The Need of an Increase in Facilities for the Appreciation of Art (sreciat 70 71 ished when the representatives Shanghai Women's Organizations met during May for the "Dud institute," otherwise known as the annual international conference of women in this city. A programme was conceived with a measure of by referring categorically "to. the tangible results of former meetings, jand. then proceeded to build surely toward a preconceived goal. It has [succeeded in imbuing the minds of Shanghai women with a clear idea lof the intellectual needs of the community. Tt may safely be said that this represents but a begin-ming, and that the women of city have, in their characteristically thorough way, gone about obtaining first in the minds of their own leroup "an understanding of their goal." Later, they will, i is understood, take the initiative in form-ting" & community committee for the achieving of "their aim of providing a centre where oppor-mity for cultural education may be available.
To have retained the interested: attention of over 100 women, representative of more than 3,500 who factions, for a day and a hall, is itself indicative that 9 process has been begun which will find outlcome..In the minds of those planing the programme was the convietion that Shanghai lags greatly behind other cities In its provision of cultural "opportunities. That here la. China, where the treasures Jot the ages of this country of old artistic achievement should be avail. fable for all who come, it is the more to be deplored that nothing provision for the public is made in 'a way in which it is else where considered "essential. 'The programme was. then, lereate a realization of' this lack: to whet the appetite of those who have known "more. spacious public sentiment which has provided these facilities, til the desire grew great Hor them here also: to analyse the Ineeds of this city, both for children land for adults, sind to find that means to meet these meeds were woefully lacking: and to hear of the possibilities which the city does offer, surface appearances to the feontrary, which require, however, the united effort of the' people to make them realities and not mere potentialities. If the general enthu: siasm, and the vision. which ma fof. the women' seemed 10 glimpse, may" be taken as perquisite final achievement, the first steps have been taken.
Perhaps sphere Atrs, Whitney's able paper put it—would use other term if one could be found—but it can not")
nowhere else the f Shanghai felt than in jon of provision for display art forms—paintings. Oriental and Occidental, bronzes, porcelains, scrolls, every form. Now famous collections elsewhere, it was often without original financial eld, came from small besianiogs
propriation from either" public private sources. As Dr. YS. Teac in his prophetic papet—a tst ment is. a. safe. place for using of art collections, and pro-sion for the proper care of these:
then there would probably be 'Shanghai, as there har been laeere, the interested help of those feo possess such collections. Loan elections' are very. commonly' the Sexinnings' of" permanent ones, At fice "the fod is of indefinite length, ana is virtually the posses: sion of the Academy in which fix Roused. "Or. otherwise, the. auth ening of interest which comes from the "exhibition of changing. loan elections makes'even a short loan acceptable. "And often when "for cine reason itis necessary to dise pose of private collections, the mere face that there are. facilities "for public display determines what this Mispesiion shall bes Mrs, ohn {Ci Ely stacy of the Honolti Art Academy. "the. gift. of "one. who realized that in that island territory there were peoples of every country land race, whose. foheritance was Tightly the thing' of beatty of their own lands from which they. were new cut' of ccmmunteated its enthusiasm tovall'whe hear it. Picture one saw the beautiful open [Ekinese court, from, which. led the rooms devoted to the display of [Chinese art tormas' and" the shame' of Shanghai grew too. Where, in Shang.
can the student go for contion of those works of refer-the modern city of much Jsmaller proportions. feels it is its uty to place at the disposal of its rivens?" Echo answers "where"? There. is no other answer' forthcoming. Yet private citizens own aries, often'of no mean calibre. JAnd even the. private citizen who vould give to his city some valuable als. or leave to. it his collec:
ion, has no urge to do so, for the dens isnot there. 'The auction Tooms, and" the took stores Shanghai at. times offer for sale historical material which this city shaula assuredly' own.
The fact
its languages should not in any way hcemaee: Preieeeeend in deter effort: rather it means that richer heritage can ultimately come to this city. These and points." were convincingly"
Rud of parks—it" was challenging fovbe. told that "Hyde Park in London had an area of hundreds acres (not mow) and the Bois de [Boulogne was also very extensive—ind both right in the middle of the city, in districts which commercial Jeoncepts only would demand they alienated from mere parks!
