LESSON FOR THE FARM HOME 



Published Semi-monthly by the New York State College of Agriculture at 

 Cornell University, Throughout the Year. Application for Entry as 

 Second-Class Matter at the Post Office at Ithaca, N. Y., Pending 



L. H. Bailey, Director 



_ T^ TT f Martha Van Rensselaer, Supervisor 



Course for the Farm Home | j^^^ ^^^ g Harrington, Assistant Supervisor 



VOL. X. No. 5 DE™MBe/,-. m I ^^^"^ ''''^'^ '^^^' ''" 



HOUSEHOLD DECORATION 

 Introduction by 



Martha Van Rensselaer 



" Come forth into the light of things, let nature he your teacher." — Wordsworth. 

 " To make work happy and rest fruitful is the aim of art.'' — William Morris. 



E may not understand the principles of art 

 and yet be possessed of artistic temperament 

 or capable of artistic training. We may hold 

 the erroneous idea that to be artistic one 

 must express this quality by painting a picture. 

 Every one may express an artistic temperament either 

 in dress, in house furnishings, or even in the arrange- 

 ment of flowers in a vase. This is the adaptation 

 of the artistic sense to life itself, which is the best 

 aim in education. 

 One simple and effective standard is nature itself. A pot of 

 plants, a vase of flowers, effectively placed is worth all of the 

 questionable ornament that can be supplied. Life has zest simply 

 in the contemplation of these sim^ple forms of art. 



The following little anecdote carries a great meaning: 

 " ' Mary, come out, the violets are in bloom.' 

 ' No, I cannot, I am housecleaning.' ' Dirt will 

 keep, but violets won't.' 

 •' She went." 



Longfellow's advice to Mary Anderson, who became a great artist, 

 was to study each day a beautiful picture, read a beautiful poem, 

 hear a piece of fine music, or observe a bit of natural scenery. This 

 is good advice to the worker in any field, for every day in which this 

 is done is less spiritless and more worth while. 



[1027] 



