Studio: international art (35.1905)

The Craft Schools of Austria

CUPBOARD FOR DESIGNED AND EXECUTED BY

A SPORTSMAN PUPILS OF THE CORTINA SCHOOL

varied, and tffey may be either purely technical
or such as give instruction in art and its application
to industries. It is of these latter that I wish to
speak more especially. There are schools for pottery
making, weaving, stonecutting, modelling, jewellery,
stone-setting, cabinet-making, basket-making, lock-
smiths, glass-making ; in fact, for every conceivable
subject. The relations be-
tween manufacturers and
the schools are most happy;
the schools do not enterinto
competition with them, but
the pupils are eagerly sought
after when they have com-
pleted their courses. The
evening and Sunday morn-
ing classes for apprentices
and assistants are very
well attended, as also the
special courses for masters.

These masters are small
manufacturers employing a
few hands — often only a

boy; but they are eager to improve, and connection
with these schools keeps them in touch with the
outer world, from which they would otherwise be
cut off. Not only do masters, men, and apprentices
receive instruction in drawing and allied subjects,
but they are allowed to take books from the
library for home reading, and borrow modern
patterns and designs, which are supplied to the
Fachschulen by the Austrian Museum. Hofrat
von Scala is the director of the Museum and also
the inspector of these schools, so that they are
always in touch with the Museum.

The fees are nominal; in most cases only a small
subscription, equal to tenpence per term. This is
naturally excused in many cases, for those attending
the schools are mostly so poor that their parents
would find it very difficult to pay even this small
sum. In the districts where the people are better
off Austrian subjects pay from two to five kronen
per term, foreigners from twenty to fifty kronen
(a krone is ior/.); but no foreigner can be admitted
without special permission from the Ministry of
Education. Attached to all schools are a number
of small stipends given by the Ministry, the Board
of Trade, towns and guilds, as also private persons.
These in most cases cover the whole expense of the
training, including board and lodging, and are only
given to really deserving boys. Each school is
provided with a library, containing technical and
instructive works bearing upon art - industry in
general, and on the subjects taught in the school
in particular. There is also a special fund, supple-
mented by the State, for providing the library with
current literature on art, architecture, applied art,
and allied subjects, in German, French, Bohemian,
and English. The Studio is to be found at every
school. The books and magazines are lent free
to the pupils, either to read in the reading-room

INLAID BOX DESIGNED BY A PUPIL OF THE CORTINA SCHOOL