Year: 1876

We have before us a copy OF the Slst
annual report Of the School Commission
or Of Rhode Island, volume OF over two
hundred pages. We notice in 1t the fol.
lowing remarks on the subject Of indus.
trial drawing in the public schools, sub
iect in which considerable interest is felt
here and elewhere at this time. II is
from the pen OF the Superintendent Of
Schools at Bristol, Rhode Island:


Attention to this department OF educa.
ton is not required Tor the purpose Of
making artists Of the pupils, butthat they
may be better qualified to become me.
chanics, designers, architects, or for many
other pursuits in life. This study reiines
the mind, develops the perceptive facul.
ties, cultivates the tastes OF the pupils and
fits them for greater usefulness In after
life. It may be the means Of inducing
some to become skillful mechanics who
otherwise might have selected some other
occupation for which they were not as
well adapted and in which they would not
prove as useful members Of society.


1t is now very unusual to find an
American boy learning trade, state OF
things much to be regretted. Society
will not be in healthy condition when
We become entirely dependent upon
foreign labor; any thing which will
counteract this state Of things should be
encouraged, We believe that the more
generally industrial drawing is taught
and attention given TO instruction in this
department the sooner we shall obtain
results that will prove Of great service to
the scholars, giving them more and better
opportunities for success in life, and
making them more valuable members Of
the community.


The following extract is taken from
the report OF the Drawing Committee OF
the public schools OF Boston: "Many OF
the children OF the public schools OF Mas
sachusctts must hereafter win their daily
bread by trades and professions which
demand an elementary knowledge Of the
art OF design, while the artisans and me-
chanics who avail themselves OF the OPP
portuni,ies for instruction in free.hand
drawing, so freely offered to them, acquire
knowledge which will double the value
OF their labor in the market. Few studies
offer such advantages to the young, since
IL promotes their physical, moral and in
tellcctual growth, and at the same time
increases their material prosperity.


There are two objections sometimes
raised to the introduction Of drawing in
to the public schools, one il, the expense
attending il; and the other, the loss OF
time for other studies. We find by the
statement OF those educators who have
tried the experiment, that neither is we'll
founded.


All teachers OF ordinary intelligence
and capacity can, with little prepara.
tion, SO fit themselves that they can in
struct their pupils in this branch with ad-
vantage to themselves and with profit to
their scholars.


With regard to the other objection, Loss
OF time for other studies, we find that the
drawing exercise is looked upon by the
children of the primary school, us well as
those OF the higher grades, not MS task,
but more as a recreation. and that at its
close their minds have been rested and
lHVIbOTalcut hIlu III bettSL COHulLIuH W
take hold OF their arithmetic, their gram
mar or their geography, than if the lesson
in drawing hud been omitted, so that quite
as much is accomplished in those studies
MS formerly. Instruction in this depart
ment OF education should not be confined
to the day schools. Tho.e who attend the
evening schools are entitled to this op.
portunity Of becoming better mechanics
and more useful citizens.


The people OF Massachusetts, fully ap-
preciate the Importance of this matter
and It's bearing upon the future welfare
Of the State. They have already estab-
lished evening schools for the sole pur-
pose OF teaching industrial drawing, not
to the young only, but to mechanics Of
different kinds and all ages.


There is no State in the Union where
instruction in this department OF eduCa-
tion is SO essential to its welfare as
Rhode Island, with its vast manufacture
ing and mechanical interests. There iS
certainly no time to be lost, in giving
that attention to this subject which its
importance demands.