The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-28
Art in indianapolis
by ANTON, SCHERRER

lust when we think we are making progress in
~ the study of taste and trends, we trip over
problem that stops dead We've Just heard about
the % kids of the Nathan Morris kindergarten who
went to the Heron last week in search of Indiana
art.
First thing to report is that the kids turned
down all the prize pictures because they didn't have
any salt water in them. In their place, they sub
stituted all the marines their eyes could pick up;
with the result that Harold McWhinneys Cape
Cod Lighthouse" came out top. A checkup
reveals that not one of the kids has ever seen the
ocean-let alone lighthouse
On the surface, it looks like the end of casualty
Indeed might have subscribed to this view had
not Mrs. Lucretia Saunders, who runs Nathan
Norris" come to our with the contributing
cause. 1t turns out to be Capt. Fred Drinkut the
policeman at the Heron. The kids hadn't been in
the museum five minutes says Kindergarten
Saunders before they discovered that Cap likes pic
lures with lots OF salt water and lighthouses Seer
TIRED DRINKUT is the man who put Elmer
Il Tafinger in his place. Mr.. Tafinger, once upon
a time lit cigaret in the West Gallery. He knows
better now. So do lot of other prominent citi-
zens-like Judge Smiley Chambers for instance who
was caught playing baseball on the front lawn Of
the Art Institute. Policing the Heron wouldn't
be so bad, says Mr.. Drinku if it were not for the
prominent people.
Mr.. Drinkut got his present job because of past
performances and carries police badge No. 456 and
four stripes to prove it, At one time or another
poundor-better bicycle cop, wagon man, lieuten-
ant and a captain, which is as far cop can go
without getting involved. Everybody calls him
Cap" now.
Seven or eight years ago, when he was still on
the force. Cap brought in two dead bandits and
three live ones, all by himself. All in one load mind
you. Cap talks about it in whispers even now. He
went to Cumberland to get them just as the gang
was getting ready to invade Indianapolis. The kill
ing affected Cap OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES his health
matter of fact-and he spent the next two years
doing nothing. When he got WELL he discovered he
was on pension. After that, he turned to art.
CAP says he has very little trouble with children
~ at the Museum. Other towns do. Other towns.
for instance have to keep their nudss under glass
to prevent naughty scribblng, but Cap says he has
never run up against anything like that here
Cap has system, however. He herds the chill
dren into group in the center Of the room and tells
them that is the proper way to look at Art. Cap
says he has yet to the picture that can be viewed
at close range.
Cap is terribly in earnest about Art. So much So
that he thinks everybody ought to join the Heron
Asked whether he had any ideas about furthering
the cause he thought something like the Eks pulled
of once might do the trick. The Elks were then on
E. Maryland-st and in the throes of a memberships
drive. One day, they Communicated the city patrol
wagon and put Cap and Cliff Richter in charge
Every hkely-looking citizen was arrested put in
the Black Maria and hauled of to Headquarters
Nobody was released until he signed up with the
Elks. Cap said 1t worked.
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