A Novel Way to Pay Your Landlord. Dillwyn Wistar, as the representative of the whole Wistar family, received June 8, 1902, 157 red roses as payment in full of the ground rent of a church for 157 years. When Casper Wistar came to Pennsylvania from Germany, in the early days of the eighteenth century, he made a perpetual lease of 100 acres of land to the Dutch Reformed Church at Myerstown on the condition that a red rose be annually paid as rent. The condition was complied with until 1749, when the custom fell into disuse. Recently it was discovered that the church was in arrears for 157 years' rent, hence a very pretty ceremony during which the Rev. J. H. Welker, pastor, paid the debt with a mass of fragrant blos soms. Pere Marquette's Tree on Kankakee River. At Gougar's Park, a famous resort for Chicago picnic parties, a short distance above Kankakee, on the river of that name, is a famous old oak tree. Since its identity was discovered, within the last year, it has been called Père Marquette's tree. The tree is of historical interest. It is believed to be 70 years old. When Father Marquette, in 1672, made his great exploring and missionary tour to the French Emperor Louis XIV.'s possessions in North America it is well authenticated history that the priest and his party in their descent of the Kankakee River stopped on the bank where the grove is now situated, and there established a church. Tradition says that under this magnificent oak Père Marquette planted the SCHULKINS KINDS & CO. When writing to Advertisers kindly mention "THE WORLD TO-DAY," CHICAGO, ILL. cross and proclaimed the gospel of peace on earth, good will to men, to the Indians. At that time the tree stood in about the center of the grove, but in the lapse of time the river has cut into the east bank until the tree now stands on the bank near the water. Every effort will be made to preserve this historical oak. The tree is marked on an old parchment chart that is said to have been at one time either in the possession of Father Marquette or one of his men. It is not known whether a chapel was built at this point, but it is certain that the Indians gathered there to listen to the preaching of missionaries and that a church of some sort existed there for years. In excavations made at the park remains of ovens that had been used by the aborigines have been found, stone implements, weapons, and various other traces of the first inhabitants of this region. The late Congressman Holman of Indianapolis had several early French coins that were taken from an excavation near Gougar's Park, and which he prized highly. First Public Wash House in Pittsburg. Pittsburg, Pa., is soon to have one of the first public wash houses in the United States. This will be for the benefit of poor women who make a living at washing. This idea is a common one in England, but is unique in the line of charitable work in America. Under this system women may take their washing and their children to the house, where the attendants take charge of the latter while the women are at work. For a while a small fee will be charged for the use of the tubs, but it is calculated that the house will be selfsupporting at the end of three years. The bath house will be thoroughly fitted out with all the modern conveniences and will afford the best sanitary conditions for work such as the women could not obtain in their crowded rooms. In connection with the laundry will be reading rooms and club rooms for the men. Portable School Houses. The overcrowding of the public schools in Cleveland, O., is being met in a novel but satisfactory manner. Portable school houses have been obtained at a cost of $1,350 each. They are fifteen feet high, twenty-six feet wide and thirty-four feet long. The sides of the building are in six pieces and the ends in five. All of these as well as those composing the floor and roof are numbered and the building can be taken apart, transported to another part of the city and there set up in short order. Especial attention is paid to ventilation and lighting, although the windows are not found on all sides. When writing to Advertisers kindly mention "THE WORLD TO-DAY." T UNIVERSITY LESSONS ON THE FINE ARTS. HE International Art Association takes pleasure in presenting to the American people a course of University Lessons on the Fine Arts. There can be no doubt as to the timeliness of instruction in such a theme. As every one knows, Americans have hitherto been busy, making those industrial and commercial achievements that have become the surprise of the world. But having thus earned our leisure, we may and certainly shall proceed to rival Europe in its higher culture of which art is a chief element. Our artists have been trained abroad to create art, and now need nothing so much as a public at home trained to appreciate art. Everything indicates that we stand at the flood-tide of fine art in America; and if so, we should prepare for it. That we need to do so the following caustic but quite just criticism by John C. Van Dyke, L.H.D., Professor of Fine Art in Rutger's College, will show; and it might be confirmed by many other authorities. "Of those intelligent Americans who visit the galleries, not one in ten is able to tell a good picture from a bad one. They neither know how to look nor what to look at, nor have they any standard of judgment except that of their own individual fancy, which is oftener wrong than right.' But there is hope for us. The sense of beauty can be as much improved by art study as can the sense for knowledge by science, and the sense for conduct by example and discipline. It is to promote such study that these University