ART IN THE SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1443, 18 May 1912, Page 10

ART IN THE SCHOOLS.

CLASSIC PICTURES TO BE HUNG, AN mBRKSTING ABDUBSS. Interesting tulles on "Art in our Fehool.s" wero given to 'A gathering ol tcnclteis at the 'JYaining Collego last nU;lit, by Mr. Kobcrt Lee, chairman of tho Wellington Jidns-rition hoard. and Mr. .1. S. Teiiniuil, Principal of the Training Coik-Kf. Around tiie walls of (iio lecture room were hung a largo number of pietuws comprising sonic of I ho Medici Society's reproductions of famous works of the old masters, illustrations of historical events, views of ({rent cathedrals, coloured and monochrome reproductions of famous modern paintings, etc. -Mr. T. It. Vleming, Chief Inspector of Schools to tho Wellington Hoard, presided. Mr. Tonnant, who purchased the pintures at Homo and on llio Kuropean Continont for tho AVcllinglou Education lioard, said they ranged in cost from Is. (Id. to half a guinea, liberal discounts being allowed to school authorities, and (luts tliny could get for 15s. a framed reproduction, well executed in colours, ot a picturo that would live for all tisno. lie was convinced Hint pictures in colours should bo obtained for schools whenever possible, instead of monochromes.

Mr. I/oo said it was no new thing to hans,' pictures on tho walls of schools, but they needed to hare better and better pictures. Wo should 1)0 an artistic ]>eoplo, but to becomo so wo should put before ti'io eyes of tho young something I hat would train them to an appreciation of tho beautiful in colour, form, and design. was l>etter to havo one good picturo in the room than many common oleographs. Many boys and girls, when tuey saw a thing that pleased tliom, immediately tried to imitate it. His colleagues on the Education Board and tho inspectors had fallen in with this idea when ho proposed it, and ho had himself mado tho first selection in England and Italy a few years ago. They were grateful to Mr. Tennant for what ho had done in this matter, but tlicy would not regard tho present selection as final. Personally, ho thought tho most important thing was to put tho indisputably great works of art, reproduced in as nearly as possible their original colours, before tho eyes of tho young. Tho board was having twenty-five frames made, which would be sent with pictures in them to twenty-iivo of tho largest schools, and at tho end of &ich year the pictures would bo called in by Hie board and sent to different schools, the frames remaining in the same schools to receive the pictures as sent by tliq board. To suit this scheme, tho frames had been made of a size and design to suit any of tho larger pictures,' or two of the smaller ones. Tho board was not prepared to supply free more than one frame to each school, but if any largo school would like two or even 'three, tho board would supply tho extra frames and pictures at cost price. Tho board was most anxious to enlist tho sympathies of teachers and school committees in tho work of plating in the schools pictures of a far higher standard than they had yet had. Mr. C. Watson, headmaster of To Aro School: warmly welcomed the scheme outlined by Mr. Lee. The children who benefited by it would surely not hang sutih unfortunate pictures on their own walls when they grew up as people often did now. sir. Fleming spoke of the great interest already taken by teachers in the picturo scheme. Hearty votes of thanks were accorded to Mr. "Lee and Mr. Tennant. The picturos will remain on view at tho Training College for several days longer, '