"PLASTICS" AND PLASTICINE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 20, 17 February 1909, Page 4

"PLASTICS" AND PLASTICINE

EDUCATIONAL HANDIWORK. It is not often that a lecture lipocr educational 'methods lias interest for • those outside the teaching profession. It is not always that a lecturer upon such a subject can feel at the close of his meeting that he has succeeded in arresting the attention even of the teachers for whom he has luooirrd. Sometimes the subject is " dry," sometimes the lecturer, sometimes the audience long before the speaker reaches his •' in conclusion." Thus it was hardly with glee that a representative of this journal entered the art room of the Technical .School on -Monday evening to witness a demonstration by :\lr Win. llarbull, A.K.C.A., of the uses of plasticine. .Marvellous to relate, the attendance was good, and, to their credit be it said, many of the audience were members of the teaching profession, some of them having come long distances. Many of the short-distance folk found the ell'ort to attend quite beyond them, .those teachers who did attend will doubtless be able to, tell the unfortunates wiiat a really educational and interesting evening llie.v spent, the lecturer's ha:utlingof his subject providing the lay members of the audience, too. with an interesting object lesson upon the modern method of instruction.

Mr llarbutt, who hus been an art instructor in Bnth, Knglanil, found the pressing need fortune simple form of instruction in plastic material, realising that with it the lctt nf the teacher would he lightened mid the time of the unpffl more pnititably speiu. He evolved the system of " Plasties," as a means of teaching drawing and art on the best principles,, following; the adopted rule that " the method of .eacHmg simulil follow tlie course of natural development of the child." The essential feature in plastics is that the study 01 the subject of drawing commences at an earlier aye than has generally been deemed practicable, manual employment being made to precede any other i'oim of iiMmetion in the elementary schools, and the child being early fnniilia,ris,-ii with the use of three or four primitive tools. Modelling and drawing follow naturally. This practicable scheme of co-related work anil of "doing tilings" must foster a -love of handiwork anil a spirit of self reliance, and 'provide a basis for the training of craftsmen and skilled artificers later in life, thus compensating somewhat for the disappearance of the apprenticeship svstem iu our commercial life.

After close observation of child nature Mr. Ilarbutt said lie had frankly accepted the inherent , attraction itml nihilities for "mud pies," "sandcastles," and " pal-a-eake' manipulations, and made these natural instincts the basis of instruction at least for the earliest vears. The lirst thing ll child liked to ilo when lie got hold oj any plastic sill* stance, puttv or mild, ifor instance, was to roll it inl« a ball. .Next, he would roll the ])iece of stulV between his hands or on a siiriacc until it was like » .oiig roll; and thirdlv. he would llatlen the ball tint with ids hand till it resembled a biscuit. On that he based fhiji .system. It -had been criticised by his (artistic friends, as being oppuseil to modelling. And they were right. It was not modelling, but plastic cratt. .Mr Ilarbutt took the three pieces of plnctieine in the shapes just spoken of, and in "less than no time," illustrating his remarks by the most simple manipulation. Gothic borders and ornaments, and all kinds of geometrical, ornamental, constructional anil naturalistic forms well within the power of any drawing jlustructor to produce. C'o-rchiU'd with this isluily was'drawing, the ''plastics" creating a knowledge, memory, and eonscience for form, so that when the pencil and brush were put into the hands of the pupil he recognised' that he was only employing a new tool ; he had already the awakened faculty for handwork—a

sense of correct proportion and an insight into the analysis of form and const ruction—thus the dnuwing became the natural sequence of the model. And all the time, as the lecture proceeded Hatlooking circular daubs became leaves, on the Hat; a tilt with the linger, and " light and shade" .'Heels were produced.

An animal's head was fashioned by a few delicate stroking movements of the lingers. In a digression. .Mr Ilarbutt said that though he was using his left hand

somewhat, he was not a believer of anibi(lexterity, except so far as was neccs-nry lo educate the left hand In supplement tlie right. It was not modelling work, he said, but il developed that accuracy, precision, and linnucss of touch that should he present in all outwork. Toots should he used, a.nl were u.e,| in the course of tin- deniinisiration, not to in'troiluce m-w ideas Inn ,o elaiiovale what was already there. So far the lecturer had dealt v, ill. only Ihe hare hum's of tin- system, lie next applied his system in order to show its Usefulness in aiding the instruction in natural history, geography, animal life, -and tie certainly showed how rapidlv the dillorent models could be conjured up for the lienelil of the class. The \alne off plasticine work attended also to the woodwork or carpentry, and physiology instruction, and examples of its usefulness were given. Mr llarhult I lieu showed on a large screen some photographed samples of the work of plasticine pupils and instructors at Home, many of fliein works of ail. Mr -las. Morev manipulated the limelight, using a lino lantern. Al the conclusion. Mr ||. Itcmpscy. 'headina-lcr of .the Central School, in moving a heart v vole of thanks lo Allllarhutt. said that for the fact that it was Monday night, an iiicnnvenieul lime for teachers. the audience would have I'l'i-n large,'. Thev all knew how hard if was to interest Utile children, bill Mr llarbult's way, in occupying their hands and eyes, was llie host he had seen.

Mr llallanfviie, Chief Inspector ~f School-, seconded, saving that; Air liarbutt had succeeded in clearing awav much of the misconception surrounding the use of plasticine in schools. IT' was not introducing n. new siibjecl. bill a new way of teaching On- old '-nli'iMs, Irain'uig the pupils Ihroiigh their vision and memory. Mr llarhult. relumed thanks for the vole of thanks, which was carried bv acclamation. Simila. conipliinenls lo the Alaviir (Mr (I. Tisrh) for presiding, and lo Air .Murcv as limelight i.peralnr, concluded the proceedings.