20 
THE USE OF ART IN ELEMENTARY 
EDUCATION. 
By T. C. HORSFALL, February 11th, 1890. 
What are the branches of knowledge which have the greatest 
educational value? If there be several which give equal oppor- 
tunity for the exercise by teacher and taught of wholesome 
admiration, it is obvious that if for one of these most minds 
have greater natural affinity than they have for the others, that 
one branch of knowledge has greater educational value than the 
rest. I think that it is easy to show that there are at least two 
great branches of knowledge which more than all others have 
been proved to be fitted to develop powers of love and admira- 
tion, that for them most minds have more affinity than for any 
other subjects, and that for the effective gaining of both by 
teachers and pupils, the help of art is needed. 
The other kind of knowledge to which I referred as well fitted 
to develop powers of admiration and love, and as a form for 
which almost every mind has much affinity, is knowledge of 
admirable human lives, of noble human deeds and endurance, 
of human goodness and greatness. Some measure of this know- 
ledge and of the admiration and love which spring from it are, 
as we all know, absolutely necessary as means to prevent life 
from being poor and noxious. It is of course the conviction 
that one ought to be, and can, if one likes, be good and brave, 
and that one should do the things which will help to make one 
so, and abstain from doing those which will tend to prevent one 
from being so,—it is this conviction, gained from knowledge and 
admiration of the feelings, thoughts, actions, of those who have 
been good and brave, which makes the difference between good 
and bad life; and though knowledge of nature is valuable 
for gaining many necessary qualities and powers, it is in 
its being necessary as a preparation of heart and mind for 
receiving knowledge and admiration of fine human thought and 
feeling and conduct that its highest value lies. The people of 
large towns to-day are in comparison with those of past times 
and other places at as great a disadvantage with regard to the 
acquisition of knowledge of this kind as with regard to the 
acquisition of knowledge of nature. In our towns the employ- 
ment of mothers in factories, and the habit of seeking recreation 
in public-houses and music-halls has, for a large proportion of 
the people, put an end to the family life which hands down 
traditions and tales from generation to generation. Even in the 
