Schools of Practical Art already exist in the Metropolis: one for males, at Somerset House, with an elementary branch at Westminster; one for females, at 37 Gower Street, Bedford Square; and one mixed school, at Spitalfields; as well as mixed schools throughout the Kingdom, at Belfast, Birmingham, Cork, Coventry, Dublin, Glasgow, Leeds, Limerick, Macclesfield, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham, the Potteries, Paisley, Sheffield, Stourbridge, Worcester, and York. Towards aiding the establishment of classes or schools for acquiring elementary instruction in art, in the advantages of which it is desirable that all classes of the community should have the opportunity of sharing, my Lords are willing 1. To appoint a competent master, and to guarantee the payment to him of a certain income for a limited period, in case the fees to be derived from the instruction of the scholars should not suffice to pay the master's salary. 2. To assist in furnishing samples of suitable drawing copies, models, coloured examples, and books, at half the prime cost of them. 3. To afford samples of drawing materials, such as black-boards, drawing-boards, paper, slates, chalk, pencils, &c.; and to give such information as will enable the managers and scholars to obtain those materials in the readiest way. On the following conditions: 1. That a committee of management be formed, either by corporate or parochial authorities, or persons engaged in schools of any description, or by persons interested in the object, or that a responsible person come forward who must engage to give effect to the following regulations: (a) To give the names of not fewer than three public schools for boys and girls in the locality willing to receive at least one lesson per week in drawing, and pay 57. at least a year towards the expenses. (b) If a distinct school for drawing is required, then the Committee are to provide, keep clean, warm, and light a suitable room, at their own liability; and to give the names of not less than twenty male or female scholars who will attend the scnool, if opened, for a period of not less than three months, at a payment of not less than 6d. per week each scholar. 2. That such Committee shall be prepared to collect, and account for, the fees paid by the several schools, and from the students in the separate schools; conduct and manage the school; provide for stated and periodical visits of inspection by members of the Committee; be responsible for the attendance of the master; contribute, at least, half of the fees received towards his salary; dismiss him for incompetency or misconduct, reporting the same to this Department; engage to follow the course of instruction prescribed, and make an annual report on the proceedings of the school, on or before the 31st of October. 3. The hours of attendance and the amount of fees to be paid by the scholars to be regulated by the Committee and the General Superintendent of the Department of Practical Art, according to local circumstances. Communications respecting the establishment of such classes and schools, marked on the address" Elementary Instruction in Art," to be addressedTo the Secretary of the Department of Practical Art, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London, Form of Re The following requisition (of which a printed copy may be obtained by quisition for an Elemen- application to the Secretary of the Department of Practical Art, Marltary Draw- borough House, London) must be filled up. If the printed form is not ing School. used, then the requisition should be written out on foolscap paper. Proofs of desire of neighbour Requisition for establishing Classes for acquiring of Knowledge in Form and To the Secretary of the Department of Practical Art. We, the undersigned [Members of the Corporation of or of the Vestry of or connected with the School of or otherwise, as the case may be], being desirous of having elementary instruction in form and colour given in the public schools at and of establishing a separate school for that purpose at [as the case may be] in connexion with the Department of Practical Art, hereby request you to move the Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council for Trade to nominate a master for the purpose, and to assist in providing examples, copies, &c., necessary for the use of such classes and school, for which we are willing to pay half the prime cost. And in consideration of such assistance, we hereby undertake to form ourselves into a Committee of Management, to see that instruction is given to all the scholars in each public school, and to provide, keep clean, warm, and light a suitable room, at our own liability, for the separate school; to keep the examples for the use of the school, and to preserve the same to the best of our ability; to collect and account for the fees according to such rates as may be agreed upon between ourselves and the General Superintendent of the Department of Practical Art; it being understood that in no case is the fee to be at a less rate than 6d. a week for each scholar attending the separate school; to apply the whole of the fees paid by the public schools and at least half of the fees of the separate school in paying the salary of the master and the expenses of the school; to conduct and manage the separate school; to visit and inspect it at proper intervals; to be responsible for the proper attendance of the master, and to dismiss him for incompetency or misconduct; reporting such dismissal to the Superintendent; to see that the course of instruction prescribed by their Lordships is properly followed; and to make an annual report on the proceedings of the school on or before the 31st of October. And herewith we append the names of being public schools in and also the names of twenty persons who are willing to attend the separate school, if established, for a period of not less than three months. [Here follow the signatures and addresses of the requisitionists.] [Then follow the names and occupations of the persons who propose to attend the separate school.] No. 9. Information to be furnished by the Locality. Department of Practical Art, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London. To enable the Board of Trade to consider, with reference to claims from other places, the application dated the day of from hood to par- for assistance in forming an elementary drawing school, it is necessary that replies to the following inquiries be returned to the Secretary of this Department. ticipate in drawing school. 