Trafalgar Castle School - Yearbook (Whitby, Ontario Canada)

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vox COLLEGII 27 one hand and the easy access to open air and nature study on the other, the latter is vastly to be preferred in the formation of an original and native art. The museum student has a great tend- ency to be overawed by the many excel- lent examples of art that confront him or lier on every side, and to take refuge in the rather easy way of copying and ad- apting from others, instead of going out to nature and boldly attacking the prob- lem at first hand as the best artists have always done, and by gradually develop- ing the ability to dream and design with natural objects as themes, a more per- sonal and individual style is developed, and the studies and sketches made in this way are usually more interesting. Flowers and plant forms are excellent subjects for sketches, and almost insensi- bly the student learns to design and to dream accurately. Animals are usually considered more difficult, as they are liable to move, but this very liability of movement and ob- serving the change of form which takes place are very educative. It requires patience to begin all over again every few minutes, but in this way the value of the essentials of structure are brought home to the student, and the power of quickly seizing the main thing is grad- ually acquired. The lead pencil is a most valuable medium for this kind of study as it is so handy with a sketch pad or note book, in which also written notes are useful to assist the memory in refer- ence. Eemarks may be made in such a book on the weather, the season, the time of day, the color of objects and general ' observations on the complex things which a beginner finds difficulty in represent- ing pictorially. These notes of themsel- ves after a while will constitute a diary of great interest and suggestion to the future composure of pictures or orna- mental designs, and even if such are never used practically, they will form in- dividual chapters in your life which will be afterwards prized merely as records. Many a person who finds life in the coun- try to be dull and uninteresting, will in this way open many new channels of en- joyment, practical improvement through the knowledge of nature, animate and in- animate, that is thus acquired. For the student of botany this use of a note book is almost essential, and for the art student it is no less so. Although a good sketch is always to be preferred to a merely written description in this case. To take the place of the art museum we have to-day the phot ographic repro- ductions which are so easily obtainable, and a good scrap book in which maga- zine and newspaper pictures may be pasted, nicely arranged and classified, is also an excellent idea for the young art student, only care must be exercised to have only good work represented. The student must not despise the fam- iliar and native things which surround him or her. These are, in fact, the very best things to draw or to paint, and for- tunately in Canada there are many of sig- nificance, many plants and. animals and birds, domestic and wild, which furnish excellent motives for sketches and de- signs. The very scare-crow in the gar- den is picturesque and worthy of note. The familiar cabbage and pumpkin make excellent subjects, while the horse, cow, dog, cat and canary in the cage are all interesting. During the summer vacation in the country all these things- are about, and the habit of carrying a pencil and note book will be found a ready and conven- ient way of recording the facts of nature, a knowledge of which is the best equip- ment of an artist, always suggestive and inspiring new themes for pictures and designs. T. G-. Oreene. THE ARTIST. He lifts the veil from common things With mystic grace; Holds commune with the souls of trees Or human race. Hears the sweet music of the world With magic key, Unlocks the door and opes the house Of poetry. Katherine a. Clarke.

