The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-27
On Picture Study
By H. ADDINGToN BRUCE

The United States bureau of education has been collecting from school superintcndents of various cities, reports on the methods and progress of picture study in theW schools These reports give fresh emphasis to the growing recognition of the practical value of teaching the appreciation Of art ''ro know pictures" as one supervisor oi drawing aptly recalls. lis to know history biography, literature, to feel religion, and tc respond to the gentle teachings of nature.
 In the New York City school system, moi only is picture study a regular feature oi grade work, but in five of the high schools 6 special course in art appreciation has been started. It is planned to have this course in all high schools eventually, and make il compulsory third year students. The course is thus described
 '"The general purpose of this course is to present in simple form the principles of art and the application of these principles, in such manner that the learners shall become increasingly sensitive to the esthetic elements of their surroundings. The pupil is to be taught that art is a practical and necessary thing, and that no one can escape from dis playing taste or the lack of it. .....,-., .
 The first terms work will be confined to the explanation of the principles of design and color, and the application of these principles to dress, interior decoration, industrial and commercial art. The second terms work will deal with the application of principles to paintings, sculpture and architecture. g.
 Museum visits are strongly urged, and pu- pills should be required to make notes of the museum work seen and incorporate these memoranda in their notebooks
 For grade picture study, as the various re- ports suggest, it is most desirable to have available large variety of pictures capable of being utilized as aids in the teaching of such other subjects as history, geography, nature study and citizenship. The Omaha school superintendent would have children, whenever possible, own copies of the pictures they study.
 This is unquestionably a good idea, not only because of the esthetic enjoyment to be obtained from possession of pictures but also because of the increased likelihood of spon- taneous study of the pictures owned. Nor need such owning mean the expenditure of much money.
 For few cents, thanks to modern methods of l0w-c0st reproduction, small copies of masterpieces may be bought. If the child can not afford even these, it always is possible to make scrap-book of newspaper and maga- zine pictures of a good sort.
 And fortunate is that child who. in school and out of it, is helped to grow in knowledge and understanding of good pictures. Es- specially in our age of jazz and tension and clamor sense of the beautiful means increased resistivity to the strain of day-by day exist ence, increased access to ones inner reserves of power.
 Or, to put it otherwise, picture study by school children is not the educational fad" some still deem it. On the contrary, it is an effort to meet a real need in preparation for lifes problems-the supreme purpose of all education worthy of the name. May the day soon come when, in every school, there will be systematic picture study.