The Teaching of Art Related to the Home Part 8

In a few instances, homemakers have entrusted the furnishing of rooms in their homes to the related art cla.s.s. Thus it is seen that a variety of opportunities do exist. They should be located and such use made of them as will mean the enrichment and vitalization of the work in related art.

NOTEBOOKS

In the limited time usually allotted for the teaching of art related to the home the teacher is confronted with the problem of how to make the best utilization of that time. One of the first questions which must be decided is whether a portion of it shall be devoted to the making of notebooks. In a.n.a.lyzing the situation she will need to determine the purposes which they serve. The notebooks may be justified on the ground that they--

1. Provide a collection of ill.u.s.trative and written materials which pupils may have for future use.

2. Provide a cla.s.sroom activity through which pupils learn.

3. Measure pupil ability to recognize art applications through the selection of pertinent ill.u.s.trations.

4. May supplement or be used in place of a cla.s.s text.

5. Provide material for the school exhibit.

6. Insure material for compet.i.tive purposes at county and State fairs.

7. Maintain interest.

Answering the following questions may serve to determine whether notebooks are of value to the pupil:

1. Does the notebook provide for worthwhile individual experience?

2. Will it pay in terms of time and energy expended?

3. What is the ultimate use of it?

The following chart may serve to aid the teacher in judging whether notebooks are justified:

Chart 2.--_a.n.a.lysis of the value of notebooks in art courses_

-----------------+----------------------------------------------------------- | Value Purposes of +--------------------+-------------------+------------------ notebook | In terms of | In terms of time | In terms of | worth-while | and energy | ultimate use | individual | consumed | of notebook | experience | | -----------------+--------------------+-------------------+------------------ 1. To provide a | To the extent that | Usually more | Notebooks may be collection of | the activities | time and energy | exhibited, but material for | involved exercise | consumed than | beyond that later pupil | individual | later use | experience seems use. | judgment. | justifies. This | to indicate that | | is dependent upon| few girls or | | the degree of | women use them | | elaborateness of | later in home | | the notebook. | life as a source | | Copying, tracing,| of information.

| | and pasting | | | are very | | | time-consuming. | -----------------+--------------------+-------------------+------------------ 2. To provide | To the extent that | Both may be well | It may train cla.s.sroom | the activities | spent, provided | pupils to be activity | involved provide | the evaluation | observant and through which | opportunity for | in (1) is kept | critical and pupil learns. | exercising | in mind and if | thus aid in | selection. | much of the | making wiser | | mechanical work | choices in | | is done outside | real life.

| | of cla.s.s. | -----------------+--------------------+-------------------+------------------ 3. To measure | To the extent | A justifiable | After selections pupil's | to which the | use of time and | have been made ability to | activities give | energy, provided | they are of no recognize art | added opportunity | the emphasis | use later as applications | for making | is on making | a measuring in the | independent | selection and | device.

selection of | choices and offer | the mechanical | pertinent | opportunity for | processes are | ill.u.s.trations.| students to | minimized. | | recognize and | | | select additional | | | applications to | | | those given in | | | cla.s.s. | | -----------------+--------------------+-------------------+------------------ 4. To supplement | There is little | It is not | Pupil may use it or use in | opportunity | justifiable use | for review in place of a | for individual | of pupil's time | organizing cla.s.s text. | experience | to compile text | subject matter | in writing a | material which | of the course | notebook, since | should be made | for examination.

| the material is | available to | Beyond this, | usually dictated | them through | probably little | or copied from | other channels. | use is ever made | references. With | | of it.

| the present | | | available | | | facilities for | | | reproduction of | | | printed | | | information there | | | is little excuse | | | for this | | | procedure. | | -----------------+--------------------+-------------------+------------------ 5. To provide | Not a justifiable | Time and energy | No use except materials | objective. It | consumed do | for some proud for school | develops a sense | not justify | relative to show exhibits. | of false value. | preparing | to friends the | Some judgment is | notebooks for | notebook that | undoubtedly | this purpose | has won special | developed, but | alone. Time so | recognition.