Shangha must acquire land in the Western district before makes it too late: We, it mut, acquire i, in All the papers of the stitute kept clearly needs of children. Mrs. Ely told of the genius which is displayed in the honolulu Academy of Art in relat Jand behind the latter they for hours on end, with all the resigned ism of the Oriental written on their faces. Even this time-honour-jed inwitution has not escaped the influence of Western civilization and modern innovations. The salesmen pays to them. "Make believe"
founded on the true artistic gained by a museum holds the child importance and meets his occupation for any. child.
eslie's analysis of "other than humble array of scissors and knives, has an enormous pair of scissors (about five feet long) hanging well Jout into the street to advertise its Jwares. " Others are content to sit back smoking, thinking complacent-that the excellence of their goods is already too evident to. require further confirmation. Judging from tke traditional atmosphere of an Eastern bazaar the noise, the quarreling, the loud-voiced bargain jing, we should be proud of our basket fair. Everyone is quiet and well-behaved, there is none of the feminine argument and tearing of Jiair that characterise the "sales" at home, and an. air of. dignified Jacquieserice pervades the entire of the B fof the musical opportunities repres ted—hearing mas. ters of their art tell of it, and of follow the story with illustration, land a hundred other formative artistic influences which it provides. The place of the library which gives his right place to he chile! cannot overestimated. Story hours: books expecially chosen for his tastes: yelatitig of this central ibvary: to the courses of the schools ese, he camaonplaces of ater es, take our poverty the greater miparison. "Citieg at" coun tries which see the child in leer Perspective wall got long find them feiven ssithout the means of pro-siding for his best development.
Its sigmifcant that the question lof change in the political stars of this city did not" enter into the Jéisoussion. There were none who twere not aware that these factors feist. But in both the Chinese and the foreign women who were preseat hey do not count. Shanghai remain' a great city. If"not_ our elves, then other people "will. be tore, whose needs are' our needs, We are the heirs in this city of some public spirited people Fave put their money at our posal." Not set have any seen the Parpamount importance of thus lacing cultural opportunities: but that is no reason Why. thet not. now be effort which Wi uch available for those who come after us. The moment As"br, Ferguson told. in his. recent Shanghai, there is now ing" done. sound oxea Work under the. aegis. [Reademia. Sinieay and enticely new treasures of the Peiping "Palaces, the handling of which in the last. few years" has riven. him so. much Joy. "But it is for without the bounds of possibility that these could he tent, if Shanghai fad'a place for their housing. And recent study of. Chinese art collections in other parts of the world ends with the ope, that soon hina there: may' come the vealizae tion thatthe avt of the West hag Hue also, and that attempts shall mae to provide for its display.
Yeat 'A. sound educative process has been at work' inthe: women's Conference. When they " began, gavlier in this yeat, to speak of 8 cultural" and_civie centre" it was apparently" dificult. to make th meaning clear. All that. Shangha could eavisnge in the way of a civie entre was one devoted to municipal fdministratice. functions. "The wor men have other ideas of public' Civie matters, 'They believe Iti thea place of the city" to provide, from vie fonds in part and from private Sources in supplement Library hall for, maxie: are muscum—and.'thove facilities, which May. inthe best sense. of the, word' rank as_civie enterprises. {ts no derogation of what municipal' authorities have dome in the basic pro made "to hope. for larger sons
Dretations inthe fate jzroup of Chinese tremen see a goal more clearly for the day's discussions. And the sout for the' group rose to a eveat.h in parts of the prophetic but at somme: tine practical outline of Dx.
S, Toaor If some Years. must university now centred in Gene)
nevertheless a The life of any University city is enriched by the influences which flow out from it. Some day, just because he has said it in public, Jand many people have heard him, it will be an accomplished fact. And meantime, Shanghai will hear more of more immediate plans, Let it bbe ready to receive them.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.