Studio: international art (88.1924)

LONDON—LEICESTER

"DRIVING THE WEDGE "
BY G. W. B1SSILL

(See London note, p. 279)

LEICESTER.—Says Mr. John Piatt,
Principal of Leicester School of Art:
" We now realise that it is not the machine,
but its uncontrolled use which is to blame
for the degradation of public taste.
Leicester School of Art recognises the
importance of industrial art, and aims so
to prepare each student in his craft that
he may remember the principles of sound
construction and fitness for purpose in his
practice in the industrial world. The
School is in close touch with those, both
masters and men, who earn their living by
the machine." a a a a

" The machine has now been brought
right into the School of Art in order to dis-
cover how this new power can be used for
quality as well as quantity, for it is only the
actual craftsman who can organise pro-
duction on a basis of quality." a 0
Mr. Piatt thus points to the only
possible way in which the School of Art
can be made a serious and valuable factor
in the life of the future, taking the place
280

of the old apprenticeship system, and
leading students, not to a blind alley of
semi-efficiency in things semi-required,
but to a real place in the working life of the
nation. J. W. S.

TABLE BY H. NUNN, STUDENT
IN THE DEPT. OF WOODWORK
LEICESTER SCHOOL OF ART;
INSTRUCTOR, G. NOTT, A.R.I.B.A.