ART INSTRUCTION. ' 151 



The Board of Management has done what was possible to minimise these 

 drawbacks ; and large sums have been spent in such improvements as 

 could be made in the old building. The expansion of the work of the School 

 also entailed increased expenditure in various directions, and led to an em- 

 barrassed condition of the finances, which necessarily checked development. 

 With all these obstacles the School has a record of which it need not be 

 ashamed. In the course of the last ten years of its history, during which 

 period it had the advantage of a small yearly grant from the City Council, 

 i^ showed remarkable progress. Between the years i8go and 1898 the suc- 

 cesses at the advanced examinations rose more than threefold, and the 

 Government grant was nearly doubled. The year 1900 saw high-water 

 mark in the national competition, sixteen awards being gained, including a 

 gold medal. But perhaps the most remarkable achievement has been in the 

 direction of scholarships and exhibitions. No less than nineteen national 

 scholarships have been gained since 1872, besides four studentships-in- 

 training, and two local scholarships.* Some of the students who have taken 

 these scholarships now occupy a high place in the art world ; some are 

 engaged in teaching ; and others are employed as designers in Belfast or 

 elsewhere. 



The most important question in regard to any School of Art is whether 

 its operations are of benefit to local industries. A strong affirmative answer 

 may be given in the case of Belfast, though the manufacturers themselves 

 do not appear to know the extent of their indebtedness to the School. 

 Some years ago, when the Technical Commissioners were taking evidence 

 in Belfast, the head of an important firm was asked, " Do you find the School 

 of Art of any benefit to you ?" and answered, without hesitation, " None 

 whatever ; " although at the time he had two designers in his employment 

 whom his partner had lately obtained from the School. As a matter of 

 fact, many of the principal designers in the city are students, or former 

 students, of the School, including the head designers in two of the largest 

 damask manufactories. Several firms have produced designs by the late 

 headmaster, Mr. Trobridge, which have proved most successful, and other 

 members of the staff have been employed from time to time in connection 

 with local industries. ]\Ir. Henry C. Morrow, who has been teacher of 

 design for the past ten }'ears, is the leading house decorator in the city, and 

 has carried out many extensive works in public and private buildings. 

 As an indication of the general tendency of the School work it may be 

 mentioned that, of sixteen honours gained in the national competition of 

 1900, SIX were for original designs for linen damask, six for embroidered 

 linen, and one for printed muslins. Of the embroidery designs the exam- 

 iners spoke in very' high terms. They said : " The designs for white em- 

 broidery, accompanied by worked specimens, from Belfast, for one of which, 

 by James H. Jeffrey, a gold medal is awarded, are admirably adapted for 

 their purpose, and are quite remarkable for their treatment." 



The production of practical work in a School of Art greatly depends upon 

 the encouragement given by local manufacturers. In the early days of the 

 Belfast School liberal donations were given for special prizes, and a large 

 number of designs were produced in competition for these. Such dona- 

 tions gradually fell away until during several years there were no special 

 prizes at all. In the year 1 897, some members of the Board of Management 



* In the year 1899 four Belfast students were holding scholarships in the Royal College of 

 Art. 



