Evening star., 1925-05-21
THE NORTH WINDOW
BY LEILA MECHLEN.


parentage to the director of the Cleve-
land School Of Art some time ago, and
although he has not yet fully attained
his ambition, through hard work and
determined effort ne is said to be well
on the road This boys parents had
other plans for him, but he was de-
termined to be a painter, and to attain
this end offered to do any kind of
menial work to pay for his tuition, and
not only was ready to endure, but did
endure great privation. He was cited
by Henry Turner Bailey. director of
the Cleveland School of Art, as one
of many supertalented, in his address
on Discovering and Conserving Tai
ent," made at the annual convention
of the American Federation of Arts,
which was held in the Cleveland
Museum of Art last week.
Mr.. Bailey quoted the pronounce
ment of the late Viscount Bryce that
the greatest defect in our public school
systems in the United States is that
they do nothing to discover and train
foreordained leaders of democracy.
Art Mr.. Bailey held to be one of
democracy's chief factors. Certainly
the Cleveland Museum of Art is doing
all it can to overcome this defect and
1t has the full cooperation of the pub
lie schools and the city government.
There is probably no museum of art
in the country which is carrying out
q fuller educational program. This
museum holds that while it's primary
function must be the collection of care
fully selected objects of art, it's funda-
mental duty is not merely to safeguard
such exhibits, but to make them of
use to the largest number of people.
1t therefore has accepted the respon-
sibility of establishing a close relation
between the public and its collections.
x X
The most interesting side of this
work doubtless is with the children,
for while every effort is made to
inspire the adults who visit the mu-
scum with a love of art and better
understanding of its significance, it
recognizes that the greatest educa-
tional opportunity is with the chill
dren-the citizens of tomorrow-the
leaders of the future.
Two rooms, therefore, are set aside
for their use, one a classroom and the
other a childrens museum. Here
come at almost every hour of the day,
and certainly every day of the week,
groups of children from the public and
private schools, from the homes of the
rich and the poor. Attached to the
museum are three teachers, the sal
aries of whom are paid by the public
schools. Many classes from the
schools each month have a short half
day at the museum, and the subjects
are related to the school courses. 1t
is an interesting sight to see these
classes troop in and out, to watch
them at their study and TO share in
their enjoyment. The instruction
which these classes secure is of a gen
eral character, purposed 10 create a
love of art and discriminating taste
In short, to create contact between art
and life for the average citizen. There
is also a Saturday class for talented
pupils from the elementary schools,
when instruction is given by a mem
Der Of the museum staff, and the
talent which is discovered is nurtured
and assisted in development. Oppor-
tunity is given for the best to enter
the Cleveland School of Art by means
of scholarships when help is needed.
X
Besides all this, entertainment is
provided for the children on Satur-
day-a day of recreation for all school
children. There are illustrated talks
and stories, moving pictures and sing
ing. In the children's museum there
are interesting series of models
dren are led to a better understanding
of the relation of art to nature and the
development of the art instinct in man.
Every child cannot become an artist,
but almost every one can be taught
to enjoy art and through such enjoy
ment find enrichment In life.
Apropos of one of the references
made to the Art Museums educa.
tional work among the children, Mr..
de Forest, president of the American
Federation of Arts and also of the
metropolitan Museum, remarked that
doubtless his interest in art had
sprung from having been taught to
draw when lad of 8 years of age,
and thus having the avenues of en-
joyment of art open to him.
1t is an amazing thing to what ex.
tent the educational work in the art
museums is now carried, and it is
| rather a humiliating thought that in
this particular so little is being done
here in Washington. No longer do
the museum feel ii sufficient to col.
lect and to exhibit they have become
in truth in recent years institutions
of the people. and as such are doing
a great work in creating a better
citizenship. Cleveland sets splendid
example.
And not in this respect alone does
Cleveland point the way. There is
! probably no city in the United States
where there Is finer cooperation
among the various organizations pur.
posing the good of all. Cleveland has
| an exceedingly successful Little Thea
| ter, producing the best plays-works
of art artistically set forth-and SO
| we'll is it supported by the people that
| its books showed handsome surplus
| this year. The public library, the pub
| lie schools, the institute of music. the
| play-makers and the art museum all
| join hands in bringing art to the
| people, in providing entertainment
which is in the truest sense recreation
| And the people of Cleveland support
| the movement handsomely. For ex
| ample, an exhibition of the works OF
| Cleveland artists-painters in oil
Water-coloristS, craftsmen and indus
| trial designers-InakeS now a hand
some showing in two of the best gal
| lerieS in the art museum. Within a
| fortnight of the time this exhibition
| opened Is per cent of the exhibits haC
| been purchased and the sales haG
| amounted to over $4,000.
| How splendid it would be If we
could have such patronage here for
| the works of our local artists. 1t is
| interesting to note that 60 per cent OF
the artists exhibiting in the Cleveland
| local show were trained in the Cleve
| land School of Art, and the people OF
Cleveland are proud of it.
The local art of Cleveland is es
| sentiaHy modern, but it is in nowise
grotesque. The instant one enters
| the gallery wherein is set forth the
| local exhibition one is conscious OF
| joyous color, youthful vigor and great
vitality. This is as it should be, for