I.-INTRODUCTION.

Frequent references occur throughout the present Report, to the methods employed by the English Government "to promote instruction in drawing, painting, modelling, and designing for architecture, manufactures, and decoration, especially among the industrial classes."

In accordance with the general plan of the Report, an attempt is made in this appendix to compile, from the several official statements issued by the English authorities, such an abstract, as may serve to show by what instrumentalities and methods, this great work of developing English industrial art is effected.

The English authorities seek to extend to the whole population facilities for elementary and advanced training in industrial art. This development of practical education, continued now for more than thirty years, has resulted in a wonderful improvement in many of the manufactures and industries of the people.

This experiment of training the activities and directing the industries of a whole people into certain definite channels, has, by its marked success, aroused the interest of all the civilized nations of the world. The rival manufacturing countries of Europe have closely studied the English methods, eagerly adopting, or endeavoring to improve upon them. To no people, does the example of England offer more valuable suggestions, than to the citizens of the United States; of the same lineage and possessing much in common, there is no reason why a like experiment should not here result as successfully.

In order to an intelligent understanding of the English methods, especially as considered with a view to obtaining similar results in the United States, it will be necessary to bear in mind the differences of the situation in the two countries.

In the first place, to obtain the requisite similarity of conditions, the comparison should be between England and one of the States of the Union, since the Government of the United States, save in the exceptional instances of the Territories, and of the Indians, has no direct charge of the education of the people; the public school systems, being State, county, city, and town systems.

A State can adopt, as the State of Massachusetts has already practically done, the English methods, modifying them in accordance with its own system of public education; whereas the United States, as a Government, has no such system excepting in the District of Columbia and the Territories. Whether it would be feasible, or advisable, for the Government of the United States to undertake to do for Art, as, by its Observatory, surveys, museums, and its various scientific expeditions and explorations, it has already done for Science; is, possibly, a question worthy of serious consideration.

Other nations have thought the encouragement of the fine arts, and the definite promotion of art industries, worthy the serious attention of rulers and people. Up to the present period in the history of this na

tion, except so far as some aid to instruction in drawing may have incidentally resulted from the land grants to the colleges of agriculture and the mechanic arts, the United States has done nothing towards the art development of its citizens beyond the occasional purchase of a work of art for the adornment of the Capitol, or of other public buildings, or by an appropriation to erect a monument or statue to some distinguished citizen; always excepting the loan made to the promoters of the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia, and the exhibitions there shown by the various Executive Departments, as well as the recent Government exhibits sent to New Orleans. These two acts were, however little intended, definite aids made by the Government to the artistic culture of the people of the United States, and to the development of artistic industries in this country; as such they form most valuable and significant precedents.

The value of the Centennial Exhibition to the people of the United States, as an educator, and as stimulating the development of artistic industries, can hardly be exaggerated.

The United States Government has shown, by its acceptance of the Smithson bequest with its resultant responsibility, and by the creation of the National Museum and the Congressional Library, that it would be possible for the Government in similar ways, without undertaking any direct supervision or control of education, to render important and far-reaching aid to the art development of the people, and to foster and promote the art industries of the country.

What has been done, is suggestive of what may be done in this very desirable direction, though this possible future evolution of the Gov ernment hardly seems so immediate as to justify further comment.

As illustrating the differences in the conditions of the two countries, as well as in their methods, a few comparative statistics of area and population are relevant.

Great Britain has, in contrast with the United States, a limited area and a crowded population; Great Britain and Ireland having an area of only 120,832 square miles, with a population of 35,241,482, while England and Wales have a population of 25,974,439, and London, the capital city, has a population of 4,766,661. The United States had in 1880 an area of 2,900,170 square miles and a population of 50,155,783 distributed among 38 States and 9 Territories.

In England all government impulse centers in and radiates from London, the capital city, instead of from many separate centers, as in the United States. Still, in the more populous of the American States, and especially in the manufacturing cities and towns, it is feasible to adopt some of the methods and instrumentalities for the promotion of indus trial art training that have proved so successful in the cities and towns of England; while in every district school, throughout the States and Territories, it is perfectly possible to have elementary drawing taught. So that, notwithstanding the obstacles, resulting from the larger extent of territory and the absence of a single central authority, the sev eral States by independent action can readily secure for their citizens such advantages, at least, of elementary industrial art training, as are now enjoyed by the citizens of Great Britain.

