Chapter VIII: Section IV: Suggestive Teaching Methods in Art Related to the Home (2)

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This does not mean that all laboratory problems are to be reserved until the end of the course, but it suggests that each problem be considered carefully to determine if the pupils' preceding training has been adequate. For example, posters may be undertaken much earlier than a problem in tie dyeing. The main requirement for successful posters is an ability to use the principles of proportion and emphasis. A problem in tie dyeing to be successful should be preceded by an understanding of the use of the principles of proportion, balance, and harmony as well as of color.

The successful laboratory or craft problem provides a measure of the pupil's judgment and creative ability; an opportunity for manipulative expression; and a means of producing something that should contribute to the beauty of the home. The pupil should visualize each finished article in its place in relation to the whole scheme of the room or home. The making of articles for which there is no definite need or place in the girl's home can hardly be justified in school time. The use of those materials in laboratory problems with which the pupils will need to work later is considered the more valuable experience. For example, experience in working with dyes rather than with water colors or paints will be more useful to the average girl, for in her home she is more often confronted with the problem of renewing color in underwear or other garments or changing the color of curtains to fit in with the new color scheme of her room than with problems necessitating the use of water color or paints.

Laboratory problems that are well selected and wisely directed will result in one or more of three values:

1. Pupils may have a better appreciation of fitness and purpose.

2. Pupils may have a greater desire to own and use beautiful things.

3. Pupils may have a greater appreciation for possibilities of
beauty in the simple things.

With these possible values in mind the teacher will need to determine which of the many laboratory problems can be used most effectively.

The following standards are offered as a basis for evaluating the various possibilities for such laboratory problems:

1. _Time._--This is probably the most important factor because,
in the first place, many laboratory problems are far too time
consuming, and, in the second place, the total time allotment
for an art course is usually limited in the vocational program
in homemaking. _Every article which can be justified for a
school problem should require a relatively small amount of time
and few repetitive practices._

2. _Ultimate use of the article._--This is a factor which is often
lost sight of and as a result girls make ruffled organdy or
embroidered or quilted silk pillows for which they have no
real use. _Every article should be evaluated in terms of its
relation to use and surroundings and be chosen for a specific
place._

3. _Structural quality of the article._--"Structural design is the
design made by the size and shape of the object."[24] Laboratory
problems involving structural design afford opportunity to make
use of several art principles, but to bring about structural
beauty the pupil must have achieved real ability to use
these principles. _Every article should meet the fundamental
requirements of good design._

4. _Suitable decoration for the article._--"Decorative design
is the surface enrichment of a structural design." Too often
decoration has failed to contribute to the appearance or to
the utility of the article. _Decoration, if any is used, should
make a lasting contribution rather than a temporary appeal._

5. _Good technique._--An article may be well planned, with good
design and pleasing decoration, and may be one that would not
require too much time in the making, but the finished product
may not be acceptable because of poor technique. _Laboratory
problems should require only that type of technique which can
be achieved successfully by the pupil._

The ultimate purpose of this particular part of the training in art related to the home is to enable girls and women to make selections for their homes that will contribute to their attractiveness rather than to produce artisans in the various crafts. Therefore the selection of class laboratory problems must be made most carefully. The teacher will need to emphasize repeatedly the importance of structural value, as well as the utility of articles if the pupils are to appreciate these qualities as more fundamental than decoration.

Difficult situations often arise as a result of poor choices on the part of pupils for their laboratory problems or for the decoration of articles to be made. Great tact is required in leading pupils to see that such choices are poor without offending them. It sometimes means slow progress and waiting until the class judgment brings out opinions that may have more weight than those of the teacher. It is more effective for a teacher to allow a pupil to proceed through the "trial and error" method than to completely discourage the making of the poorly-chosen article. However, the successful teacher must evaluate each situation in light of the cost in time and money and the effect that failure would have upon the individual pupil. The most important consideration is that out of the experience the pupil will progress toward the desired objectives.

The "trial and error" procedure is well illustrated in the following report of a Wisconsin high school teacher:

Related art is taught in all units but is taken up in detail
for the first time in the sophomore year in home furnishing and
decoration, wardrobe planning, and the Christmas gift unit. Most
of the girls come from very poor homes; and the prevailing idea
of beauty is largely artificial flowers or large framed family
photographs.

The aim in the related art work has been to help the girls use the
things they already have and to appreciate beauty in the things
they own and have the opportunity to buy or see.

The following problem arose in the sophomore class of 27 girls in
the home furnishing and wardrobe planning unit:

The girls were to make Christmas gifts in which their knowledge of
design and construction was to be applied. The gifts were to be for
some particular member of the family or friends. After deciding what
they were to make they planned the design and colors. Some of the
girls used yarn or bias tape designs on theatrical gauze or monk's
cloth, making scarfs, pillows, curtains, davenport covers, or couch
covers. Others made collar and cuff sets, aprons, underwear, towels,
laundry bags, pan holders, or passe partout pictures.