| the compet.i.tive | used may mean | | spirit so far | sacrificing | | exceeds the | opportunities | | desire to | for the | | learn that the | development and | | experience is | use of judgment | | frequently | in real-life | | unfortunate to | situations. | | the individual. | | -----------------+--------------------+-------------------+------------------ 6. To insure | See (5) above. | See (5) above. | See (5) above.

material for | | | compet.i.tive | | | purposes at | | | county and | | | State fairs. | | | -----------------+--------------------+-------------------+------------------ 7. To maintain | To the extent that | An expensive use | Of little value interest. | the pupils are | of time and | since notebooks | permitted to use | energy, since | are usually | some originality | interest may be | stored away | or initiative in | obtained in so | and forgotten.

| choosing material | many quicker and | | and compiling it, | easier ways. | | interest may be | If there is | | maintained. | seemingly greater| | | interest it is | | | probably in the | | | manipulative | | | processes rather | | | than in art | | | itself. | -----------------+--------------------+-------------------+------------------

In the light of the a.n.a.lysis of their value it would seem that the use of notebooks should be carefully considered before they are given any place in the teaching of art related to the home. If used at all, they should not be the objective of the course but the voluntary effort of the pupils in attaining other objectives and should take a minimum of cla.s.s time. From the standpoint of time alone there is certainly a question as to how much routine work in cutting, pasting, or writing should be permitted.

The teacher not only has a responsibility for teaching but for the most efficient teaching at a minimum cost in time and energy to the pupil. The immediate and ultimate uses of collected materials should be the most important criteria as to kind and amount. When the pupils have an opportunity to choose ill.u.s.trations which show good application of art they are not only developing their powers of discrimination but are revealing the degree to which these powers have been developed. Some practices in judgment are valuable and probably sufficient in themselves.

For instance, when a pupil selects two or three good examples of rhythmic movement in design she will have developed a finer feeling for rhythm and will have demonstrated her recognition of it. Of what value would it be for her to make a permanent record of these ill.u.s.trations?

There are other selections that may be of more permanent value, such as pictures chosen to ill.u.s.trate some art application. When these are mounted or framed attractively they make desirable additions to the girl's room and home.

Ill.u.s.trations suggestive of new and interesting ways of applying tr.i.m.m.i.n.g, or of arrangements for dressing table covers, window draperies, and similar materials are also of more permanent value. They may serve the immediate purpose of ill.u.s.tration in the art cla.s.s and then be made available for later use if they are filed in some way. One of the most satisfactory means of keeping such materials is in large envelopes or portfolios. These may be provided at small expenditure of time and money by using heavy wrapping or construction paper. The latter may be made very simply by cutting and folding the paper to form a double-pocket envelope.

Rather than encourage the notebook type of collection of magazine ill.u.s.trations and samples of materials, the teacher may interest the girls and women in selecting simple articles that may be used in their own homes and will give lasting enjoyment.

If a notebook or portfolio is to be used for keeping certain records for later reference, the requirements for it should be limited to those which are easily attainable by all members of the cla.s.s. However, this does not suggest a restriction of the efforts of the especially-talented pupil.

Each page of the simplest notebook offers opportunity for the application of art principles in the planning of good margins, as well as in making attractive groupings of ill.u.s.trations on mounted and written pages.

It would seem desirable to discourage the elaborately decorated type of notebook covers because they consume considerable time for making and have such a temporary use. Portfolios well constructed and of lasting quality may be used later for keeping choice, unmounted pictures, or photographs.

THE PLACE OF LABORATORY PROBLEMS

The "laboratory problem" is a term quite generally used to designate a problem which is carried on within the cla.s.sroom and involves some pupil activity.

Such problems may involve judgment, a combination of judgment and manipulative skills, or a combination of judgment and creative thinking with some manipulation. They may be used to discover a law or principle, to verify a conclusion, or to test the judgment and creative ability of the pupils.

The term as it is used here is restricted to the type of problem which involves judgment in selection, creative planning, and careful manipulation of materials for successful completion. Such problems are frequently known as craft problems.

