Eakins, Barnes and Dewey- Art for the People

Yesterday in the Inky There was a short article about the Wilson High School art collection. It seems that the principal Charles Dudley was an art collector. The school acquired the paintings for the purpose of including art in the children's lives. The Inky also reports that the art that was removed from all the Philadelphia schools should be rehung for all to see. Money seems to be the issue. Some want the art sold to help pay the shortfall. The conflict seems to be that the school board doesn't want to raise taxes and fund art or even keep art in the schools. Even the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program works with students and prisoners.

What a contrast to the current policy of excluding art from children's education. Is it no wonder that the Trustees of Jefferson felt no value in keeping The Gross Clinic for it's students.

It would seem that there is a movement in America to remove art from daily life and only have it in museums and wealthy collections. This is far from the Barnes and Dewey model of having a cultured public.