Elva came to school with a blue bird panholder to embroider in many
colors as her gift to a married sister. I told her it would take
much time and I wondered if it were worth while putting the time on
a panholder. I asked her if the design were appropriate, and she
said she liked it better than the plain quilted holders.

I did not know what to do as I did not want her to spend time on
such a foolish and inappropriate article but decided that she might
be convinced of her poor choice after making it so I allowed her to
work on the holder, giving her help as needed, but no encouragement
as to the beauty of the holder. In order that the others in the
class might be more convinced concerning some of the things we had
discussed in our related art from this holder, I asked each girl to
keep accurate account of time spent in making the gifts.

The girls who were making plain holders had finished a set of them
and at least one other simple gift while Elva continued embroidering
on her holder. Everyone was much interested in all of the gifts
and made many comments. Although none but Elva knew my views, she
received no class approval or bursts of enthusiasm over her holder,
and one girl even ventured to ask her if she thought her holder was
good design.

Finally the gifts were finished, and each girl exhibited her work,
criticizing it both constructively and adversely. Finally it was
Elva's turn. It was a pleasant surprise when she said: "I spent
6-1/2 hours of time on this one holder, and I don't like it now.
I could have made six plain ones, and they would have been better
in design and served the purpose better than this one will. I don't
think my sister will appreciate this holder more or maybe as much
as one of the others."

The class did not take exception to her criticism, and we then
evaluated the design, appropriateness, and time spent on it. The
class decided Elva was right in her conclusions that she had made
a mistake.

As most of the girls were giving their gifts to persons in the
community, we discussed placing and use of the various gifts, and
the girls decided that after Christmas they would tell how or where
the gifts were being used. When this time came and Elva reported,
she said the panholder had surely been used and was so badly
scorched that you couldn't even see the design that took 6-1/2 hours.

Several laboratory problems which teachers have used in art classes are here presented. In the light of the standards which are offered as a basis for determining what problems shall be chosen, they are discussed briefly as to their educational possibilities. The order in which they are listed is alphabetical and not suggestive of importance in ranking.

1. _Block printing._--If the designs are so simple that the girl
learns how to adapt similar simple designs to other things for
her home, this problem may have value in such a course. In
addition, the girl is acquiring a wall hanging or a table cover
that will have an appropriate place in her home. Such simple
blocks may be kept for using on a variety of articles for gifts
which the girl can make at very little expense and in a short
time. The "stick printing" also offers some opportunity for
adapting designs.

2. _Fabric or yarn flowers for the wardrobe._--If such articles are
made of appropriate materials, there is opportunity for girls
to exercise judgment in the selection of colors, textures, and
combinations that are suited for their use on special garments.

3. _Hand stitchery (embroidery, hemstitching, fagoting, and
quilting)._--In so far as the pupils can justify the use of hand
stitchery for a particular article or garment and then confine
their efforts to the choosing and adapting of designs, to the
planning of color combinations and to the doing of just enough
of the stitchery to learn the process, stitchery problems may
have a place in the art course. The actual repetition of stitches
is too time consuming for class practice. Unless the pupils will
finish such problems outside of class some others would better
be chosen. There is an opportunity through stitchery problems
to show girls how a bit of appropriate handwork may be applied
to an inexpensive ready-made garment, thereby enhancing its
attractiveness and value.

4. _Lamp shades._--Lamp shades may be individual class problems
if the pupils have real need for them. If made in class the
educational value comes through planning the size and shape,
choosing suitable and inexpensive materials, and adapting
appropriate designs to them.

5. _Lettering._--Since in many real situations in life one is
requested to print one's name, it would seem desirable to
include some very simple straight-line printing problems.

6. _Marbleized paper._--This is a possible class exercise which
involves the handling of colors. Such papers may be utilized
as wrapping for gifts, book covers, desk sets, or portfolios.

7. _Painting furniture._--There will probably be little opportunity
or need for the actual carrying out of such a laboratory problem
in the beginning course in art related to the home, but it may
be used successfully in a later unit in home furnishing or in
a home project. The educational value in painting furniture is
confined to the choice of finish and color and in learning the
manipulative processes. The actual painting of many pieces is
too time consuming to be done at school and too laborious for
young girls to do unassisted at home.

8. _Place cards._--The choice of size and shape of card and the
placing of the name on it are the important factors in using
plain place cards. Here is an opportunity for girls to make use
of straight-line letters. In selecting and making decorated
place cards, suitability to purpose and kind and amount of
decoration are other factors that need to be considered.

9. _Portfolios._--Simple portfolios may be appropriately used
as class problems provided the pupils have a need for them.
They afford opportunity for the application of the principles
of proportion, emphasis, and harmony as well as of color.
If decoration is to be used, it should be simple and suited
to the material of which the portfolio is made and to its
intended use.