1. What public schools, for either sex, already exist in which make any charge whatever for instruction ?-(Underline those schools where drawing of any kind is taught.) *The prime cost to the Department of a full series of examples is estimated at 157. 14s for each separate public school, and 667. for the central school. The Department is prepared to furnish the examples at half these amounts, viz., 77. 178, for cach public school And 337, for the distinct school, 2. State name of every school in the managers of which would be willing to accept the advantage of instruction from a drawing master appointed by the Board of Trade, who should give in that school an hour's lesson publicly, at least once a week, to all the scholars; for which instruction those managers would be willing to pay to such master a sum of at least 57. a year. 3. Are the Committee of Management of the proposed drawing school of opinion that they would be able to form a class for teaching drawing to students occupying a higher position in society than artizans; and who would pay at least 1s. a week? 4. Are the Committee of Management of opinion that they would be able to obtain subscribers, say of 1. and upwards a year, who might have the privilege of presenting students to the proposed school, to pay a lower fee than 6d. a week for the Artizan Class, and a lower fee than 1s. for the General Class? 5. Would the Committee of Management, after duly encouraging the teaching of the simplest elements of drawing in the local public schools, be willing that every student, under 16 years of age, before admittance to the proposed drawing school, should be required to possess the ability to draw the letters A OS in fair outline,* of the height of 12 inches. No. 27. Official Arrangements for Elementary Schools. Official arrangements for establish The requisition for elementary classes and instruction at being under the favourable consideration of the Board of Trade, the requisitionists are requested to supply information on the following points of ing local inquiry. 1. The names and addresses of the Chairman, Treasurer, and Secretary of the proposed Committee. 2. The name of the party with whom correspondence from this Department is to be carried on. 3. The name of the street in which the proposed school is to be situated. 4. A ground plan of the room or rooms proposed to be used for the School, and a statement of the arrangements proposed for lighting by day and night, ventilation, &c., should be forwarded. (The Art Superintendent will send advice on this subject, if the information supplied is not sufficient.) 5. Whether the school be already provided with suitable desks and drawing boards? if not, it is recommended that those described in the accompanying pamphlet, pages and be ordered by the Local Committee. If so ordered, when are they likely to be ready?" 6. Are the Committee prepared to order the collections 1, 2, and 3, named at pages and 7. When can the school be opened? 8. Do the Committee agree to pay the master the whole of the fecs of the public schools, and half the fees of the distinct school, and concur in the conditions of the accompanying form of appointment of the master? schools. No. 28. Memorandum respecting the choice of Rooms for a Drawing School. Arrange ments for 1. It must be ascertained what number of students are likely to attend, rooms or it must be decided whether any limit is to be set to the numbers. 2. Whether the greater number of pupils are likely to be evening or afternoon scholars; i. e., whether the school is to be opened in the afternoon or evening, or both. 3. The size of the apartment will depend on the number of students which it is proposed to accommodate. Generally speaking, it will be Copies of these letters are published by Messrs. Chapinan and Half, of 193 Piccadilly London. C Form of appointment for masters. necessary to allow to each student a space of two and a half feet square; and hence, by marking off on the floor the space which, consistently with the direction of the light and other considerations, may be occupied by benches, it will not be difficult to ascertain the suitableness of a room for the accommodation of the proposed number of scholars, so far as space is concerned. 4. If the school is to be opened only during the evening, and consequently for the greater part of the year to be lighted by lamps or gas, one of the chief difficulties in the choice of a room, namely, the quality and direction of the daylight, will be in a great measure avoided. If it is to be a day school, the following rules respecting the light must be attended to: a. The aspect should, if possible, be northerly or easterly. b. The windows should reach at least twelve feet above the floor; and in all cases side windows are preferable to skylights. c. If skylights are unavoidable, the glass should be ground or otherwise rendered partially opaque, to prevent the passage of the direct rays of the sun. The same precaution must be taken if a room has side windows looking towards the south or west. 5. It is desirable that proper provision be made for the good ventilation of the room. 6. It is desirable that the walls of the room should be one colour-an olive green of rather a neutral tint is preferable. 