The manner in which the English Government promotes popular education differs widely from the usual American methods, though the Congressional endowment of the Agricultural Colleges with land grants, and the methods adopted by the trustees of the Peabody fund in the distribution of their annual income, both have a few features in com

mon with some of the English methods of affording governmental aid to education.

It may be briefly stated that, while in America, the public schools are supported by public funds, just as all other public expenses are met; in England, the Government assists elementary education by what is known as the grant in aid system. Parliament annually votes a grant of money for this aid, which is administered by a government board known as the Council of Education.

This aid consists virtually of payments made upon the results of examinations by Her Majesty's inspectors, and is paid to the governing bodies of the schools. The term "aid" indicates the fact that it is merely to supplement other resources.

The aid given to the promotion of the study of drawing in the elementary schools, to the art training colleges for teachers, and to the schools and classes of science and of art, is given in a similar manner. Payments are made to the governing bodies of the schools, on the results of examinations held in accordance with the rules, and under the direction and supervision, of the Science and Art Department of the Council of Education.

This is simply in accordance with the customary English method of affording governmental aid to education. It is because of the novel features of this English plan, that extracts, showing in detail the conditions and regulations to be complied with in order to receive this aid, are given from the Art Directory, at greater length than would otherwise seem desirable. The Science and Art Department aids both art and science, and has separate administrative boards for promoting each subject. In this appendix, only that part of the organization and work of this Department which relates to art, is considered.

The Science and Art Department publishes annually a large report, with appendices; comprising a full account by the separate boards of their varied work, and a list, with statistics of attendance and pupils' work, of all the institutions under their care, or aided by them.

The Annual Report is a blue book containing several hundred closely printed pages, and is on sale, as are all English blue books; the price, varying of course, with the cost of issuing the volume. The thirtieth annual report (1883), largely quoted in this appendix, is a book of about 800 pages and on sale at 48. 6d.

The Department publishes each year an "Art Directory," a pamphlet of some 100 pages, containing all the regulations, which apply to art schools and classes, etc., price 6d.; also a similar "Science Directory." A larger book, called a "Calendar and General Directory," containing a part of the statistical and other information" formerly given in the Annual Reports, was issued in 1884 as "a supplement to the Thirtyfirst Report," price 18. The Annual Report is, hereafter, to comprise only an account of the work of the year; the "Calendar and General Directory" giving "general information as to the history, organization, and functions of the various branches of the Department."

From the two latest annual reports, the thirtieth and the thirty-first, published in 1883 and in 1884, each for the year preceding; from the Calendar and General Directory of 1885, and from the Art Directories, the facts given in this appendix have been collated. The latest statistics and changes are given.

The aid to the elementary schools; the payments to the art schools and to art classes; the National Art Training School at South Kensington, after which the Massachusetts Normal Art School was partly modelled; the other schools for training art teachers; the art collections

in the South Kensington Museum; the great National Art Library at South Kensington, with the system of circulation by which art examples and books are lent to art schools, or to local art loan exhibitions; comprise the principal means employed for promoting art instruction. In addition, there are many and liberal prizes and scholarships to be com peted for. The names of all art masters and of all successful prize pupils are printed in the register; so that, to every successful competitor, there is an added value given to the certificates and prizes of the Department. Lists of such books, casts of sculpture, and of other material for use in drawing, etc., as are approved by the Department, are given in the register, with the cost prices affixed. (In the absence of any similar central authority as to materials and books suitable for use in Art Education, and of any such approved manufactures of authentic art casts in the United States, copies of the most recent lists are included in this appendix.)

Thus, by money grants, by providing or aiding to provide all needed facilities for the work of the schools and classes; by careful and constant supervision of the instruction given; by appealing to the personal motives of emulation and self interest, of both teachers and pupils; as well as by affording to the public generally, and especially to artizans, abundant opportunities of seeing and studying, in museums, and loan exhibitions, the best examples of the art work of all countries and eras; the industrial art training of the English people is stimulated and promoted.

The sums annually granted by Parliament for these purposes, and the large amounts ungrudgingly granted for the increase of the collections of the museums, and of the National Art Library, show that this phase of education is supported by a liberal and earnest public sentiment. That the English people think it advisable to make such efforts and to incur such large expenditure, solely for the promotion of their art edu cation, may well give to American legislators and citizens, food for thought.