10. _Posters._--When the need for posters arises, a related art
class may profit by applying their knowledge of color, emphasis,
and space arrangement in making them. For a simple yet attractive
poster, a well-mounted picture which suggests the story with one
or two lines of lettering may be grouped to form a unit. This
takes but a short time. For those students having difficulty
in making the straight-line letters in crayon or ink, the gummed
or cut letters may be used, or a school stamp lettering press
may be utilized.

11. _Rug hooking._--The educational value of this problem is in the
selection and adaptation of designs and colors to the spaces
and materials used. Beyond this point it is largely repetitive
manipulation; and unless girls want to finish rugs outside of
class, and will have an opportunity to do so, such work should
be discouraged.

12. _Tie dyeing._--If good dyes are procurable and the exercise is
limited to using a few hues, tie dyeing may be desirable from the
standpoint of developing ability to combine colors successfully
and to the fitting of the design to the shape of the piece dyed.
If used as a class problem, special attention needs to be given
to the adaptation of design to the space. This means careful
preparation of the material for the dye bath. Wise planning for
the desired color effects is also essential.

Shaded dyeing offers an interesting opportunity for further use
of color. The problem involves the recognition of interesting
ranges of values and the determination of pleasing space
relations for those values.

It has been suggested previously that handling dyes would be a
more valuable experience to girls than using paints or water
colors. However, to insure success, dyes of standard quality
should be selected and carefully prepared. Soft water has been
found best for most dyes. A soft, loosely woven material without
dressing is typical of the fabrics that are most frequently dyed
at home and may well be used at school. Carefully dyed yard or
half-yard lengths of cheese cloth have been found valuable in
supplementing other fabrics in the study of color. The experience
girls gain in mixing and handling the dyes for these short length
pieces has been deemed by some teachers as far more valuable than
that gained through making flat washes for a color chart as a
means of understanding colors and their relationships.

Much time is usually lost in having pupils attempt to mix paints
for flat washes for the various hues of color charts. The purpose
of making color charts is to provide the girls with a guide for
recognizing and combining colors. Many teachers have found that
a more successful method is to have the pupils arrange colored
fabrics or papers in the order of their hue relationship. It has
not been considered necessary for each pupil to do this, since
the ability to recognize hues and their relationships may be
equally well achieved through working in groups. A large chart
of standard hues provided by the teacher will be valuable in
developing understanding of color.

13. _Weaving._--This problem requires a loom, and for the small amount
of weaving that should be done in school and in view of future
needs, the teacher is seldom justified in asking for such a piece
of equipment.

Book ends, trays, and candlesticks are essential articles from the standpoint of utility and well-selected ones are valuable as illustrative material in the development of good judgment in their selection and arrangement. When these articles are used as laboratory problems, special care should be taken to avoid placing the emphasis upon decoration.

There are no doubt other problems that may be used successfully. However, only those should be chosen that will supplement the art training advantageously and that will measure up to the five suggested standards on pages 47-48, which, stated in more specific terms, are--

1. Every article should require a relatively small amount of
time and few repetitive practices.

2. Every article should be evaluated in terms of its relation
to use and surroundings and chosen for a specific place.

3. Every article should meet the fundamental requirements of
good design.

4. Decoration, if any is used, should make a lasting contribution
rather than a temporary appeal.

5. All problems should require only that technique which can be
achieved successfully by the pupils.

FIELD TRIPS

Field trips in some form have been used to quite an extent in the teaching of many subjects and have been undertaken for a variety of reasons. In the teaching of art the purpose may be fourfold:

1. To stimulate interest in beauty.

2. To provide contact with materials and articles as they are to be
found in life.

3. To extend information.

4. To provide additional opportunity for exercising judgment.

Unless the trips to be made by the class are planned carefully they may become merely freedom from regular school routine. If the group has an opportunity to help plan the trip, including the route to be taken, the points of interest to be looked for and reported upon at the next regular meeting of the class, the conduct to be maintained on the trip, and the courtesy due the homemaker or the merchant or the business man who is cooperating with the class visit, there is bound to be greater interest and concentration upon the trip with more beneficial results.

Trips taken very early in the unit or course can do little more than serve as a means of stimulating interest in the new phase of work. Trips taken later may be used to verify conclusions and develop judgment in making selections as well as to create broader interests.

One class in a study of clothing selection made several trips to the local stores. The first one was preceded by a study of surface pattern in dress fabrics from the standpoint of the effect of design and color upon the appearance of the wearer. The trip to the local stores was made to determine which of the wash dresses exhibited in three store windows best met the standards which the class had set up for such a dress. The standards were as follows:

1. The style or design of the dress should be suited to the kind
of fabric and the surface pattern of it.

2. The trimming should be in harmony with the construction lines
and the color of the dress.

3. The surface pattern of the material should be one of which the
wearer and her friends would not soon tire.

In this particular case, since the class was small and the trip included only window shopping, some discussion was carried on in the group as they stood outside of the display windows.