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26 VOX COLLEGII recital was given in the concert hall by the pupils of Miss Alice Gott, A.T.C.M., assisted by Miss Mabel Sharpe and Mis Mae Armitage, pupils of Mr. G. D. At- kinson. The following took part : soprano, Miss Hattie Brouse- Miss Ethel Terry, Miss Etta Jackson, Miss Edith Reedy, Miss Gladys Morris • contralto. Miss Mar- jorie Ross, Miss Morella Buchanan. (3nce again the final reckoning time has come. What have we to show as proof that our time in the studio has not been spent merely as a recreation from other more tedious studies? At least there has been one person to whom Art has been all in all this year — Miss Wenowae Holmes, who has se- cured the diploma for the course in China Painting and Design. For three years there have been no graduates in Fine Art Courses, so we are justly proud of Wenowae ' s courage in carrying her course through to a successful finish. Although conventional designing and a knowledge of color, together with the act- ual decorating of the china, seem to con- stitute essentials of this course, there must be a good grounding in freehand drawing or color work in either oils or water color. Last year Miss Holmes ob- tained Mr. Manley ' s award for highest standing in China Painting, and this year has certainly fulfilled last year ' s promise. Judging the exhibit of this department as a whole we would say that the aim has been daintiness of design and color for table pieces, and harmony of both de- sign and color for the purely decorative pieces. The drawing, oil and water color ex- hibit was not as large as usual, because, of course, the size of our class has been, like many other things, affected by the war. But this has had nothing to do with the quality of work shown, compar- ed with the first work of the year, a clear advance has been made in stronger draw- ing and cleaner color. But we hope there has been accomp- lished what is more important than things seen ; that greater appreciation of the truly beautiful, that keener, broader and more sympathetic view of life, that turning away from the merely ma- terial to the high culture of heart and mind toward which we believe the study cf the eitH tends. THE ART STUDENT IN CANADA. The student of art in Canada has both advantages and disadvantages in the way to assist and retard the progress in art. In the line of disadvantages there is the lack of fine museums housing good ex- amples of art to stimulate and control the usually rather wild and impractical ideas of the young art student. A mus- eum such as the South Kensington col- lection is full of suggestion and encour- agement. The examples of so many dif- ferent arts, comprising as it does fine paintings, statuary, stained glass, mos- aics, wood carving, porcelain, and beauti- ful medallion and metal work are very inspiring. The benefit of fine art galler- ies and museums may hardly be over- estimated, and gradually this defect is being remedied in Canada. On the other hand, nature and out- door life in this country are, to most of us, more accessible than to the European art student. Between the fine art museum on the

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28 VOX C 0 L L E G 1 1 Y.W.C. A — Our Cabinet this year was especially fortunate in having Dr. Retta Kilborn, from Chentu, China, to address the Y. W. on Sunday, May 23rd. To the old girls Mrs. Kilborn was an old friend, and they w ere all so glad to have her back at the College again, and it did not take long for the girls of this year to get to know Mrs. Kilborn. On Sundaj afternoon Mrs. Kilborn spoke to us in the concert hall on The Women of China, ' ' and her talk was ex- ceedingly interesting as well as inspir- ing. It seemed to fall in as a direct se- quel to her talk last year on ' ' Medical Work in China, and those of us who were fortunate enough to hear her both times, learned in both addresses much of China about which we had no previous knowledge. Dr. and Mrs. Kilborn have labored for many years in China and with each year their love of the work and people grows, and the earnestness of Mrs. Kilborn ' s address was proof of her love for that far-away land, which is still tn the darkness of heathenism. Mrs. Kilborn told us about the women in the lower classes, and how it was eas- iest to reach them, and then in the upper classes, how easy it was to impress them if only admittance could be gained. She gave different personal experiences which added so much to her talk. She left us with a greater knowledge of China ' s need, and a stronger desire to help our Chinese cousins. A few Sundays ago Ave had the pleasure of having Mrs. McAll, of Tor- onto, address our Y. W. on the ' ' McAll Mission in France in War and Peace. To most of us the subject was entirely new, and we were very much surprised to hear of the wonderful work being done in that country. Of course, the work of the mission is very different in times of peace from what it is at the present time. Mrs. McAll, in a very interesting w ay, took us over all the settlements of the mission, illustrating her talk with pic- tures and maps. This time of war is just the turning point in atheistic France, and the mission is doing much in the way of leading the masses to the living Christ. It is wholly among the poorer classes that the mission works. Mrs. Mc All ' s visit was much enjoyed by all, and we hope next year to see her agpin and hear more of the very won- derful, work of the McAll Mission. We feel that the Y. W. C. A. should mean much in the life of the College, and we hope that during the past year it has meant something real and vital to every member. Those who are returning may, we hope, return full of enthusiasm and inspiration for better work in the future, and may we all be able to say ' ' For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will but the will of Him that sent Me.