7. A large press should be provided to hold the drawing copies, &c. No. 21. Form of the Appointment of a Master. At the Council Chamber, Whitehall, the day of 185 By the Right Honorable the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council appointed for the consideration of all matters relating to Trade and Foreign Plantations. With the view of affording temporary aid in promoting the establishment of a drawing school, and drawing classes in my Lords are prepared to contribute towards the income of the master of the proposed school, during the first year of its existence, at the rate of £ a year, certain; and, if the master's share of the fees to be received for instruction do not, when added to the sum of £ make his whole receipts £ for the year, then my Lords will be prepared to make up the deficiency so that his income shall amount to £ for the first year. After the expiration of the first year, whether any allowance is to be afforded in aid of the master's income must depend upon the position of the school, and future arrangements with the Local Committee. In granting this assistance, it must be understood that the master must teach only from the examples and copies recognized by the Department of Practical Art, and according to the course recommended by my Lords. He must endeavour to render the school useful to all classes of the community. He must give instruction in drawing in any schools which the Local Committee may select, besides the drawing school. He is to consider himself subject to the authority of the Local Committee, and their officer and the continuance of his engagement after the first six months must depend upon the pleasure of the Local Committee. It is understood that the master is to be entitled to the whole of the fees of the several schools he teaches, and half the fees received from the students of the distinct school, in addition to the salary of Upon these terms my Lords are pleased to appoint to the office of master of the drawing school at his duties and salary are to commence on the : day of and Secretary of the Department of Practical Art, III. The DUTIES of the Masters; with a LIST of the ARTICLES and EXAMPLES requisite for Teaching. First Elementary Instruction. Elementary instruction in art may be divided into two grades. The Requisites commencing or primary classes are established with the view to give drawing. for teaching instruction in drawing simply as a language useful in every relation of life, and have reference rather to a power of expressing FORM by lines than to any ornamental or other special direction of the studies. At the same time, the examples used and the instruction given are of a character to lay a right foundation for the studies of distinct elementary drawing schools. In these the teaching, although still of an elementary character, may have a special tendency to qualify the student for entering the Government Schools of Practical Art, or any local schools of the same kind which may hereafter be founded. Qualifications and Duties of Masters. Masters appointed to elementary drawing classes are expected to be acquainted with the works used in the Department of Practical Art on geometry and perspective; they must have passed successfully through the four first stages of the instruction given in the Schools of Practical Art, as well as a class for free-hand drawing of the solid forms used in the elementary schools; they must be acquainted with the simple laws of colour as embodied in the diagram of colour. Every distinct elementary drawing school should be the centre for instruction in drawing given to other schools for general education in the neighbourhood. The masters are required to give instruction at stated times, particularly in the evening, in the rooms of the central school to which they are appointed, and to attend at least once a week at each of the schools subscribing in the locality, as contemplated in the paper of questions. (See p. 13.) Distinct Elementary Drawing Schools. Tendency of Beyond instruction in form-as a language useful to all in the daily busithese classes ness of life-which is given in the first elementary classes, the masters in to provide distinct elementary schools are required to direct the studies of the students qualified to students as they advance in power, with a view to their entering the enter GovernGovernment Schools of Practical Art, established to improve the taste ment Schools of the public generally, and to impart to the artizan or mechanic such an appreciation of what is really beautiful in design in the manufactures on which he may be employed as shall enable him successfully to execute the works of the designer. Qualifications and Duties of Teachers. Masters appointed to conduct distinct elementary schools are required to possess a certificate of having passed successfully through a course of geometry and perspective, through the six first stages and stages 10 and 12 of the Government Schools of Practical Art, and a drawing class for free-hand and colouring the solid forms supplied to elementary schools, and of possessing a knowledge of the simple laws of colour. Furniture and Articles requisite, which must be procured at the Cost of the The central school of a town or district, as well as the subscribing schools in connexion with it, will require to be furnished with, Suitable desks and drawing-boards. If they have to be provided, then they should be of the character recommended in the accompanying plans and section. of Practical Art. |