Vol. XV. No. 9. 
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 
Janaary J9I4 
^NY, many times have the editor 
and pubUshers of Keramic Studio 
talked over plans for improving the 
Magazine and many are the times 
we have sighed and said: "if only we 
could increase the circulation suffi- 
ciently to warrant it." But that 
circulation, while healthy enough 
to keep us in bread and butter, 
has not reached the point where we can 
afford the improvements we have in mind. It is sat- 
isfactory to the advertiser who gets good returns for his 
advertisements, but the subscription list itself remains at a 
point where one would think that the number of china decor- 
ators in the United States was very limited, and where it would 
be suicidal to spend more money in improvements of the Maga- 
zine. The reason for this discrepancy, as we will explain 
further on, lies in the fact that each issue is read by five or six 
times more readers than there are subscribers. 
Now one of the things we want most to do, and we can do 
it if we succeed in increasing the subscription list some 
two thousand names above our average, is to give every month 
two color supplements, one naturalistic, one conventional. 
China decoration is on the increase, and there is no valid 
reason why Keramic Studio should not have a ten to fifteen 
thousand circulation at the very least, and if we could have 
that, many are the improvements we could give, besides the 
double color supplement. But there are reasons why the 
list remains below these figures — and many letters in our daily 
con-espondence repeat the tale. 
In the first place, many content themselves with reading 
it and tracing the designs at the public library. We have 
seen copies of each issue absolutely worn to rags from use in 
libraries and in large art schools. Of course there are china 
decorators who are too poor, not only in pocket but also in 
work, to subscribe $1.00 every three months, or should we say 
too poor in pocket because so poor in work, or shall we say, 
so poor in pocket and work because so short sighted as to 
think they can get all the inspiration and help they need by 
poring over Keramic Studio once a month at the library in- 
stead of owning their own copy. 
But the china decorator who is going to amount to some- 
thing is the one who appreciates the value of instruction and 
is willing to stint herself in some other way in order to have 
that instruction in the best way and the most useful form. 
Such a decorator should have her owoi file of Keramic Studio 
because it is the only publication that can keep her in touch 
with every new movement. It is the only ceramic monthly 
publication for the china decorator and by keeping her file 
for daily reference, she can refresh her memory on the things 
she wishes to try. She can make careful tracings of the 
studies she wishes to use and keep them in a filing cabinet or 
boxes, all of a kind together ready for instant reference. Some 
things that appear too difficult on first sight, after repeated 
studying appeal to her as just the things she wants most to 
do. It is like reading a foreign language, at first sight, it is 
hardly understandable, at the second glance it begins to mean 
something; a third reading and the meaning and beauty of 
the passage becomes clear. So to these china decorators 
who see Keramic Studio only at the library we would say, for 
your own sakes, if not for ours, own your copy. But to each 
of our readers who really appreciate what they are getting we 
would say "You owe it to us who work so hard to give you 
everything helpful we possibly can. Don't you think you 
owe it to us to pay foryourowncopy?andif you want to see the 
good work go on won't you urge every one else to do the same?" 
A number of teachers who ought to know better because 
they have to work to live just as we do, write as did a good 
friend the other day, thanking us for calling attention to our 
club offers but saying that her pupils had no interest to sub- 
scribe as they could use her copy in the studio. She forgets 
that in this way her own file will be ruined for future reference 
as well as that, to be a conscientious teacher, she should urge 
them to work at home as well as in class so that they will do 
her credit. An exhibition of student's work and the testi- 
mony of the student herself who goes about saying what a 
fine teacher Miss is because she makes her pupils 
so independent and able to help themselves at home, these 
are the very best advertisements a teacher can have and she 
will lose nothing in the price of lessons — for as her reputation 
increases, the more students she will have and the higher 
price she can ask. So here too is a case of short sightedness 
in not hustling to get up a club amxong her pupils and thereby 
not only gaining the premium, but adding to her own reputation. 
Then there is another type of teacher, of whom we hear from 
time to time, but thankful to say these are not so abundant; 
who use designs from Keramic Studio but carefully keep the 
magazine out of sight so that their pupils may not know the 
source of their inspiration. These are the most short sighted 
of all, for one of these days, one of these pupils, or may be 
more, will find out the source in some other way, and then they 
will lose all credit for anything they have done no matter how 
original or sincerely worked out, and in the meantime all of 
these short sighted folk are cheating themselves out of two 
color supplements a month, for we cannot pay for the extra 
study on the present basis, but if they will hustle themselves 
and raise our subscription list a little higher than it has been so 
far, they will not be long in receiving that added help regularly. 
Finally — dear ceramic family and loyal friends — you, 
who appreciate Keramic Studio and the good work it has 
done and is doing — wont you show your spirit of loyalty this 
New Year by doing what you can to work for Keramic Studio 
and get new subscriptions? You will not find us unappre- 
ciative — not only will you receive the club premiums, but if 
we get the additional subscriptions before the May anniver- 
sary number is out, you will begin at that exact date to receive 
two color supplements to content your hearts and we won't 
forget you either. There are other benefits to come. 
In this number we give illustrations of the work shown by 
the Chicago Ceramic Association, and we expect to soon give 
an account of the December exhibit of the New York Society. 
Photographs of interesting exhibi^ons ai-e always valuable 
material for Keramic Studio readers, provided the photographs 
are good and clear and show well the designs. 
