The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-01-24
Art Leaders
GiUe WezOS
on Education

John Erskine, author and musician,
pleaded for increased art appreci-
alton in American colleges at the
annual dinner of the American As
ISOLATION Of Colleges Thursday
night at the Claypool.
Taft expressed his creed" I'VE
live in a world of beauty that most
OF us are missing. Heirs Of the
ages, We are unappreciative of our
heritage, which is dying for lack
OF sympathy and understanding.
"The average man is led to ma
ture through art. Here is the
service of the teacher-to point
out"
Sees Museum Need
Taft outlined his dream of a
museum for American children that
will shovA.tfle continuity OF civiliza-
ton through the ages. It would
give the child the feeling of prog
ress in the sequence of centuries.
Trancepts would mark the great
periods.
He spoke of the tragedy Of not
believing in progress, which he de-
fined as the record of past achieve
mentS. Achievements he defined
as memorials of great emotions men
have felt. And, he said, "all passes.
Art alone remains"
DR.. Erskine, the musician. dis
cussed the Importance of music in
the Curriculum.
The university tradition has been
altogether science, whether of re-
hgion, medicine, law or nature. The
only vestige of the arts is the
complaint that the young people
fail to excel in the subjects we have
refused to teach them"
Urges Music Credits
According to DR.. Erskine, the be-
ginning is wrong. In the kinder
garten and primary grades children
are started with elementary training
in the arts, which is continued would
produce an elite group when time
came for university training. Little
attempt is made to instruct COL
lege students in the subtIer arts of
life, or performance in relation to
society, he said.
To manufacturers of musical in
struments DR.. Erskin attributes the
development of orchestras and
choral groups in colleges during the
last ten years. ....
He decried the system of giving
credit for knowledge and little ac-
tual performance, and urged that
colleges make a place in the cur
riculun for daily music practice.
with credit, expressing the wish
that some day music would be in
PRODUCED into college programs on
an equality with other subjects.
University Choir Sings
The De PAW university choir
sang during the evening.
Dean Luther P. Eisenhart of
Princeton university presided.
Mrs. Robert L. Kelly was chair
man Of the committee on social |
functions of the association in
charge Of the banquet. Other men,
oers OF the committee are:
Mesdames Robert j. Alley, Butler uni |
1ersity; G. Bromley Oman, De PAW uni |
'ersity; William G. Dennis. Earlham COL |
ege; Earl E. Harper, Evansville college; |
Homer P. Rainey, Franklin college; A. H. |
Woodworth, Hanover college; I. j. Good, |
Central college; Ohio winger, |
college; J. G.. Todd, Bloom
ngton; H. 0. Pritchard and H. II. Har-
non. Indianapolis; Dean Agnes e. Wells, |
Indiana university. and Miss Marian Nc |
1andless. st. Mary's Of Notre Dame.
With Dean Eisenhart at the |
speakers table were:
DR.. Kathryn McHale, executive and |
educational secretary Of the American |
Association Of University Women: Presi-
lent Lucia r. Briggs Of Milwaukee-Doun- |
sr college; Or. Taft. DR.. Erskine, DR.. |
Robert L. Kelly, Professor H. w. Tyler.
general secretary Of the American Asso-
Station of University Presidents; DR.. |
John McCracken, assistant director Of !
The American Council on Education; Rob- |
srt NJ. Lester, assistant to the president |
If the Carnegie Corporation; DR.. David |
i. Stevens, General Education board; DR.. |
Stephen P. Duggan, director Of the Insti- |
ute OF International Education: DR.. WAL |
,on c. John of the United States Office Of |
Education; President Donald j. Cowling, |
college; President Frederick G. |
Ferry. Hamilton college; President Guy e. |
Snavely, Birmingham-Southern college;
A. Lawrence Lowe, Harvard uni |
rersity; Archie NJ. Palmer and e. B. VIII |
ION, president Of the Social Science Re-
no,,NnsI