Z'.2Z8 IN THE YEARS 1-12 III ISSUED BV THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION' RALEIGH-KC- 1949 nil Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2011 witii funding from Ensuring Democracy tiirougii Digital Access (NC-LSTA) http://www.archive.org/details/artinpublicschoo1949weth Publication No. 238 ART IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS YEARS l-XII Prepared by Julia Wetherington Associate, Division of Instructional Service With Committees of Art Teachers And Directors of Art in North Carolina Colleges Issued by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Raleigh, North Carolina "In the new education art identifies itself with life." —Felix Payant. One who would undertake the teaching of art in the schools must come with more than the practice of the studio. Such a teacher must be not only a student of art and the methods of its presentation but also a student of the child." —James Parton Haney. FOREWORD The public schools of the State have a responsibility to act as a unit in guiding and in equalizing opportunities for every child from school years one through twelve. As such a unit, the schools should have a degree of understanding of the child's total development and of aids and achievements in his development in different subject areas. To this end, a bulletin in Art Educa- tion becomes a point of view in guidance towards the functional place of Art in the life of an individual and toward procedures and activities for growth in composition and design. Attention is given to both the individual's creativeness and his growth in the application of art principles. Art In The Public Schools, Years I-XII, has been prepared on the following theses : First, that Art should be functionally a part of every phase of living. The individual uses art as a con- sumer in his personal choices, in his home decoration, in archi- tectural design, in manipulation of designs and tools, and in his products in creation. Second, that every person as a consumer of art should have guidance in art problems and principles in order that he may be more discriminating in taste. Third, that art is worthy, also, for art's sake. Fourth, that art is worthwhile as a leisure time interest, a vocation, or for the satisfaction of an individual in creating. This bulletin also states a general philosophy that "every teacher is an art teacher." Therefore, it is presented to every classroom teacher, as well as to art teachers, for the promotion of Art Education as a way of life. It is my belief that this material will be a stimulation to the teacher and give help that will promote the art program in the schools. I i State Supenntendent of Public Instruction. June 10, 1942. Revised March. 1949. PREFACE This bulletin has been prepared to aid teachers in carrying on a functional art program in all grades of our public schools. Due attention is given to the various aspects of the subject. The discussion includes the following: 1. A statement of philosophy, the aims and objectives of the art program. 2. The art program, content and method for each grade or growth level. 3. Many practical suggestions relative to art materials, and the correlation of art with all other subjects taught in the schools. The bulletin is designed to give the answers to many questions which arise in the minds of teachers, and to suggest ways of finding the solutions of many problems inherent in the teaching of art. Careful study of this bulletin on the part of teachers will enable them to teach art more effectively, and to derive greater pleasure from it. Art is one of the great spiritual possessions of the race. It is a part of the inheritance of every child, and he is robbed of his birthright if he is not brought into possession of that which the race has willed to him. Furthermore, through the medium of art the child learns to express himself creatively, and thus makes his contribution to the worthwhile things of life. It is not expected that this bulletin or any other device will enable the teacher to make every child an artist in the usual sense, but every child can become either a creator or appreciator of art to the extent of his intelligence, interest and skill. Much has been done, but much rem.ains to be done, and this bulletin, it is hoped, will be helpful in bringing about a satisfactory situa- tion in all our public schools. J. Henry Highsmith, Director Division of Instructional Service. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Appreciation is extended to each teacher who contributed and to the following persons whose contributions in the revision of this bulletin will aid in the program of art education in this State: Gregory D. Ivy, Director of Art, WCUNC; Mary Kath- arina Williams, Art Department, WCUNC; Mary Rosalyn Mes- sick, Director of Art, and Peggy Almond, Teacher of Art, Ra- leigh Public Schools ; Dora Cirlot, ECTC ; Mary Leath Thomas, University of Georgia; Mamie Lee Brooks, Art Instructor, WCTC ; Margaret Smith, Instructor of Art, ASTC ; Lucy Cherry Crisp, Director, State Art Gallery, Raleigh; Mrs. S. Nowicki, School of Design, State College; and to the following members of the State Department of Public Instruction, for contributing to the manuscript : James E. Miller, Eloise Camp, Mary Vann O'Briant, Madeline Tripp, and L. H. Jobe, Director of Publica- tions. Credit is due to Dortha Severance, for the cover design of the bulletin. The pictures are the works of pupils in the North Carolina schools. Julia Wetherington, Associate Division of Instructional Service. "Needing shelter and protection, we build houses and wear clothes; finding it necessary to move easily from one place to another, we develop rapid means of transportation; producing- goods, we advertise them to attract buyers . But the houses we build are more than shells to keep out the wind and rain, automobiles are more than seats on self-propelled frames, advertisements are more than dull recitals of the merits of products. We demand in these and in all the other objects we use a visual appeal and beauty that goes beyond that which results from merely meeting functional requirements. Houses, kitchen utensils, automobiles, best fulfill their purposes when they are fashioned in accordance with basic principles of design. "But human needs are not only for such practical things. Fre- quent, certainly, are the desires for experiences other than eating, working, sleeping, or traveling. It is no feeble urge that compels us to seek ways to express and communicate our thoughts and ideas, feelings and aspirations, through paintings, drawings, etchings, pho- tographs, ceramics, sculpture, textiles and a host of other products. "Art always arises out of human needs, and these demand first study. But when a human need arises which can be met by art, the effort to meet it raises two questions : What shape or form will the solution take ? How, and of what materials, will it be made ? Hence, art may be studied as: "THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN NEEDS The art problems in each life area, such as the home, the community and religion, and the expressions arising from meeting these needs and solving these problems. "THE PROBLEM OF ORGANIZATION (Design) The principles of organization which influence development and form of art objects, the selection and ariangement of parts, the choice of shapes, colors, textures and spaces. "THE PROBLEM OF MATERIALS AND PROCESSES The possibilities and limitations of materials—clay, stone, wood, and the like—and the processes by which they are transformed into art objects. "Each of these problems is- intimately related to the other two. For example, an art problem of the home, involving the satisfaction of human needs, requires materials for its solution as well as attention to organization or design. Thus in the selection and arrangement of furniture for a living room a consideration of the possible uses of every piece of furniture, the relation of each article to the others in terms of function and design, and the use of appropriate materials are interwoven aspects of a single problem." —Ray Faulkner. CONTENTS Page THE ART PROGRAM IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 9 Point of View 9 Historical Periods of Change and Art in the Public Schools 11 THE ART PROGRAM IN RELATION TO THE CHILD. 17 THE ART PROGRAM 21 Creative Art 22 The Teacher Teaches Art 2'^, The Child and His Art 24 Types of Teacher Guidance 25 The Children and the Teacher Evaluate 27 Techniques In Using Art Materials 29 PROCEDURES IN TEACHING ART 32 SOURCES OF THEMES FOR ART EXPRESSION 39 VISUAL ARTS IN EDUCATION 44 Picture Selection and Picture Hanging 46 Films and Slides 47 Photography In the Program 48 Artists of Special Abilities 49 ART AND ARTISTS IN NORTH CAROLINA 51 PRINTS AND WHERE TO OBTAIN THEM 65 PRINCIPLES OF ART 71 ART EXPERIENCES BY YEARS I-VIII 81 ART EXPERIENCES BY YEARS IX-XII 112 TECHNICAL PROCESSES 141 ART MATERIALS FOR SCHOOLS 159 SELECTING PROFESSIONAL READINGS IN ART EDUCATION 163 LIVING ROOM FURNITURE DESIGNED AND MADE BY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THE ART PROGRAM IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A. POINT OF VIEW Interpretations of the art program in the elementary school have gone through pronounced changes from that of copying and formal drawing to that which is an acceptable art program in a modern school today. The reasons for these changes would parallel the reasons for the changes which have taken place in other areas of the child's educational program. This may be called a change in the philosophy of what is best for the child in his development, of what is most educative to him, of how learn- ings take place, and, changes in the definition of the term "artists" to include the consumer in daily living practices.