Keuka College - Kiondaga Yearbook (Keuka Park, NY)

Page 20 text:

18 THE COLLEGE RECORD. came infatuated with Millais, the artist. This was a deep sor- row to Ruskin, but he bore it nobly, even allowing her to re- ceive a divorce from him, and he gave her away at the mar- riage alter. This sermon of forgiveness, together with many others he gave to the world, although they were not delivered from the pulpit ; and his influence is being felt in nations which he never expected to influence. Ruskin was a realist. The people up to this time had been looking into the past for the beautiful, but Ruskin believed that there was enough beauty in nature itself. The artist learned from him to study nature as it is, and not to idealize nature. He believed that one must be willing to see the beau- tiful, and by beauty he meant, to show sympathy to men, to be willing and glad to work for the joy of doing work well, and above all to keep clear our sight of the real mysteries and and nobility of life. He believed that there is enough in nature around one for inspection, if only one will see and study to understand it. The arts must be the true representation of the character of the people of the times, said Ruskin. One cannot truly con- ceive anything truly fine until one's character is right. The truly beautiful arts must come from the innermost thoughts of a sincere people. He believed that one's character was framed, to a great extent, by surroundings, and that pleasant surround- ings must be had if the people were to be raised from their lowly places. He was very practical in his ideas, and he did not believe in talking high ideals to a man who was hungry and cold. He believed that all humanity must be made com- fortable physically before they can be elevated morally. He realized keenly with what the working class had to contend. He knew that the great mass of men, and even women and children, were working with all their strength to keep the wolf from the door. This is all they were doing and all they could do, so something must be done for them. There were plenty of people who were playing with their horses and gowns who might a great deal better spend money on some useful thing, that is, something useful to humanity, and for these Ruskin had his advice. At the death of his father, Ruskin was left a large fortune,

Page 19 text:

THE COLLEGE RERORD. 17 up of papers, short talks, abstracts, and stories on China, the last to brighten the programs. They are also made more attractive by a few musical numbers, which are given by the members and friends of the Society. Entire control and management is in the hands of its mem- bers, who are led by the President and assisted by the Vice-Presi- dent. The Vice-President, with the committee of President, Secretary, and Musical Director, plan and assign the work. All the members are very much interested in the welfare of the Society, and willingly take all the assignments. They also take an active part in the business meetings which follow the literary program. With a pleasant Society room and a sum of money in the treasury for the purpose of furnishing the room better than at present, certainly the Athenaeums should be inspired to do good work, as they have done in the past years, and they are in hopes to make it even more profitable in the near future. — The Preside?it. JOHN RUSKIN'S TEACHING AND INFLUENCE. JOHN RUSKIN was born in London in 1819. His father was a wine merchant, who had grown wealthy in his trade. His mother was a woman of cultivated tastes ; a strict disciplinarian, vitally interested in the education and moral training of her son. Both parents were lovers of good pictures and good books. The boy read daily with his mother ; the Bible was the book most read, the influence of which is shown everywhere in his writings. By frequent excursions into the country with his family, the boy learned to love the flowers and the charms of landscape. On account of ill health he was kept under a private tutor until he entered Christ College, Oxford, at the age of seventeen. He was not an especially brilliant student, and was compelled to leave his college work after two years, on account of his health. In 1842, however, he received his degree. His parents intended him for the Church, but the narrcwness of the ministry and the shams of the people did not appeal to him, so he decided to give his life to art study and criticism, H e married a girl who later be-

Page 21 text:

THE COLLEGE RECORD. 19 almost the whole amount of which was spent in some charit- able way. He set an example in making parks. He re- modeled or tore down or re-built many tenement houses, so that a few might have more comfortable homes ; he brought to the doors of the poor his treasuries of art, science, litera- ture, and poetry ; he founded and endowed museums ; he offered these costly and precious collections to the people ; he wore out his life in teaching them the elements of art ; he gave his money and his life for the sake of humanity ; he showed the working man how to use his tools, and how to be happy by doing his best in the place God had put him. He showed girls why they should read and how this read- ing should be done ; he tried to make them realize how much importance was placed upon them in this life ; he taught them how they should be educated in order to know great teachers and men of the past ; he laid great emphasis on the place that girls and women hold in the world ; they can make or spoil it. He taught them the duties of the home and the home life. He put forth an idea almost entirely new in his time, that women might enter any profession with benefit to the profession and the world. He showed them what a broad field lay open be- fore them. At the time Ruskin put forth all these ideas the world called him somewhat impractical, but let us see what the world is do- ing to-day along these same lines. Perhaps the world is not directly influenced by him, but its reforms follow very closely the ideals which he set forth. To-day we have public parks ; now there are many more public museums than- in Ruskin' s time. Slowly the ugly, tumbled down tenement houses are baing re-built, with a view to beauty and comfort. Many busi- ness men are making the men under them more comfortable by providing for them a place where they may rest during the noon hour. The smoke of the cities is being done away with, and even in New York City unnecessary noise is being quieted. Women are being educated, with great benefit to the home and the business world. They are beginning to realize their duties and are rising to the opportunities. She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kind- ness.