Vol.|XII. No. 5 
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 
September 1910 
ERY soon we hope to give our 
readers a treat, or, rather, two 
treats: an issue devoted to the 
work of the correspondence class 
in ceramics of the American 
Woman's League under Mrs. 
Kathryn Cherry, already an- 
nounced, and another issue de- 
voted to the work of the design 
classes of Miss Maud Mason — 
both her New York class and her summer class at Chau- 
tauqua, with designs by these teachers, carried out in color 
for supplements. We expect the work in time to give it 
in October and November. 
A competition of "Little Things to Make" is announced 
for October 15th. We would remind our contributors 
that neither a plate, a cup and saucer, a pitcher over four 
inches high, a cracker jar, nor a teapot is considered a 
"little thing." What we want are really little things that 
can be decorated rapidly for Christmas gifts. The prizes 
will be as follows : 
1 st prize, $10.00; second prize, $8.00; third prize, $5.00. 
Competition closes October 15th. Two first and second or 
third prizes are in order if designs warrant it. 
Besides the supplement by Mrs. Cherry and Miss Mason 
we have in preparation a study of Delphinium by Edna 
Selena Cave and one of Rhododendrons by Alice Willets 
Donaldson. These subjects are new to the readers of 
Keramic Studio and we are sure will prove very accept- 
able. They are decorative in treatment yet naturalistic 
enough to please any flower lover. 
We have also on hand color studies of Iris, Dogwood, 
Wistaria, Nasturtiums, Balsam or Garden Lady Slipper, 
Cactus Dahlia, Snapdragon and Bleeding Heart. We 
would be glad to have our contributors submit designs or 
drawings from any of these subjects. 
The other day the Editor looked over a pile of de- 
signs accumulated by Keramic Studio in the last ten years. 
They represented something in the neighborhood of five 
hundred dollars, good, bad and indifferent — and yet we are 
inviting new contributions in every issue. That does not 
seem like a very economical way to do business, yet we 
hear criticisms once in a while on the designs we publish. 
Why do you suppose we have that accumulation? Be- 
cause we want to give the very best obtainable designs and 
whenever any new contributor sends in a design that shows 
promise, we always purchase in hopes that she or he will 
be encouraged to go on and do better. Then, as the mate- 
rial accumulates faster than we can use it, many designs 
are left unpublished in the process of selecting to make up 
the best possible combination of illustrations for each 
issue. Doubtless many contributors wonder what has 
become of their designs and why they are not published. 
As time passes and the designing improves — and it cer- 
tainly has made great strides in the last ten years — many 
of these designers send in work so much better than that 
first submitted that it seems unfair to them to publish the 
earlier efforts. Then, too, designs that seemed fairly good 
at first, after much sifting seem not good enough and we 
lay them aside hoping for better from their designers. 
And even with all this material from which to choose, often 
we have to publish rather crude and unfinished produc- 
tions and our readers wonder why. The perfect designer 
is born, not made, and like Halley's comet appears at very 
long intervals; meanwhile we have to fill up with showers 
of meteors and meteorites to get variety and, as we said 
before, to encourage beginners. And there is another 
reason. Many times a design, otherwise poor, illustrates 
well a principle and we publish it as an object lesson. 
Though few may see beauty in it, the fact is, that they have 
seen the principle illustrated, and whether they recognize 
it or not, the fact remains that the principle soaks in. 
And so the average standard of our designs submitted is 
being steadily raised. This will explain to many who 
complain, the "raison d'etre" of the "blocked in" designs. 
Doubtless many times they have been clumsy and unat- 
tractive, but the result has been plainly indicated, in that 
the designs now submitted are much simplified, the 
interest more concentrated, the areas better balanced. Now 
we may look for the heyday of overglaze ceramics, and it 
is coming fast." 
As the vacation time draws to a close, we feel like 
sounding again that last call, which we have made so often 
— What have you stored away in your note books this 
summer, of new material for the winter's designing? What 
new inspiration will you carry back to your winter work 
room? Have you been playing the part of the provident 
ant or the prodigal cicada? If you have not been able 
to attend one of the many helpful summer schools, at least 
you could have gone daily to the school of nature, and 
constant commune with that source of bounty would fill 
your garners to repletion. 
From far off California comes news of another pottery 
being started by a few earnest workers "for the good of the 
cause." A few members of the Halcyon Temple Home 
Association of Halcyon, San Luis Obispo Co., have started 
a little pottery under the guidance of Mr. Robertson, for- 
merly associated with Mrs. Lina Irelan of San Francisco be- 
fore the earthquake, in making the Roblin ware. We have 
not yet heard what they intend to call their pottery or 
their new ware, but we feel sure with the abundance of 
interesting California clays, the}" will be able to produce 
something unique. They have already a number of pieces 
awaiting firing and two kilns for which they are now finish- 
ing building a chimney and shed. Since even to start 
such an undertaking means a considerable outlay of money. 
time, patience and endurance under many trying circum- 
stances, resignation in view of the many catastrophes 
sure to come with first essays, and courage to rise again 
from the ashes of the first discouraging firings, we wish 
them with all our heart as much success as is good for them. 
and that right soon. 
Some of their members are expecting to take the 
University City course in pottery under Mr. Frederick H. 
Rhead, and his assistance will no doubt steer them clear 
of manv difficulties. 
