DOI Heft:
Nr. 146 (May 1905)
DOI Artikel:Wainwright, A. S.: The Birmingham School for Jewellers and Silver-Smiths
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20711#0344
The Birmingham School for Jewellers
blue riband of the art-teaching profession, and
Mr. R. Catterson-Smith was unanimously elected
to succeed him. Thus early in their history, the
Vittoria Street Schools found themselves without a
leader.
Fortunately in Mr. A. J. Gaskin the committee
secured not only a teacher whose qualifications,
both as a draughtsman and as a successful worker
in metals, eminently fitted him to control the
destinies of the school, but one whose sympathies
coincided completely with those of the late head-
master.
And here it may be remarked that the immediate
development, first at the Vittoria Street School and
later at the Central and Branch Art Schools, would
not have been possible but for the fact that the
teachers generally were in sympathy with the change,
and were, moreover, anxious for an opportunity
to adopt more individual instruction.
Therefore the history of the development of
the Jewellers' School, to which we are now
devoting ourselves, is really an account of the
growth of the entire art teaching of the city of
Birmingham—a growth which could only have been
brought about by the readiness of all concerned to
appreciate the value of these newer methods and
by their ability to carry them out.
Now let us try to see what is the secret of this suc-
cess. Mr. Catterson-Smith has a very favourable
opinion of the artistic possibilities of the English
lad, and the system he advocates is, in his opinion,
the best means of developing these artistic possi-
point of view of art, and who for some years past had bilities.
devoted himself to the production of metal work, The young student, upon first entering the
marked the inauguration of
a new school in more senses
than one.
The result of the first
year's work, as shown in
the exhibited drawings, etc.,
was highly gratifying, and
the Jewellers were well
satisfied with it; but the
immediate outcome of this
success was rather a blow
to their committee. In the
spring of 1902 Mr. E. R.
Taylor, for many years head-
master of the Birmingham
Central School of Art, re-
tired from that position,
which, during his tenure,
he had raised to such a
standard as to make it the chiselling in steel from nature
326
exercise in engraving on copper from nature
blue riband of the art-teaching profession, and
Mr. R. Catterson-Smith was unanimously elected
to succeed him. Thus early in their history, the
Vittoria Street Schools found themselves without a
leader.
Fortunately in Mr. A. J. Gaskin the committee
secured not only a teacher whose qualifications,
both as a draughtsman and as a successful worker
in metals, eminently fitted him to control the
destinies of the school, but one whose sympathies
coincided completely with those of the late head-
master.
And here it may be remarked that the immediate
development, first at the Vittoria Street School and
later at the Central and Branch Art Schools, would
not have been possible but for the fact that the
teachers generally were in sympathy with the change,
and were, moreover, anxious for an opportunity
to adopt more individual instruction.
Therefore the history of the development of
the Jewellers' School, to which we are now
devoting ourselves, is really an account of the
growth of the entire art teaching of the city of
Birmingham—a growth which could only have been
brought about by the readiness of all concerned to
appreciate the value of these newer methods and
by their ability to carry them out.
Now let us try to see what is the secret of this suc-
cess. Mr. Catterson-Smith has a very favourable
opinion of the artistic possibilities of the English
lad, and the system he advocates is, in his opinion,
the best means of developing these artistic possi-
point of view of art, and who for some years past had bilities.
devoted himself to the production of metal work, The young student, upon first entering the
marked the inauguration of
a new school in more senses
than one.
The result of the first
year's work, as shown in
the exhibited drawings, etc.,
was highly gratifying, and
the Jewellers were well
satisfied with it; but the
immediate outcome of this
success was rather a blow
to their committee. In the
spring of 1902 Mr. E. R.
Taylor, for many years head-
master of the Birmingham
Central School of Art, re-
tired from that position,
which, during his tenure,
he had raised to such a
standard as to make it the chiselling in steel from nature
326
exercise in engraving on copper from nature