The American Journal of Education

tradition, the reason for which has been entirely lost to the memory of man. When we think that they are to be together in the building, the most innocent and fitting of all associations would seem to be an association in the very highest pursuits, next to their eternal well-being, in which they can be engaged."

Col. Thomas W. Higginson, a distinguished alumnus of the college, who, though not a member of the Faculty, is a resident of Cambridge and a member of the committee of management of the University School for young women, testifies from personal observation to the state of feeling existing there, as follows: "Some of the Harvard teachers already express a preference for that method [bringing together the young men and young women in the same classes], at least where classes are small and far advanced; and practice will only strengthen this feeling. If a Greek professor has among his pupils three young men who can read Plato at sight, and two young women who can do the same, it will require some very strong resistance to prevent his hearing all five at the same hour and place. In short, the new plan at Harvard is another guaranty that the world moves. It has a sincere and generous origin-the honest conviction of the committee that the vast resources of IIarvard should be made available for girls, supplemented by the desire of some who are parents that their own daughters should be taught."

All terms used as party rallying cries or watchwords should be descriptive of the purposes of the parties employing them; or, if description cannot be compressed into a single word, should be significant of the idea which distinctly characterizes the object, purpose, or measure which the party have in view. If they do anything but this, they will probably be misleading; and such, no doubt, is to some extent the case in the present instance. The term "co-education" conveys to many minds the impression that those who advocate the measure it denotes are laboring for the specific object, and for nothing higher, or better, or more worthy of attainment than the specific ob ject, of bringing young men and young women together in the same schools. But this is so far from being the specific object of this class of educational agitators, that it is not in fact an object with them at all. The thing which they do actually propose to themselves is to secure for women opportunities for an educational culture as large and liberal as is provided for the opposite sex. Since the only institutions which afford this culture have hitherto been monopolized by men, and since it is not possible, either morally or economically, to create similar institutions for women exclusively, we make the reasonable demand that women shall be received into the existing institutions. Should this demand be successful, it will be, of course, an incidental conse quence that women and men will receive their education in the same institutions; that is, that co-education will exist as a resultant fact, though not as an object sought for its own sake.

STATE NORMAL ART-SCHOOL.

BY A. G. BOYDEN.

HISTORY.

In view of the great importance of drawing, as a branch of education, the Legislature, by an Act passed May 16, 1870, made instruction in this branch obligatory in the Public Schools; and required cities and towns, containing more than ten thousand inhabitants, to make provision for free instruction in industrial drawing to persons over fifteen years of age. This Act met with public favor, but it was soon found by experience, that it was impossible to realize satisfactorily the benefits intended by the Act, for want of competent teachers.

To supply this want, it became necessary to establish a State Normal Art-School. The necessity of providing this new educational instrumentality became apparent as soon as the attempt was made to carry out the provisions of the law, requiring the teaching of industrial drawing, -provisions which had been made in compliance with the requests of the leading representatives of the great industrial interests of the State. It was in vain to look to private enterprise for the means of qualifying the needed teaching staff. Public provision was indispensable.

A providing for the establishment of such a school was submitted to the Legislature of 1872, but failed of success. Another year's experience was sufficient to render it apparent to the dullest apprehension, that the attempt to carry forward this great educational improvement without qualified teachers was a waste of time and money, and the alternative which obviously presented itself was either to abandon altogether the project of developing industrial art, or to provide the requisite means of its execution. The Legislature of 1873 wisely chose the latter, and enacted as follows:

"Resolved, That there be allowed and paid out of the treasury, the sum of seventy-five hundred dollars for the expense of a state normal art-school, the same to be expended under the direction of the board of education. [Approved June 6, 1873."

Resolved, That the sergeant-at-arms, with the consent and approval of the commissioners on the state house, be authorized to assign the rooms on the third floor of the house, number 33 Pemberton Square, to the board of education, for the use of the state normal art-school. [Approved June 11, 1873."

In pursuance of this provision the Board of Education appointed Visitors of the school, with instructions to organize and put it in operation, and take charge of its immediate supervision. Prof. Walter

Smith, the State Director of Art-Education, was appointed director of the school, by whose advice a very able corps of instructors was secured.

Notice of the proposed opening of the school having been given in the newspapers of the principal cities of the State, on the 6th of November, 1873, the candidates for admission assembled for examination at the rooms assigned to the school. The whole number examined was seventy-seven, and of this number seventy were admitted as students. It was found that a large number of persons who were anxious to enjoy the advantages offered by the school, were totally unaware of the examination, and in response to frequent applications, a subsequent examination was held, of thirty-nine persons, of whom thirty-seven were admitted; making a total of one hundred and seven students, of whom thirty-nine were men and sixty-eight were women. The rooms provided afforded seats to only seventy-two students at one time.