At a little later time the same class was taken to the stores on a shopping trip. Each pupil was asked to select material for two dresses for one of her classmates, one to be for a washable school dress and the other for a "dress-up" dress. The materials were to be selected from the standpoint of color and design for the individual and of suitability for the type of dress. The procedure set up by the class previous to the trip was to work quietly and independently at the store and to refrain from saying why they did or did not like various things they saw there. When each girl had made her selections she was to ask the clerk for small samples and to be sure that the rest of the class saw the large pieces from which she had made her selections. During the next class period each girl exhibited her samples and justified the choices she had made. The girl for whom the selections had been made was given an opportunity to express her opinion, and the remainder of the group were encouraged to comment upon the proposed materials.

When these pupils later had the problem of selecting materials for the new spring dresses they had decided to make in class, there were many evidences that the experience gained on the trips to the stores had been of real value to them.

In the study of accessories for the spring dress this class had another window-shopping trip which followed a lesson on the selection of shoes. The purpose of this trip was to see what effect trimming lines had upon the apparent width and length of the shoes and to choose from those displayed in the windows the style of shoe that would be most suitable for some member of their class to wear with a dress she had made or purchased.

Field trips that have a definite purpose and are well planned and arranged for in advance can make valuable contributions to the classroom training in art. If a class is to be taken on a trip to a store, to visit a home in the community, or to an industrial plant it is only courteous and an evidence of good management for the teacher to obtain permission and make necessary arrangements with the merchant, the homemaker, or the manager far enough in advance to avoid conflict in time and to plan in accordance with their most convenient time for visitors.

MEASURING RESULTS

How can the degree to which art training is functioning in the lives of the girls and women be determined? It is fully as important for the teacher to evaluate results of her teaching as to plan for it carefully. This has been commonly recognized as a definite part of teaching, but the procedure has been largely limited to the giving of written tests. Such tests have usually been of the type that measure factual information and have probably failed to indicate the degree to which the student's life has been improved by her use of the art information.

Tests which are thought provoking and the solving of school problems are both valuable measures, but they are not sufficient in themselves for testing art. They fail to reveal whether or not the girl is making voluntary and satisfactory art applications or appreciating beauty to any greater extent in her everyday life. Whitford[25] refers to outcomes as follows:

Two significant and fundamental outcomes of art education are
revealed by an analysis of the relation of this subject to the
social and occupational life of the pupil. These are, first,
ability to recognize and appreciate art quality and to apply
this ability to the needs of everyday life; and, secondly, ability
to produce art quality even though in a relatively elementary form.

When art has been effectively taught there are many tangible evidences of its functioning in the personal and home life of the girl. What are some of these tangible evidences that indicate successful art training? The outstanding ones may be found in the girl's appearance at school and in the choice and arrangement of furnishings in her room and home.

=Evidences of the Successful Functioning of Art in the Classroom=

Improved personal appearance of pupils may manifest itself in their selection of ensembles from garments already possessed or from newly selected garments from the standpoint of--

1. Color combinations.
2. Texture combinations.
3. Appropriateness of clothing for school.
4. Appropriateness of style of garments to the girl.
5. Appropriateness of accessories.

The story of freckled-faced Mary well illustrates how art did function in one girl's life. She was an unmistakably plain high-school girl. Her hair was red, her face freckled, and her nose decidedly retrousse. Her clothes of gaudy colors never fitted and always seemed to emphasize her personal deficiencies. But one day a new teacher came to the school, whose business it was to teach home economics, and into her hands Mary, mercifully, came. A few months later the State supervisor of home economics, a close observer, visited the school, and her attention was soon drawn to Mary, not as the worst-looking girl in the school but as one of the best-looking girls in the school. Soft, becoming colors, good lines, and a suitable style of garments had brought out the best tints in her red hair, softened the freckles, and transformed a plain girl into an attractive one. All of this had been accomplished as an indirect objective of the teacher in her related art instruction in home economics. Mary had unconsciously learned that beauty is, after all, a relative term in regard to individual objects and that it is the setting that gives grace and charm.

