THE PLACE OF ART

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 4, 5 July 1939, Page 6

THE PLACE OF ART

A W.E.A. LECTURE

The place of art in the life qt mankind is the general title of a .series.-.of lectures to the W.E;A. commenced by Mr. E. C. Simpson, 8.A., last Tuesday. Those who were present, said the lecturer, needed no persuasion of, the importance of the emotional side of our lives. But if asked the plain question, "What is the good of art?" it is not sufficient to feel conviction, but we must be able to give a plainly reasoned answer. More and more we are coming to realise the importance of providing

aans of expression in the education of children, but there was still a long way to go before the educational system became equally balanced in its training of the emotional and intelleo tual parts of life.

Ideas ,about art had expanded immensely during the present century. Increased ease of communication, coupled with wide research, had brought to our view the arts of other times and peoples, which had hitherto been unknown. These discoveries showed the multitudinous forms of art activity, and its almost daily changes in response to the changing minds of the people who fashioned it. And yet amidst this* diversity could be distinguished the fundamental properties by which the genuineness and vitality of a work of ■ art could. be felt,

A number of pictures and lantern slides were used to make clear the points of the lecture, which was followed by questions and discussion.

It was decided at a meeting of the Navy League on Monday to approach the Wellington Education Board with a request that representatives of the league be allowed to lecture to children during school hours. Until five years ago the board had allowed such lectures during school hours, it was stated, and the present troubled international situation made .he resumption of such lectures most desirable. The league is to try to arrange talks over the air and the screening of suitable pictures. Permission was granted the secretary (Mr. R. Darroch) to visit Hawke's Bay and lecture to members of the Chamber of Commerce and school children. »