The Design of the School.-This school is intended as a training school, for the purpose of qualifying teachers and masters of industrial drawing. It is the first institution of the kind established in this country. It is an essential element in that system of agencies which the government of the State is putting into operation for the purpose of diffusing art-culture, not only as an indispensable constituent of a competent general education, but as a means of enabling our manufacturers to compete successfully with the manufacturers of Europe. The material prosperity of the State depends chiefly upon the profits of its manufactories. That these profits might be immensely augmented, by the application of a higher artistic skill, is no longer doubted by any well-informed person. The artistic skill hitherto employed in this country, has been, for the most part, derived from foreign countries, because no adequate means of developing it has existed in this country.

Its specific aim, at present, is to prepare teachers for the Industrial Drawing Schools of the State, who shall also be able to direct and superintend the instruction in this branch in the Public Schools. In the future, it will be necessary to provide for high skill in technical drawing and high art-culture, but the immediate pressing demand is for teachers who know the elementary subjects thoroughly well, and can teach them intelligently and successfully; and this demand the school will aim primarily to supply, by providing, at the outset, training in the elementary subjects, making it as complete and practical as the circumstances will permit.

Conditions of Admission.-An examination in freehand drawing will be held at the opening of the school, of all candidates for admission, and those only who show an aptitude and some proficiency in elementary drawing will be admitted. The number of students will be, necessarily, limited, preference being given to the teachers of

drawing actually employed in the Public Schools, and in the industrial. evening classes in the State, the complement being made up of the most promising of the candidates, resident in the State, who declare their intention to become teachers of drawing; or, in case of deficiency in the number of these classes of students, other persons, whether residents or non-residents, will be admitted, on the payment of a reasonable tuition.

The Course of Instruction.-The term industrial drawing includes both instrumental and freehand drawing. The course of instruction stated in general terms has the following range of subjects:

The first includes elementary drawing only, for which, when the diploma works have been completed, and the examination satisfactorily passed, diploma A is given.

"Three other diplomas represent the subjects of Painting, Industrial Sculpture, and Instrumental Drawing. Thus the whole curriculum of the school will be,

"A. Elementary subjects.

"B. Painting.

"C. Sculpture.

"D. Architecture and Engineering Drawing.

"For each of which branches a diploma is issued, and for proficiency in all, the degree of Art-Master should be given."

The curriculum requires four years for its completion.

Examination and Diploma.--For permission to be examined for a diploma, the student will be required to submit class exercises, the subjects being described in the list of diploma works. These drawings and paintings are to show whether the student possesses the manipulative skill necessary to teach drawing. If the works pass examination, the student will then be allowed to offer himself for the diploma examination, which will be held at the end of the session. This examination having been passed, the student will receive a diploma, testifying to his scientific and artistic qualifications to give instruction in elementary drawing. A student failing to pass an examination in any subject, may present himself again at a future examination, those subjects already passed being recorded in his favor; but he will not. receive the diploma of the school until all the subjects of examination have been passed.

The Progress of the School.-The principal embarrassment under which the school has labored, has been a want of commodious rooms. From the beginning its quarters have been far too circumscribed. The number of students the first year was one hundred and thirty-three, nearly double the number which the rooms could properly accommodate. The attendance increased the second year to two hundred and thirtynine, and additional rooms were taken at No. 24 Pemberton Square

The third year the attendance was more than three hundred, and the school was so much crowded as to make its removal to more commodious quarters a necessity. The school is now located at No. 28 School Street. The number of students for 1876, the fourth year of the school, is four hundred and forty-two.

Classes are now pursuing studies in each of the four divisions of the course. In these first years of existence, the school cannot display the character of its courses of study, or the skill of its instructors, for its students come to commence the study of art, rather than to perfect their knowledge.

It is a great fact that an art-training school exists in this State, whose curriculum and aims are as thorough as those of any European school, the subjects of study being somewhat new; and that this school is limited in its success only by hindrances which time and the increasing value of skilled labor must inevitably remove.

The school is beginning to make its influence felt over a broad area, and every year must increase its influence. The school displayed at the Centennial Exhibition, at Philadelphia, a complete illustration of the subjects of study pursued in the school, during the four years' course in its four classes; and this formed a fitting climax to the full exhibition of industrial drawing as carried on in Massachusetts. This collection was largely visited at Philadelphia, where it was regarded as the only complete art-educational exhibit in the buildings. The Visitors, in their last report, say that the condition of the school is eminently satisfactory. A building adapted for all the different branches of study taught, is its greatest want.

Visitors from 1871-1876:

John D. Philbrick.

A. A. Miner.

Walter Smith,

Prof. William R. Ware.