Unless the teacher is on the alert some interesting evidences of successful teaching may go unnoticed. Some of the changes in the pupil's appearance come about gradually and without audible comment. Such was the case in one class. Most of the year Betty had been wearing an old 1-piece wool dress. During the winter she had worn a belt of the dress material at a low waistline, so that the belt covered the line at which the pleats were stitched to the dress. Early in the spring, and, as it happened, near the beginning of the art unit, Betty evidently became much interested in the styles that advocated a return of the normal waistlines and succumbed to the appeal of the new leather belts in the store window. For several days she proudly wore a wide leather belt fairly tight and high, with this straight flannel dress, all unconscious of the fullness bunching above the belt, the poor proportions of the dress, and the poorly finished seam where the pleats were joined to the dress. After some time had been spent on the art unit in which no direct reference had been made to Betty's belt, the teacher was very much pleased one morning to notice that Betty had taken in the side seams of her dress to remove some of the fullness and was wearing the leather belt a little more loosely and somewhat lower, so that the space divisions of the dress were more pleasing. Is there a better evidence of successful art training than that which shows that the pupil is able to adapt in an attractive way the garments of her present wardrobe so that they measure up to the individual's desire to be up to date?

A Kansas teacher reports that she overhears comments among girls before and after school which reveal evidences that art is influencing tastes. Here are some examples of these comments:

That color is too bright for her.

That particular green dress makes her skin look yellow.

Those beads harmonize beautifully with that dress.

She is one girl who should not wear her belt high. It makes her
look so short and dumpy.

I have given my sister my colored scarf, which I now realize
clashed with everything I had, but fits in with her things.

Better pupil contributions to class work constitute another evidence of the effectiveness of art instruction. These manifest themselves in--

1. Voluntary reports and comments of observations and experiences.

2. The bringing in of illustrative material for class and bulletin
board use.

3. The asking of relevant questions.

Some of these may be evidenced outside the regular class period. This was true in the case of Joan, a high-school freshman in an art class, who had been rather unwilling at times to accept the art standards set up by the rest of the class. Her argument was, "What difference does it make? Why can't everyone select just the things she likes?" Very little attention was definitely directed to her for she would sulk if pressed for a reason to justify her statement that everyone should choose as she liked.

One Monday morning the teacher, upon her arrival at school, found Joan waiting in the classroom to tell her of the shopping trip she had had with her mother on Saturday. Joan had selected a red silk dress which she and her mother had both liked. After going home Joan had begun to wonder if the dress would look all right with her last year's coat and hat and wanted to know what kind of hose would be best to wear with the dress. This teacher could well feel that her art teaching was developing in Joan a real interest in art.

Assumption of greater responsibility by the pupils for more attractive arrangements at school contribute another evidence of the effectiveness of art instruction. This may manifest itself in the arrangement of--

1. Articles on tables, buffets, or bookcases.
2. Flowers in suitable bowls.
3. Books and magazines.
4. Exhibit cabinets.
5. Stage settings for class plays.

Still another criterium of the effectiveness of art instruction is the spread of interest in the work from home economics pupils to others in the school.

A teacher of related art in Missouri says:

One of the most striking and pleasing evidences of art's carrying
over is the fact that so many girls outside of the home-economics
department come in and ask questions regarding some of our pupils'
clothing or ask to see the art work done here. The seniors in the
teacher-training department are especially interested, as they
expect to teach art in the rural schools and have had practically
no work in it.

=Evidences of the Successful Functioning of Art in the Home=

One of the most gratifying results of art teaching is the influence it creates in improving the homes of the community. This may be seen through--

1. More attractive arrangements and rearrangements of furniture,
rugs, pictures, and accessories.

2. Elimination of unnecessary bric-a-brac.

3. More suitable use of color.

4. More appropriate choice of textiles and texture combinations.

5. Improved selection and care of shrubbery, hedges, and flower
beds. Removal of unnatural or grotesque shapes.

6. Improvements in walks, trellises, fences, and gates to make
them more suitable for house and grounds.

A teacher in a vocational school in North Dakota reports as follows:

One of the most valuable evidences of improved practices that I see
from our art work is the girls' appreciation of things that are
beautiful and their desire to acquire a few truly beautiful things
for their own rooms and homes.

An itinerant teacher trainer describes a lesson in related art which she observed. It is given here for its very practical suggestion of a means for measuring results of teaching:

The day before my visit the teacher had taken all the girls of her
class to a city about 18 miles away to purchase Christmas gifts
for their mothers. The girls had limited themselves as to possible
types of gifts within their limited means and at the same time
suitable for their mothers. Only one gift cost more than $1 and
that was the joint gift of two sisters to their mother. The class
had agreed that each gift should be of such nature that the
application of art principles studied would be involved in making
a choice. They had practically confined themselves to pictures,
beads, book ends, or vases.

All of the gifts had been brought to the home-economics rooms for
storage until the Christmas tea when they would be presented to
the mothers.

The girls brought out all their purchases and all entered into the
judging without false modesty. In some cases the purchasers were
able to suggest improvements in future purchases.

The entire group showed unusual poise, self-confidence, and good
judgment, as well as tact, in making suggestions.

The new problem arising from this lesson of designing an invitation
to the annual Christmas tea for the mothers was a very real one to
the girls. The principles of balance were taught and applied, and
the girls decided on a design for the invitation.

