \ national arts, ID,
brought 60 the city Prize winning painting, are c<-
hb'icd aHd plans are formulated Tor bringing other
'mou. collections here Quite a leap from saloon
"aI painting, 10 Victor liiggin, painting,
Eu' ahead Of all thi, came wave OF good
music ne clubs and music teacher, lcd iu this
\ few years ago, the bowling OF the coyote
and The believing OF the bull the bas,o OF the frog.
i'c alto Of the katydid furnished the swcc,cs, music
known 90 the Panhandle. Just few year, back oi
tbs. ulgse pastoral notes were n,erludcd by the
Narhoop Of the Indian
Vow. come concerts by world artists, New year.
ior example four internationally known musicians
"iI bc brought here Last week concert va, given
i} one OF Amarllos own daughters, who promises
o. become celebrity. II is far cry from the
nourniul howl Of the gaunt wolf which once in-
h"''ied these Plains to a iavorte OF Mary Garden.
who also grew up on these Plains Yet II has ail
happcncd within The memory OF young men
lui culture ,r amarillo didn't stop with these
il'hg' Drama through the little theater movement
b. dehghiiug local audiences and developing latent
r,'ron'S ability The little ,heater movement iH
Amarillo Is known throughout the state
ie" year ago the highes! type Of drama was
une " Tea Nighi, IN Bar Rom. the intcruic
was rbald jest, the actresses tivws nsJrrSa bor,
ZOO brand Of iqaor than The did about good
Playwright Drpnsed tastes qi tbs kind were