SHOULD PUPILS DRAW FROM THE FLAT? 505 
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Miss SELLECK, of Indianapolis, said that in many meetings we have looked for method. 
We ought to depart with a feeling of joy that at last we are searching for principles. 
Mrs. Hicks said that in order to help the children glorify their drawings we must 
rive them the medium which will produce the most refinement. 
Miss Pascar, of Towa, questioned the possibility of good light and shade before correct 
yutline has been attained. 
Mgrs. FULLER, of Washington, gave the results of an experiment with light and shade 
below the high-school. First and second grade pupils did not see light and shade. 
Third and fourth grade pupils were delighted with it. From there up they seemed 
inspired by the opportunity to use light and shade. Their perspective was greatly 
mproved by the work in light and shade. 
SHOULD PUPILS DRAW FROM THE FLAT? 
BY HELEN BONDY, A GRADUATED TEACHER, VIENNA, AUSTRIA. 
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IN drawing, two stages of teaching must be distinguished ; the first 
must be devoted entirely to the acquiring of sufficient skill in the drawing 
of straight and curved lines in all situations, and to attain a just eye for 
measures and distances on the flat. This purpose is best served by copying 
of flat ornaments either in the same or in other given proportions. But 
this drawing from the flat must be strictly limited to these exercises, and 
ought not to be extended to the copying of flowers, trees, and human 
figures from the flat. 
When the pupil is able to copy a somewhat complicated ornament with 
the least possible use of his india-rubber, in an exact outline which may 
be sometimes drawn out in china-ink, he is sufficiently prepared to be 
oromoted from the drawing from the flat to that from models. This 
sransition from the flat to the corporeal objects in space must be prepared 
for by practical hints on the most important laws of perspective. 
In our Austrian schools the first objects drawn from nature are revolv- 
ng models of thick iron wire, representing the straight line and various 
straight-lined figures that can be set up in different angles to the observer, 
and which afford opportunity to explain how the same line or figure can pre- 
sent different effects to the eye by the slightest change of position. Follow- 
ing, later on, are large wooden cubes, prisms, pyramids, etc., taken singly 
and in groups, which suggest to the children’s observation not only the 
changes in outline an object suffers by the laws of perspective, but also the 
different degrees of light and shade, shadows projected and reflected light. 
[t is easy to proceed from these geometrical models to the drawing of sim- 
pler pieces of furniture, as a chest, a table, a chair, an open door (the last 
giving a particularly valuable piece of instruction); or to the copying 
rom plaster casts of architectural and ornamental details, as well as of 
parts of the human body. 
It is most desirable that public schools should awaken in young minds