Various tests and problems may also serve to measure the results of art teaching. A description of the test which was used at the end of one art unit, as a basis for determining the use the pupils were able to make of that training, is here included. It is hoped that this plan may prove suggestive to other teachers.

The test was given at the close of an art unit which had been conducted according to the method described earlier in this section. (See Section IV, pp. 34 to 42.) The class consisted of ninth-grade girls and met for daily class periods, 80 minutes in length.

At the beginning of the period on this day the teacher told the class that the first part of the period was to be devoted to a make-believe shopping trip. In this test, cost was not a factor but the material used did not include too wide a range in values. Slips with the names of the articles for which they were to shop and directions were prepared. Some of the shopping was to be done individually and some of it by groups. When all were finished the shoppers were to meet in the classroom and be given an opportunity to see all of the "purchases" and to know why each selection had been made. The slips were then passed out from which the pupils were to draw. The directions for procedure on the slips were as follows:

1. Select from the box of scarfs the one you think would be most
suitable to wear with the blue coat that is in the clothing room.
(Three girls drew copies of this slip and worked together in
choosing the scarf and justifying the final choice.)

2. For the plain tailored flannel school dress hanging in the
clothing room, select a scarf or some appropriate accessory which
could be worn with the dress to introduce variety. (Three girls
worked on this shopping problem.)

3. Mrs. B. wishes to use this colored picture and these blue-green
pottery candlesticks in an arrangement on her mantel. She does
not know what color of candles to buy. She is afraid that if she
uses blue-green candles the color combination will be monotonous.
Which of these candles would you suggest? Why? (There was
considerable variation in the candles provided. In addition to
several hues from which to select there were plain as well as
decorated candles, and some variations in length. Two girls made
this selection.)

4. Suppose your bedroom were a small one and had but one window in
it. Select from these samples the wallpaper design that you think
would make the room look larger and the material to use for
draperies in the room. (A large wallpaper sample book and several
samples of plain and figured fabrics in a variety of colors were
provided for the two girls who did this shopping.)

5. You are to have a new print dress. Which of these pieces of
material would you choose as having the most rhythmic design?
Which trimming material do you think would be best to use with
it? (Several samples of printed materials were pinned together
and each pupil who drew a copy of this slip was given a separate
set from which to choose. Bias tape, braid, and lace, as well as
plain and printed fabrics, were provided for trimmings.)

6. Choose from these printed fabrics the one that you think would
be most suited in color and design for some member of this class.
Tell for whom you have made the selection, justify your choice,
and suggest the trimming that you think would be most appropriate.
(The selections were made from a miscellaneous group of samples,
printed and plain materials in a variety of colors.)

7. From colored fabrics plan three color combinations that could be
used for a dress. Describe the combinations that you have used
in each as to hue, value, and intensity, indicating areas of each
color and justify their use together. (An assortment of fabrics
separate from those used by other pupils was prepared for this
group to save time and to enable the pupils to work independently.
If fabrics are not available, papers may be used, although colors
are never the same as in fabrics.)

As soon as the "purchases" were all completed the pupils individually or as group representatives, exhibited the selections to the class and gave the reasons justifying each choice. The entire class participated in commending or criticizing the selections made and the reasons given. Here the teacher was able not only to measure the individual's ability to solve a given problem but to observe how readily the pupils could recognize desirable selections and offer correct art reasons as the basis for those selections.

Immediately following the reports, the pupils took their places around the tables in the clothing laboratory, and the remainder of the period was devoted to individual and written judgments of materials which were passed around the class. This material was numbered, and to each piece was attached a slip of paper containing suggestive questions and directions as follows:

1. To which of these mounted pictures do you think the margins are
best suited? Why? (The pictures cut from magazines were suitable
for the classroom or a girl's room and were mounted on a neutral
construction paper. Only one had margins suited to the size and
shape of the picture.)

2. Which of these stamped and addressed envelopes do you think has
the most pleasing margins? Why? (Several envelopes differing in
size and shape were addressed and stamped in a variety of ways.)

3. Which of these dress designs are balanced? Select one that you
have decided is not balanced and suggest the changes necessary
to make it so. (Illustrations of several dress designs that the
pupils themselves might use were chosen from a current fashion
sheet and were mounted and numbered. Attention was first focused
on the designs which were balanced and then on the possibility
of improving those that were not balanced.)

4. In which of these pieces of china do you think the design is in
harmony with the shape of the dish and would make a suitable
background for food? Justify your choice. (In the absence of
real china, magazine advertisements of china furnished the
necessary examples from the standpoint of color and design.)

5. Which of these three border designs has rhythm made most
beautiful? Why? (Advertisements of towels with borders furnished
the designs.)

6. Is this calendar pleasing in proportion? Give reasons for your
answer. (The calendar was quite a long rectangle in shape, but
the margins were well suited to it, and the entire space was
well divided.)

7. What in this picture catches your attention first? How has the
artist emphasized it? (The picture used was one taken from a
magazine cover and was a copy of a painting of recognized merit.)

8. Which of these fabrics has the most pleasing combination of
stripes? Why is that piece more pleasing than the other two?
(Cotton materials were provided with stripes varying from those
that were regularly repeated at intervals as wide as the stripes,
to those in which there was an interesting grouping of stripes
of varying widths.)

9. Which of the containers pictured in this advertisement would
you select to use for an arrangement of flowers? Why? (The
containers varied from those which were undecorated and well
proportioned, to those which were elaborate in shape as well
as in surface decoration.)

10. On this page are two color combinations. Tell what scheme has
been used and by what means the colors have been harmonized.
(These combinations were cut from magazine advertisements in
which the combinations were pleasing. The colors had been
harmonized through the quality of each color as well as the area.)

In each of the above situations the answer was not considered adequate if the pupil had merely made a choice. A reason was needed to substantiate that choice and the most complete answer was based on the principles of art which applied in each case. This did not mean that formal statements of the principles were required. It was considered much more desirable to have the pupils give in their own words the art reasons which justified each choice.

That such a test gives pertinent evidence of the use pupils are able to make of their art training is shown in the words of the teacher who gave the above test:

I did not want my students to feel that art work was something to
be memorized until the course was over but a thing to be carried
through life. I was very much pleased with the results I obtained
from the class. The pupils responded to the idea that art could be
used in every phase of life even when it came to writing up
their daily lessons. They no longer thought of art as something
accomplished only by professional artists, nor the word as meaning
painting and drawing, but as the feeling or appreciation of things
beautiful in line, design, and color. By having them constantly put
into practice the art principles which they learned, by the end of
the art unit the pupils had enough confidence in themselves to back
up each choice that they made with a reason. I felt that this type
of a test was a true test of their art knowledge because it was
practical.

Immediately the question arises as to the source of materials to use in such a test, for it is evident that those used as illustrative material for developing or applying principles in class can not be reused in the test.

For questions 1, 2, and 3 of the first part (p. 59) the materials used may be borrowed from a store or solicited from interested friends. The girls themselves may be asked in advance to bring in a scarf and some dress accessory. Since the choice is confined to an article suited for a particular garment that choice ceases to be a personal one, although some pupil-owned garments and accessories are used. Drug stores, paint shops, and drapery departments may be solicited for wall paper catalogues and samples of fabrics. Some firms will send fair-sized samples or swatches of material for class use.

In the second part of the test (pp. 60-62) magazine illustrations and advertisements proved to be most usable. Illustrative materials have long been recognized as having an important part to play in the teaching of home economics. The possibilities of their use in testing the results of teaching have not yet been fully appreciated. Further suggestions on illustrative materials will be found in Section VI, page 75. The objective type test also has its place in measuring results.[26]

As has been suggested, many tangible evidences of the effectiveness of art instruction may be observed and several of them can be noted in the classroom. Others of equal or greater importance can not be measured in the classroom, but can only be determined by the teacher as she visits the home, supervises home projects, and participates with her pupils in the life of the community. The home project has been an essential part of the vocational program in home economics since the inauguration of the vocational program in 1917-1918. It has afforded an opportunity for extending the work of the classroom into the home and has developed additional desirable abilities through practice under normal conditions. The project carried on in the home has therefore been considered a valuable educational procedure.

It is also a measure of results of teaching in that it shows how well the girl is able to apply classroom training to actual situations that arise in her project. Art can contribute to the success of many home improvement and clothing projects. There has been a tendency in some cases, however, for the pupil's interest in the actual manipulative processes involved in the project to be so great that she lost sight of the opportunities for the best applications of art.

In the home project "Redecorating my room," there is evidence that the pupil has consciously applied art for the successful attainment of it. This project, reported as follows, grew out of the unit in home furnishing, which is recommended as an additional study following the first general course in art related to the home.

_Name of project._--Redecorating my bedroom.

_Plan of project._--Since my bedroom must be repapered and painted,
I plan to make it as attractive as possible by following some
of the things we have had in our art work in home economics.

The plaster of the walls is not suitable for painting, so I will
select some light and cheerful colored paper with figures in warm
pastel shades.

The woodwork, which is a pea-green color, is quite dull and cool
for a north room and needs brightening up, so instead of having
the same color again, I will paint it a light cream or ivory.
A dark-yellow paint covers the floor, which is quite worn in some
places. I do not like this color, so my plan is to use either light
brown or tan, at least something darker than the walls, as I want
the floors darkest, the walls next, and the ceiling the lightest.

