Evening star., 1923-12-23
To Combine Use and Beauty.
A Need of American Industry

the town council Of Brussels gave a
room In the town hall to the elder
painters. carpet weavers, sculptors
and other art lovers. so that they
might carry on the art OF drawing"
This was a school Of fne arts, but
the courses were soon so valuable to
the arts and industries of the city
that the government took IT under its
patronage. Prominent families of the
city rivaled each other in gifts Of
money and in presents Of art objects
to be used as models. 1t was not
until 1886, however, that a school Of
decorative arts was formally added
to the Institution. At that time It
was found that more than half Of
the students who came to study
painting and sculpture were work
men or artist-artisans. It was also
revealed that seventy-six trades were
represented among the students. The
aldermen of the city were told at
Weavers, WEI @ furniture Manufacturers and
decorators had made in the indus
trial arts showed to what degree of
perfection they might attain II the
art academy could furnish them with
good craftsmen, well trained foremen
and creators OF designs.
y
Schools similar to that Of Brussels
have developed in cities all over
Europe. A school that Is in q cen
ter of the textile industry may con-
fine itself to courses in weaving arts
and textile design. Other schools
develop skilled artisans and design
ers in a number Of trades. In 1918
there were fifty-nine industrial art
schools in Germany, thirty-seven In
England, thirty-two in France and
twenty-four In Italy. In the same
wear the United States was found to
have only eighteen.
Since that time this country has
undoubtedly made some progress
along this line. Some academic art
schools, for instance, have taken on
an Industrial aspect. Advocates OF
Industrial art training say that many
more schools of applied art are need
city of $4,000 or more population
might profitably support q schooi 10
provide designers and other artists
for the Industries OF the locanty. "A
local museum Of decortive arts also
is advocated as a necessary source
Ol dtioiA e~A~
such a school.
Besides the schools and the mu-
seums, the country appears 70 De IN
need Of a certain type OF Stuoent,
namely, the sort that Is wiling 70
take time to gain a thorough founda-
tion of training.
George r. Schaener, advertis1hs
manager for Marshall Field & Co.,
! told the vocational art conference:
"It is a sad commentary tnat IN
almost every field Of industrial art
foreign artists and artists OF 1or-
eign training notably excel those OF
native training. The fore1gn-train q
/ artist usually knows all OF the princi-
pal periods of design Thoroughly. he
excels in technique. He Is often
more sincere. He has more patience
with detail and he is usually willing
to work, work, work.
"The average young American ar
| tist Is too anxious to make money
quickly. He Is not only unwilling
to undergo long. severe scholastic
| training, but 10 usually unwilling tc
serve an adequate apprenticeship al
moderate compensation; to endure q
1 sufficient period of practice under
practical direction, in preparation fol
a really great accomplishment later
on"
1t remains for the United State,
either to continue to import It.
standards and models OF industrial
art or else to build up its own sys.
tenn Of schools and I'LL them with
lstudenta who have q passion fol
making everyday existence beautiful