THE USE OP LITERATURE AS A METHOD OP TEACHING ART AND ART APPRECIATION IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A Project Presented to the Faculty of the School of Education University of Southern California In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Education by June Elaine Felder June 1950 UMI Number: EP45823 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT Dissertation Publishing UMI EP45823 Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 r IB J 'SO 5/^-3 P r O j , This project report, ‘written under the direction of the candidate’s adviser and approved by him, has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Education. Date P r Z a y u . / , / . 9 . 3 ' o ..... Dean TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE PROJECT AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED . . . . 1 The project.................................... 1 Statement of the project ................... 1 Importance of the project ................... 1 Definitions of terms u sed ..................... 2 A r t ...................... ’................... 2 Art appreciation..................... 2 Organization of the remainder of the project. . 3 II. AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE ..................... 4 \ ^ Aims and objectives . . C ..................... 4 Scope.......................................... 6 III. BASIC PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF TEACHING ART AND ART APPRECIATION......................... 7 Principles.................................. . 7 Methods..................... 16 As a separate subject....................... 16 Art appreciation with art o n l y ............. 18 Integrated with all subjects............... 18 Free art periods..........-.................. 19 Art units............ 20 Activities.................................. 23 Teacher materials ........................... 24 iii CHAPTER PAGE IV. ART AND ART APPRECIATION THROUGH THE USE OF BOOKS.................................... 25 Comparison of texts used in art apprecia­ tion courses in secondary schools with those used in elementary schools.......... 25 Literature for the primaryg rades .......... 26 Literature for the intermediate and upper grades.............................. 43 V. SUMMARY...................................... 82 BIBLIOGRAPHY...................................... 85 CHAPTER I THE PROJECT AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED I. THE PROJECT Statement of the project. This project is designed to present a useful approach to the teaching of art and art appreciation through direct experience and emphasis on the utilization of children's books on various art problems and areas. Importance of the project. Art should make people conscious of the beauty to be found in everyday things; should give pleasure in color and good design; should give confidence and courage to express ourselves; and it should stimulate a desire for more attractive and artistically satisfying surroundings. It should enable-the individual to adjust himself more fully to his environment through motivation of his interests and through the clarification and organization of his thinking. Teaching art is, for many classroom teachers, a task instead of a pleasure. Because of lack of background many teachers have no idea of motivating or creating interest in various art projects among their pupils. The time devoted to art is many times spent in drawing and painting, with no 2 thought given to developing appreciation for the materials of the processes involved in the work, and with no carry­ over into the student’s life outside of school. That each child, regardless of school or grade level, may receive meaningful experiences and develop wholesome attitudes through and toward art areas is the purpose of this project. II. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED Art. According to Webster-*- the word art means: "Skill in performance, acquired by experience, study or observation." In this project the previous statement is modified by including emotion and excluding skill. For the purposes of this paper, emphasizing appreciation of art does not include development of skill. Art appreciation. Appreciation instead of meaning approve, as Webster^ has defined it, will be used synonymously with experience. Hence one can contemplate, judge and evaluate all man-made products. *] Merriatn A. Webster, Webster*s Collegiate Dictionary (Springfield, Massachusetts, 1938)* P* 60. 2 Ibid., p. 52. 3 III. ORGANIZATION OP THE REMAINDER OP THE PROJECT Chapter II discusses the aims and objectives of art and art appreciation and the scope of the project. Chapter III deals 'with the basic principles and methods of teaching art appreciation. Chapter IV emphasizes the approach to art apprecia­ tion and art through the use of books. Chapter V summarizes and draws conclusions. CHAPTER II AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE I. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES In the past, art in the curriculum has had a cultural aim with the idea that there would be some transfer of training in solving everyday problems in art but with very few suggestions on how to fulfill the transfer. Within the elementary school, the child must be made aware that art exists in his environment. The present day elementary school child helps in selecting items for the home as well as personal clothing. True art should develop improvement in personal appearance as well as in the home and its surroundings. When the child is developing his judgment abilities, creative abilities, and specific abilities he will be guided to appreciations that will give personal satisfaction and enjoyment. In addition to these, there will be an intellec­ tual appreciation through understanding the use of art prin­ ciples and recognizing materials of artistic worth. There should be a development of aesthetic attitudes in children so that they will utilize this knowledge in adult life. Not only is the desired end the enjoyment of beauty, but the ability to select and make wise use of articles which are good in design and color in everyday life. As Russell3 has stated: "it is that fine discrimination which is often designated as good taste." The aims and objectives of art education in the state of California for secondary schools were stated by Collette^ when he ascertained that: (a) there is little uniformity or agreement as to what constitutes the major general aims and objectives of art education; (b) the greatest emphasis of art education in the California second­ ary schools is concentrated upon art appreciation and aes­ thetic development; (c) there is a strong tendency through­ out the state to emphasize the application of art prin­ ciples to every day life. There has been no statement for art or art apprecia­ tion issued purely on the elementary level. The aforementioned objectives should be incorporated into the elementary curri­ culum as well as the secondary. 3 Mable Russell and Elsie P. Wilson, Art Training Through Home Problems (Peoria, Illinois: The Manual Arts Press, 1933)/ P- ^ Edward Collette, "Aims and Objectives in Art Educa­ tion in California Secondary Schools," (unpublished Master’s thesis, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 193^)* 228 pp.