Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 51.djvu/774

756 as a teacher, agrees entirely with the opinion expressed by Mr. Prellwitz. Mr. Dwight W. Tryon, N. A., Professor of Fine Arts, Smith College, whose reputation as an artist is international, whose pictures have been practically loaded with medals, the list of which would be too long to publish here, has had vast experience as a teacher, but has taken no note of the previous training of the pupils that come under his observation. He says of the average adult, "The power of observation seems hopelessly atrophied."

The above-quoted opinions of men who have a reputation as artists in the highest art circles seem to corroborate Mr. Wheelock, and extend the application to the whole country, the opinion of the "art teachers' associations" to the contrary notwithstanding.

The late Mr. William M. Hunt, reputed one of the ablest art teachers of America, said to his pupils: "You don't drill enough. None of you know what mechanical drawing is. Go into the schools where that and nothing else is taught, and try to add their exactness to what you are now doing. . . . One thing let me tell you: you must learn to make exact lines." This opinion, held almost universally, that the mechanical drill of drawing exact measured lines and spaces leads to the exact observing of lines and spaces, form and color, has led to the use of mechanical drawing methods to obtain accuracy of location in educational free-hand drawing. It seems plausible; but mechanical drawing, like writing, is to a degree technical. "What arts and skills a young man may learn of any master for the sake of mere advantage is in itself just as indifferent to the educator as the color he chooses for his clothes."

By actual measure the error that will escape the effort of the mechanical draughtsman, directed for fifteen minutes to its removal unaided by any mechanism, will be four times as great as the error that will elude the figure painter for a like time, opinions of the figure painter to the contrary notwithstanding.

The following table shows the error, in inches and fractions, and angle in degrees, that will be left by the average adult recorded in the several vocations named: