CHILDREN AND ART

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23401, 18 July 1939, Page 15

CHILDREN AND ART

CLASSES IN GALLERY TRAINING COLLEGE PLAN LESSONS WELL RECEIVED WORK DONE BY STUDENTS By co-operation between the Auckland Art Gallery, the Auckland Training College and the headmasters of schools in the city and suburbs, lessons in the appreciation of art are being given daily in ihe gallery to classes of children by student teachers who have been specially trained for the work. At various times in the past, visits by groups of children to the gallery have been organised, but the new scheme is on entirely different lines. It has been launched by Mr. R. Donn, lecturer in art at the Training College, who returned not long ago from a tour of the United States and Canada, made with the assistance of a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of Now York. On this tour Mr. Donn had the fullest opportunity of watching the educational activities of art galleries in many cities, including Toronto, the headquarters of Mr. Arthur Lismer, who lectured 011 the subject in New Zealand during the New Education Fellowship conference. Children's Keen Interest A typical class yesterday morning was from Standard VI. at the Bemuera School. The children were seated in front of a group of pictures, including a fine seascape by Thomas Soinerscales, showing a squadron of four frigates in full sail off Teneriffe. What most impressed a visitor was that the lesson was not concerned with the literary or historical subject-matter of the pictures, but was devoted to basic questions —why an artist painted a picture, -what he sought to convey, how imagination played a part in the work and how important it was that tho colours should be harmonious and the whole arranged to make a beautiful design. Even more remarkable was the chilclose interest in what was actually an exposition of theory. This could be noticed whenever the teacher paused in his talk to ask an adroit question or invite the class to complete an unfinished statement. Always half a. dozen or more hands shot up } and sometimes ho was even interrupted witli eager queries and suggestions. The seed was certainly not falling upon barren ground. Further Developments Possible So far about 30 lessons have been given to pupils from the Grammar Schools, the Kowhai Intermediate School and a number of primary schools. The children enjoy the outing as a change from everyday routine, the more so as inquiry shows tliat only a small proportion of them have ever visited the Art Gallery before. Four advanced students are available for the work, which is being continued 011 four days each week. Explaining the general purposo yesterday, Mr. Donn said that tho lessons linked up with tho "picture-making" which was replacing tho old formal drawing lessons in a number of primary schools. A number of American and Canadian galleries provided not only for classes in tho appreciation of art, but also arranged for the children to do painting on tho spot. Sometimes they -copied pictures that took their fancy, or portions of them; at other times they painted anything they liked. It was found that the pictures on tho walls were an unfailing source of ideas and inspiration. Other Fields of Art Another gain. Mr. Donn said, was that the children came 1o regard the gallery as their own and felt that they bad tiie fullest right to be there. Many brought their parents in, and a common result was that galleries where educational work was carried on were more frequented by the public. He had been astonished at the large number of visitors to be found in the average American art gallery. The Auckland scheme is not confined to the appreciation of painting, and it is hoped later to include sculpture, architecture and other arts by introducing the children to original works or, where that is impossible, by using photographs and lantern The Training College will shortly receive from the Carnegie Corporation an art teaching set similar to that already possessed by Auckland University College. These sets consist of hundreds of photographic reproductions of works of art, together with collections of care-fully-selected books. Plans are already complete for making full use of this material at the college and in its extension work among Auckland schools.