ARTISTIC CULTURE IN THE HOME AND SCHOOL.

Evening Post, Volume LXI, Issue 88, 16 April 1901, Page 2

ARTISTIC CULTURE IN THE HOME AND SCHOOL.

An interesting leoture on " Recent Tendencies in Art " was given by Mr. Charles Keeler before the Educational Institute last night. He complained that our modern houses were thrown up on the cheapest plan, and he urged that in interiors, for instance, un varnished wood should be used, as the gloss on the surface spoiled the soft tones, and gave a hard, unsympathetic appearance. Our nouses should be coloured with brilliant geraniums and other flowers, the wall-paper should be of a soft, rich brown or dull-red colour, without any ornamentation, and it would thus forma beautiful background for oiif pictures. Furniture, he remarked, was as a rule too ornate, and he suggested that it should be carved by hanct or made absolutely plain. ■ If we could not have works of art in the way of pictures we should have bare walls, al»d if we could , not afford the works of old masters we could all afford copies of quell works. Our only hope for reform in such matters was, he believed, through the schools. In the schoolrooms everything should- teach the children that wliicU was beautiful as well as true. The walls should be beautifully coloured and ornamented with the works of old masters in painting aud sculpture, and with photograputs of the greatest architectural works in the world. The children should siuy the musio of Beethoven and hem* it played ; they should hear beautiful poetry ; they Bhould be, taught to have regard for animal life, and to study nature; and they Bhould be trained in sympathy with all that was good and true and beautiful. The Provident (Mr. T. H. @ill) moved a ' hearty vqte of thanks to the lecturer. This was seconded by Mr. T. VV. Grundy, and carried. After the lecture a number of those present had a conversation with Mr. Keeler on the question of organising in Wellington schools such a movement as he had described.