August 14, 1931
An unusual exhibition of work by younger children of the ages from 8 to 14, will be presented at the Brooklyn Museum beginning August 24th.
Throughout the summer a hundred and fifty children have been attending the classes in various arts and crafts that have been supervised by Museum Docents and assisting workers. An attempt has been made not so much perhaps to teach the students as to direct them in the use of their media and permit their natural taste and talents to develop in the best way possible to insure a genuine feeling. This is about the first attempt made in any museum to continue the winter work in classes for children through the summer when it would appear they have, after all, the most need of it. It is felt that considering the success of the venture, these classes and exhibitions will in all probability be continued in future years.
The classes have been under the direction of the Senior Docent of the Museum, Mrs. Catherine Rich Bruner, assisted by Jean Reid, Hanna Rose, with the aid of Mrs. Michell Murphy as a volunteer worker. These Museum staff members have also been assisted by Miss Carroll of Pratt Institute.
It is a good indication of the need of this sort of class that at least one of the pupils was sent from her home in South Carolina to live in Brooklyn through the summer months particularly that she might take advantage of the opportunity these classes afford.
Wood block prints, metal work, soap sculpture, weaving and wood carving are among the varied processes in which the children have experimented. It is extraordinary just how far these youngsters have gone in the difficult craft of wood block printing and two or three examples stand out as being comparable to work of far older and presumably more developed artists. An interesting technique of hammered tin has resulted in several highly decorative placques and book ends.
In some cases Museum material has been used as a source for the designs but even more frequently the idea has been originated by the individual pupil himself. In any case the design has been adapted thus obliging the pupil to make full use of a developing sense of taste and understanding of the principles of design,
The exhibition will open on August 24th and continue until September the 5th and will be displayed in the Docents' Office on the ground floor of the Museum.
Photographs of some of the work will be available.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1931 - 1936. 07-12_1931, 117. View Original
