INDUSTRIAL ART EDUCATION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3560, 12 July 1890, Page 2

INDUSTRIAL ART EDUCATION.

' Pftblio Looturo. Mr Riley; Art Director of the Wellington : School of Design, delivered a free lecturo in St. Matthew's schoolroom last evening on tho advantages of tectocal aud art ' eduoation. The attendkiVce, although ! fairly good; was not 'nearly; so large as the merits of the lecturer deserved, and it is sincerely to be, regretted that the young mechanics of the town did not attend hi stronger force, as tlio instruction imparted.was of particular interest to thorn, «hd would ; have been of great benefit in after years. The'chair was occupied by'the Rev W. E. Pajge,wJiobriefly introduced the speaker, and expressed a hope that the mißconcoption of the'advantagesof (lie 6eW of .Design wlijijh at

present existed-would, ; as stim\io remove'th' '-&■ £!;.•■.■; :W- 13?' Mr applause)- lntiiaated.tlwyhe.: bli bjeo t of liis : addresffiiypuld deul : particalarly • with oduoatiou iti 'industrial mi, with • whiol|subjeiit|eJi(id:inv|iis official I capacitybeeiibrought'ihto immediate i contact,.. Drawing, us it used ;to be, i ho painted out; was considered as an i extra, and not as a neoessary accom-'' plishment. In the present day, how-.' ever, it was" looked upon as-an i essential part of primary education. The process,of copying, as adopted in ' sorao schools, was not real.drawing, it was merely tho tracing; of a "fdriii upon a .fixed scalo. ,What they wanted no'w-a-days was an expression of tlie conception of the mind upon paper, Hethen proceeded to review the work done in primary and secondary schools, anaurged that it was necessary to commence at,the former boforo entering upon the work of the latter. Iu tho industrial : classes whioh, he had established 'scholars were taught the adaptation of drawing to every class of industry. By, this means workmen.-. became skilled in labor, and their services were always in demands He was advocating the introduction into sohoola of modelling, which lio trusted would have the effect of awakening tho minds of the children to the need of industrial art. It Was a melancholy fact that at the prosent time children were educated in the head,; but their hands were . left entirely out of the question. By th'e teaching of all kinds of drawing the band would be educated also, In New Zealand we were far behind the adjoining colonies in this direction, and it was quite time that we were aroused to a sense of our position if we wished to hold our own in the matter of industry, He maintained that it was quite possible for ladies who became profioiont in drawing to earn their own living in W part of the world." The days in which the drawing of "pretty things" was indulged in had gone by, and the art, wis now being devoted to industrial matters, In conclusion he eulogised Miss Holmes, the toacher of the local School of Design, for her untiring efforts and corresponding 'success in the matter of education in industrial art, and would inform young men that in placing themselves in the hands of this lady teaoher they could rely upon a thorough practical tuition, He trusted that when he next visited Masterton the number of pupils of the School of Design will have inoreased from twenty to fifty. Tho lecturer illustrated his address; by diagrams, which were hung upoV the walls of the room. Thefiev. Paige, in extending to the lecturer the heartiest thanks of the audience for his interesting address, pointed out that the numbers attending the School of Design in Masterton had greatly increased of ; to, He had also to thank the Town Lands Trust for the valuable assist-' they had rendered the institution in thepaat. A vote of thanks: having beon passed to the Rev, Paige for'the interest he has takon in the matter of art education in this district; the proceedings terminated,