To make the furniture, which is now varnished, blend with the color
of the woodwork and floor, it too will have to be painted a color
lighter than the floor or darker than the woodwork.

In place of white tie-back curtains, deep cream or some other color
darker than the white will be more suitable with plain-colored
draperies, as they will blend with the ivory woodwork and enameled
furniture.

In order to contrast the curtains with the bedspread and dresser
scarf, I think the spread and scarf can be a lighter cream color.

A cushion for the rocker and a flower by the window will also add
color and finishing touches to the room.

_Outline of project activities._--

_Time for project._--A total of 62-1/2 hours was spent on my project
between November 15 and January 11.

_Story of my project._--My bedroom is a northeast room, long and
narrow, with sloping walls, and had but one window on the north
side. This made it dark and cheerless during most of the year.
Last summer my father built a dormer window in the east side of
the sloping walls. Immediately the room seemed transformed. It
did not look so long and narrow and the sunshine drove out the
darkness and cheerlessness. This improvement gave me the idea
of remodeling the bedroom, and I saw many possibilities of
making it into a cheerful and cozy one, where I could spend much
of my spare time.

I began almost immediately to remodel. The first thing I started
with was the walls. They were not suited for painting, so I chose
paper, which I got at the furniture store. After looking through
several wall paper catalogues I chose paper with a light
background and an inconspicuous, conventionalized design in
pastel tones of blue-green, red-orange, violet, and yellow.
(Sample attached.)

Before I put the paper on the wall I cleaned and sandpapered the
woodwork, floors, and dusted the walls. Father and I then began
papering. We had some trouble in matching the paper, but after
the first two strips were matched the rest was put on without
difficulty. The next job was painting the woodwork. I applied two
coats of ivory paint after having dusted the wood so that there
would be no dust to interfere with the painting. This was done
successfully and without difficulty. (Sample of color used.)

The next step was painting the floor. I chose inside tan. (Sample
of color used.)

The furniture was easier to paint than the floor but it took
quite a while to give it two coats. I used enamel that dried in
two hours, so had to be careful not to rebrush the parts I had
painted, as rebrushing causes light streaks after the paint has
set. (Sample of color used.)

With father's assistance, I completed the difficult work of
papering and painting. Then I began the pleasant work of making
a spread, curtains, draperies, and cushion.

I looked through several magazines, catalogues, and books for
the different ways of making curtains, spreads, and draperies.
My mother and sister also gave suggestions as to what would go
best with the room and how to make them. I chose deep cream
voile curtains with red-orange (peach) pongee draperies. The
curtains are made with a wide hem at the bottom and sides.

The spread is of unbleached krinkled muslin. (Sample attached.)
I have a deep ruffle of the same material at both sides and I
repeated the red-orange color in two bands near the ruffle.

The rocker needed a cushion. This I made of figured cretonne,
which blends nicely with the room. (Sample attached.)

On the floor I have two rag rugs which also have colors of blue,
red-orange, and tan.

My teacher came to visit my room one evening and gave me some
splendid ideas.

I shall add a homemade wardrobe for my clothes and put a low
shelf in it for my shoes. In front of the dormer window a table
will fit nicely. I am going to fix this table up with some books
supported by book ends, a simple box, and a blooming plant.
I will keep some simple and useful articles on my dresser.

All through this report there are many evidences that the pupil can apply the principles of art successfully and also that she knows how to obtain further information as needed. Another interesting feature of this project is that the pupil did not consider this a finished piece of work when her original plan had been completed. She saw other possibilities for her room and was beginning to make plans for further changes and additions in keeping with those that had been completed. There is no better evidence of the success of art training than in the effective use the girl makes of it in her home life. It may be anticipated that a girl who has gone this far in improving a part of the home will endeavor to make other desirable changes. To the extent that the members of the entire family welcome the changes brought about by the project and enjoy the results, the project may be considered successful.

The success of art instruction may then be evaluated by--

1. Evidences in the classroom.
2. Evidences in the home.
3. Tests which call for judgment and creative thinking.
4. Home projects.

HOME PROJECTS

Home projects involving the use of art are to be encouraged, not only as a device for measuring the results of teaching, but as a means of stimulating applications of art in the home. Art training will function in the immediate lives of the girls to the extent that successful applications of it are made through the home projects. However, such applications are not made without the ideal and therein lies the importance of developing in girls ideals of having and creating beauty that will be sufficiently deep seated not only to motivate but to carry through pieces of work in their homes that will bring more beauty and satisfaction to the families. Projects carried on in the home demand more than a repetition of certain processes that have been learned in school. They involve the bringing together of many principles and processes, the exercising of judgment in determining which are needed, and then the applications of these in the new situation. Thus the home project is a creative piece of work.

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The teaching of art related to the homeChapter VIII: Section IV: Suggestive Teaching Methods in Art Related to the Home (2)

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