The surface of the paper to receive the wash should not lie flat but should slope a little toward the front edge. The color should be applied with a full or saturated brush, working from the top downward. Never try to work with the brush dry. Take up any surplus water at the edge of the paper by touching it with the dried brush. Use the side of the brush except for lines.

In order to keep the colors pure, it is necessary to keep the color cakes and brushes clean.

After the pupil has learned to put on a flat wash, leaves, flowers, Japanese lanterns, and decorative designs may be colored. Work from large simple flowers or fruit for designs for wall paper, fabrics, oil-cloth, and book-cover design in border or surface pattern.

The simplest kind of landscapes, consisting of sky, ground, distant woods or hills, and trees, but no detail, may be executed.

Colored crayons or paints may be used for simple landscapes showing different seasons of the year.

Paint vegetables, simple forms without details. Never flatten the leaves that might be left on beets or such root forms, but rather paint them in mass as they naturally line on the table. In fact, all color should be represented in mass. In representing the surface of the beet or like objects a flat wash may be put on, and then some of the color taken up with a dry brush to show the high lights.

To paint a maple leaf that has turned to scarlet and yellow, first paint in yellow wash, then drop in red while the wash is still wet. Paint the twig with blended red, yellow, and blue.

In connection with work in printing the first letter of a quotation may be illuminated, that is, either colored, or decorated with a simple composition of grasses or flowers.

The abundance of good pictures, both colored and in black and white, makes it possible for every teacher to have at hand a sufficient number to show to the pupils a well-balanced landscape, and the beauty of a picture representing few forms and no details.

Many simple designs appropriate to Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and such seasons, may be made and colored, increasing the interest and affording pleasure to the pupils.

.

POSE DRAWING.

Some work may be given in this, but it should be limited to proportions and blocking-in lines rather than attempting finished details. Great care should be exercised in selecting the figure for posing. The essential characteristic is simplicity.

ORNAMENTATION.

Ornament is always employed to beautify objects created for some purpose, hence the ornament is subordinate and must be of such a character as to be appropriate to the object, and subordinate to the use for which it is intended. Pupils should be shown this concerning clothes, household decorations, dishes, etc.

There are two sources of ornament, nature and geometry. Leaves, flowers, or parts of flowers, and simple forms of beauty found in nature, are arranged in order with regularity and symmetry in designs for ornamentation. This is called conventionalization.

The study of historic ornament, including the study of the cross as a symbolic ornament, the lotus and the Nile as used by the Egyptians in decoration, the geometric forms of the Saracens, the architecture of the Greeks, the art of the Japanese, the flags, shields, and seals of nations will be found intensely interesting. A portion of the history of every nation is depicted in its architecture and its ornament.

In making an original design for border or surface covering, select a very simple leaf, flower, or geometric form. From this make a unit which is symmetrical and of good proportion. The distribution of this unit over the surface is very important. Care should be taken that it should not appear crowded, and at the same time the unit should not be too small.

The design may be finished in black and white, or color.

If any line of art study must be neglected, let it not be the study of, at least, a few pictures and the lives of a few great artists.

Acquaint the pupils with Raphael, Michael Angelo, Millet, Landseer, and as many others as possible. Tell only the interesting and characteristic things concerning the lives and works of the artists.

Make the December work a study of the Madonnas, and Hofmann's "Christ before the Doctors." Tell the legend of the hermit and Mary, the vinedresser's daughter, in connection with Raphael's "Madonna of the Chair;" also the legends concerning the details of the "Sistine Madonna."

"The Departure of the Mayflower" or other pictures of the Pilgrims by Bayes or Boughton, would be appropriate to the Thanksgiving season. In connection with the study of Lowell's "Vision of Sir Launfal," or in telling the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, study "Sir Galahad" by Watts.

Perhaps in no better way can kindness to animals be taught than by means of pictures, and an acquaintance with the productions of Landseer, Rosa Bonheur, and others.

The graded list of pictures printed in the State Course of Study will be found helpful.

Copies of all the great pictures may be procured at 1 cent each, or miniatures at 12 cent each, from the Perry Pictures Co., Malden, Mass., or from George Brown, Beverly, Mass. Stories of the great artists in inexpensive form may be procured from the same firms, or other publishing houses.

A SUGGESTED PLAN OF WORK FOR ONE MONTH.

Three lessons each week.

First week:

1. Practice in line drawing, vertical, horizontal, and oblique. Work for broad grey lines.

2. Practice in drawing circles.

3. The prism; colors of spectrum, and intermediate hues. Talk on color combinations.

Second week:

1. Estimate measurements and proportions. Draw freehand a threeinch square; a rectangle two inches by four inches.

2. Make pattern for cube. Cut and paste.

3. Make a flat wash of two primary colors.

Third week:

1. Study, without drawing, the cube, number of faces, shape of faces. Observe the cube directly in front of pupil a little below the eye-level. Observe a book in same position, using pencil measurements according to directions given.

2. Represent the appearance of the cube as studied in previous lesson. 3. Mix blue and yellow to obtain green. Make a wash of green on lower half of paper, on upper half a light tint of blue. Let these colors blend where they meet.

Fourth week:

1. Study the milkweed pod on stem. Draw with few lines. The outline will not call for a firm, continuous line, but rather a sketchy

one.

2. Story of Millet.

3. Study of "The Angelus," or one of Millet's other pictures.

An arbitrary plan that could be followed by all of the schools would be impossible. It will be easy to substitute the pumpkin, the holly, winter vegetables or fruits, or spring flowers, for the milkweed suggested. The work on the cube would be too advanced for small children They might be given paper cutting. It would be advisable to have the younger children use colored pencils instead of paints. If the older pupils have no paints, substitute for the painting lessons suggested a border for tone values of lines.

Many helpful suggestions will be found on the drawing pages of the State Course of Study.

The Department will be pleased to hear from the teachers in rural schools who receive and use this bulletin.

Acknowledgment is due the Prang Educational Company of New York, and also the Perry Pictures Company of Malden, Mass., for the use of plates. The cover design is by Miss Harriet L. Sherman of Mt.

Pleasant.

FROM THE PRANG DRAWING COURSE-SEVENTH YEAR.

SUPREME COURT DECISION FOR THE YEAR CONCERNING EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

1.

GERMAIN V. UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT OF CITY OF STANTON.

CONTRACTS-CONDITIONS PRECEDENT-RIGHT OF AC

TION.

Held that while a contractor who fails to construct a school building according to specifications may not recover without furnishing the final estimate of the architects as agreed on, the discharge of such architects by the school district excuses a compliance with the condition under the terms of an agreement specifying that in such case the owner should act in the place of such architects.