Camera Work: A Photographic Quarterly (1903 (Heft 1))

matter behind the times; but the photographers can afford to wait for
recognition. The delay and the discipline which it involves will only make
the recognition that is bound to come more deserved and durable.
RELATIVE to the notes which appeared in the June number of The
Studio on the subject of the display of pictorial photography at the St.
Louis Exposition, the following letter has been received from Colonel John
A. Ockerson, Chief of the Department of Liberal Arts:

St. Louis, U.S.A. , June 9, 1902.
Editor The International Studio:
Dear Sir: I note, with much satisfaction
that you have given space to the question of
photography at the Universal Exposition to be
held in St. Louis in 1904.
While I doubt not that your comments were
intended as entirely fair and just to both sides,
it seems plain that my position has been misun-
derstood, and I, therefore, beg your indulgence
in offering the following explanation.
The situation confronting me when I entered
upon my duties as Chief of this Department was
as follows:
The propositions made by the photographers,
through Mr. Strauss, for a separate building had
been rejected, and photography in general had
been assigned to the Department of Liberal Arts
by the officials of the Exposition. In my
opinion, this was right and proper. The photog-
raphers, however, were not satisfied, and put
forth claims for the work of the artist in photog-
raphy and demanded space in the Fine Arts
Palace for what they termed artistic photog-
raphy. They insisted on segregating a certain
kind of photographic work and holding it aloof
from the class of work done in every-day
photography.
In my opinion, the move for a separate build-
ing was a mistake. A building of the necessary
dimensions to cover the entire field of photog-
raphy would be quite small and insignificant
when surrounded by the gigantic palaces of the
Exposition, and it certainly would not have
met the demands made later for " artistic
photography."
A number of interviews were had with Mr.
Strauss and others with the hope that some
satisfactory solution of the problem could be
reached.
On my part, the disposition to meet the
wishes of photographers as well as all other ex-
hibitors, as far as practicable, must have been
apparent to all who participated in these con-
ferences.

That there is certain high-grade artistic
work in photography was not for a moment
questioned, but just how to provide for it under
the approved classification was not so readily
determined.
After much careful consideration by Professor
Halsey C. Ives, Chief of the Art Department,
and myself, an agreement was reached whereby
such pictures as satisfactorily passed the scrutiny
of the “National Jury of Selection,, should be
hung in the Art Palace.
The classification is shown in detail in Cir-
cular No. 5 of this Department, inclosed here-
with, and I hope that you may find space for it
in your columns.
Mr. Strauss deserves much credit for his
efforts in behalf of photography, and in the
future I trust that his influence will be directed
toward the development of a grand display
of photographic work from all parts of the
world.
France has already signified her intention of
sending a generous display of her choicest
work.
Trusting that the above disposition of the
matter may be satisfactory to the photographic
fraternity, and that this department may be
accorded their hearty support, in return for
which I again pledge them all the assistance in
my power, and beg to remain,
Yours very truly,
J. A. OCKERSON,
Chief Department of Liberal Arts.
[Extract from Circular No. 5, referred to above.]
DEPARTMENT OF LIBERAL ARTS
Group 16
EQUIPMENT, PROCESSES, AND PRODUCTS
Class 54. Materials, instruments, and ap-
paratus of photography, equipment of pho-
tographic studios.
Class 55. Negative and positive photography
on glass, paper, wood, cloth, films, enamel,
etc. Photogravure in intaglio and in relief;
photocollography, photolithography, stereo-
scopic prints. Enlarged and micrographic

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