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THE FINE ARTS IN GENERAL EDUCATION*
The fine arts have never been popular subjects in American
colleges and universities. During the first two centuries of higher
education these disciplines were scarcely represented in the curric-
ulum at all. It is true that even as early as the eighteenth century
the colonial colleges showed some interest in music. Choral and
instrumental music at Dartmouth and Harvard, declamations on musical
subjects, and the organization of musical societies all attest the
fact that one of the fine arts at least found a place in early college
education in this country. Addresses at Dartmouth and Brown Univers-
ities in the late 1700's show that some college educators realized
the importance of art in a complete education. Until the middle of
the nineteenth century, however, most such instruction had a utilitarian
purpose. The teaching of music was related to the needs and activities
of the church and courses in the graphic arts had a practical rather
than an aesthetic orientation. The course in Roman Antiquities and
lectures by Professor Joseph Henry given at Princeton in the 1830's, for
example, emphasized ehgineering and architectural rather than the
artistic aspects of these subjects.
About the beginning of the nincteenth century the fine arts
began to be studied for their own intrinsic worth. At Allegheny
By Earl J. McGrath, U. S. Commissioner of Education, Federal Security
Agency, Nashington, D. C., appearing in Art Education Organizes,
1949 Yearbook.
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"ocrText": "THE FINE ARTS IN GENERAL EDUCATION*\nThe fine arts have never been popular subjects in American\ncolleges and universities. During the first two centuries of higher\neducation these disciplines were scarcely represented in the curric-\nulum at all. It is true that even as early as the eighteenth century\nthe colonial colleges showed some interest in music. Choral and\ninstrumental music at Dartmouth and Harvard, declamations on musical\nsubjects, and the organization of musical societies all attest the\nfact that one of the fine arts at least found a place in early college\neducation in this country. Addresses at Dartmouth and Brown Univers-\nities in the late 1700's show that some college educators realized\nthe importance of art in a complete education. Until the middle of\nthe nineteenth century, however, most such instruction had a utilitarian\npurpose. The teaching of music was related to the needs and activities\nof the church and courses in the graphic arts had a practical rather\nthan an aesthetic orientation. The course in Roman Antiquities and\nlectures by Professor Joseph Henry given at Princeton in the 1830's, for\nexample, emphasized ehgineering and architectural rather than the\nartistic aspects of these subjects.\nAbout the beginning of the nincteenth century the fine arts\nbegan to be studied for their own intrinsic worth. At Allegheny\nBy Earl J. McGrath, U. S. Commissioner of Education, Federal Security\nAgency, Nashington, D. C., appearing in Art Education Organizes,\n1949 Yearbook."
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