Since this type of problem involves so many kinds of ability it is evident that it can not be introduced too early in the course if it is to be executed successfully by the pupils. To the degree that judgment ability in selection has been developed and there has been opportunity to do creative thinking, the pupils will be able to carry out such problems more independently.

This does not mean that all laboratory problems are to be reserved until the end of the course, but it suggests that each problem be considered carefully to determine if the pupils' preceding training has been adequate. For example, posters may be undertaken much earlier than a problem in tie dyeing. The main requirement for successful posters is an ability to use the principles of proportion and emphasis. A problem in tie dyeing to be successful should be preceded by an understanding of the use of the principles of proportion, balance, and harmony as well as of color.

The successful laboratory or craft problem provides a measure of the pupil's judgment and creative ability; an opportunity for manipulative expression; and a means of producing something that should contribute to the beauty of the home. The pupil should visualize each finished article in its place in relation to the whole scheme of the room or home. The making of articles for which there is no definite need or place in the girl's home can hardly be justified in school time. The use of those materials in laboratory problems with which the pupils will need to work later is considered the more valuable experience.

For example, experience in working with dyes rather than with water colors or paints will be more useful to the average girl, for in her home she is more often confronted with the problem of renewing color in underwear or other garments or changing the color of curtains to fit in with the new color scheme of her room than with problems necessitating the use of water color or paints.

Laboratory problems that are well selected and wisely directed will result in one or more of three values:

1. Pupils may have a better appreciation of fitness and purpose.

2. Pupils may have a greater desire to own and use beautiful things.

3. Pupils may have a greater appreciation for possibilities of beauty in the simple things.

With these possible values in mind the teacher will need to determine which of the many laboratory problems can be used most effectively.

The following standards are offered as a basis for evaluating the various possibilities for such laboratory problems:

1. _Time._--This is probably the most important factor because, in the first place, many laboratory problems are far too time consuming, and, in the second place, the total time allotment for an art course is usually limited in the vocational program in homemaking. _Every article which can be justified for a school problem should require a relatively small amount of time and few repet.i.tive practices._

2. _Ultimate use of the article._--This is a factor which is often lost sight of and as a result girls make ruffled organdy or embroidered or quilted silk pillows for which they have no real use. _Every article should be evaluated in terms of its relation to use and surroundings and be chosen for a specific place._

3. _Structural quality of the article._--"Structural design is the design made by the size and shape of the object."[24] Laboratory problems involving structural design afford opportunity to make use of several art principles, but to bring about structural beauty the pupil must have achieved real ability to use these principles. _Every article should meet the fundamental requirements of good design._

4. _Suitable decoration for the article._--"Decorative design is the surface enrichment of a structural design." Too often decoration has failed to contribute to the appearance or to the utility of the article. _Decoration, if any is used, should make a lasting contribution rather than a temporary appeal._

5. _Good technique._--An article may be well planned, with good design and pleasing decoration, and may be one that would not require too much time in the making, but the finished product may not be acceptable because of poor technique. _Laboratory problems should require only that type of technique which can be achieved successfully by the pupil._

The ultimate purpose of this particular part of the training in art related to the home is to enable girls and women to make selections for their homes that will contribute to their attractiveness rather than to produce artisans in the various crafts. Therefore the selection of cla.s.s laboratory problems must be made most carefully. The teacher will need to emphasize repeatedly the importance of structural value, as well as the utility of articles if the pupils are to appreciate these qualities as more fundamental than decoration.

Difficult situations often arise as a result of poor choices on the part of pupils for their laboratory problems or for the decoration of articles to be made. Great tact is required in leading pupils to see that such choices are poor without offending them. It sometimes means slow progress and waiting until the cla.s.s judgment brings out opinions that may have more weight than those of the teacher. It is more effective for a teacher to allow a pupil to proceed through the "trial and error" method than to completely discourage the making of the poorly-chosen article. However, the successful teacher must evaluate each situation in light of the cost in time and money and the effect that failure would have upon the individual pupil. The most important consideration is that out of the experience the pupil will progress toward the desired objectives.