DESIGN, GOVERN:WENT SCHOOLS or, the original designation what arc now offi cially termed " schools of art." The establishment of schools of design had for its object the training of designers and artisans in the principles and practice of the fine arts, with a view to the improvement of the artistic quality of our manufactures, by imparting, where requisite, more symmetry of form, harmonious arrangement of coloring, and general appropriateness of decoration. To Scotland is due the credit of having taken the lead in this matter, schools having been established at Edinburgh in 1700, " for teaching and promoting the art of drawing for the use of manufacturers, especially the drawing of patterns for the linen and woolen manufactures." In 1837, a central school of design was established at Somerset house in London, followed shortly afterwards by about twenty branch schools in important seats of manufacturing industry. These schools were at first placed under the control of the board of trade, and the education in art afforded by them was in a great measure restricted to students of the artisan class. This attempt, however, to circumscribe the action of the schools, gradually gave way to the admission of a more mixed element into their role of students; but no radical change took place in the management of these schools until 18:;2. The great exhibition of 1831, which brought to light the marked deficiency in the artistic clement of British as compared with foreign manufactures, swan no doubt the main cause of the subject of national art education being taken up with renewed vigor. About this time Mr. Henry Cole was made general superintendent, and to him may iu great measure be ascribed the complete reorganization of the government scheme for national art education that soon followed. It was grounded on the conviction that in order to improve the artistic taste of our manufactures, the first step was to elevate the art education of the people at large. For this end it was to be brought into closer alliance with the system of gen eral education. A. national art training-school for educating art-teachers was instituted
at Marlborough house. The nucleus of an industrial museum was also formed there, the government granting a fund of zP.,5,000 for the purchase of specimens of industrial art from the great exhibition collection. Such was the comparatively humble origin of its wealthy and magnificent successor, now established at South Kensington. From this date a rapid increase took place in the establishment of schools of art, which now number more than 120, situated all over the country; besides this, a comprehensive system of art-teaching is carried on in other educational institutions. The following is a summary of the official arrangements for promoting this work, abridged from the Science and Art Directory, 1875, of the committee of council on education, South Ken sington: "Establishment of a National Art Training-school.—A central school, for the benefit of the United Kingdom, is established at South Kensington for the training of art mas ters and mistresses, and for the training of students in drawing, designing, and model ing, to bo applied to the requirements of trade and manufactures. A limited number of students are received into training as art-teachers, receiving a maintenance allowance, which is proportionate to their attainments and the certificates of qualifications obtained by them; in return for which they may be required to perform certain duties as teach ers, and must engage to accept the situations to which they are recommended.
"National Art Scholarships.—A. limited number of duly qualified students from the local schools of art, who may have given evidence of special aptitude for design, are eligible for appointments to national scholarships in the national art training-school, with weekly allowance for maintenance: these appointments are for one year only, but in cases of marked proficiency they may be renewed for a second year.