Lessons on the Fine Arts have been prepared. " While the aim of this course will be to cultivate a proper appreciation of Fine Art in America, it will be International in scope by presenting the achievements in art of other nations. These lessons will comprise nearly 1,000 pages, 81⁄2 x 1134 inches in size, and contain everything needed for the adequate appreciation of the beautiful in nature and art. They will treat all the visual arts, viz. architecture, sculpture, painting, and decoration, in both their principles and history, which varied topics must otherwise be sought in five or six separate works. Such a comprehensive course will prove invaluable for a first survey of the art-field and a prerequisite to any profitable subsequent research, The especial attention of those who would study fine art with interest and success is called to the treatment of the principles of art-otherwise known as technical beauties of art, art criticism, conditions of art, how to judge a picture, and the like-at the outset of this course. The need for such training in artscience before art-history is attempted may be compared to that for mathematics before physics, psychology before philosophy, and rhetoric before literature. Yet the common fate of unguided readers is to traverse some history of art without knowledge of the principles upon which its nature and development rest, and with only a vague sense of the technical terms used to describe its means and results Hence arises the paucity and inanity of the untrained person's remarks upon an art object, and the mediocrity of the articles commonly purchased. Further preparation for the study of art-history is provided in the second topic of the lessons, The Development of Art, which will save the history from degenerating into mere annals, show the laws of its origin and growth, and enable one to forecast its future. In the treatment of art-history which must form the bulk of every account of art, architecture, sculpture, painting, and decoration, have each been treated separately in order to secure that collaboration of specialists in each department which has become a necessity for man's vastly increased knowledge. These specialists are mostly professors in Universities or Art Institutes, and are thus not mere authors but skilled instructors in their several departments. Their combined work is therefore properly called University Lessons on the Fine Arts. At the same time nearly all are themselves artists, and are thus qualified to impart first-hand knowledge on their respective topics. In this art-history the ancient and medieval sections have been condensed in order to secure space for the treatment of modern and especially of contemporary art, about which so little can generally be learned. Certainly all mere historic lumber has been omitted. Finally, an account of Oriental Art will supply rare and much-needed instruction on an out-of-the-way art-topic, and make the Lessons more comprehensive in their scope. Recent advances in chemistry and mechanics have so improved the process of reproduction that the modern work on art may and must be also a work of art. To that artistic end, cover, paper, type, etching, half-tone, photogravure, and color-photography will each contribute its part. Over six hundred of such prints, large and small, will supply the illustration indispensable to a work on art. In calling attention to its staff of contributors The International Art Association takes pride in observing that they will together write the first comprehensive work on fine art to be published in America. This work should become nothing less than a national guide in art topics, whether for the individual in search of culture, for the school teacher wishing to promote efficiency in the art-work now in such demand, or for women's clubs devoted to fine art, in turn with other studies. It is hoped that such instruction will furthermore promote that beautification of dress, furniture, houses, public buildings, streets, and cities, which is so much needed to make life more worth the living in a land hitherto devoted chiefly to industrialism. In its inclusion of varied art topics, in its scientific arrangement, in its profuse and choice illustration, and in its staff of representative American contributors, these Lessons on the Fine Arts stand distinguished equally from the scrappy pamphlets, the outdated histories, the oldtime portfolios, and the unacademic publications generally, which always abound, but only to waste the student's time. The price of the complete course of twelve numbers, prepaid to any address, is but $7.50. This will include a membership card entitling the holder to an examination on the completion of the course, if desired. Wherever possible clubs will be formed which will meet weekly or monthly for discussion of the subjects treated. For further information address, The International Art Association, Association Building, Chicago. LAMB'S BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF THE JOHN HOWARD BROWN, MANAGING EDITOR. Mr. Brown and his contributors seem to have kept It has an authority, character, and dignity of scholarship which has nearly always been lacking heretofore. . . . It is a boon to be able to consult a work in which the living are treated as fully as the dead.-BALTIMORE HERALD. It will for the present supersede all others. . . . . A thoroughly up-to-date achievement, with a general display of very excellent judgment and close search after fact. . . . A very careful analysis shows this to be a most important and valuable publication, and one which must for many years hold the field of American biography.-NEW YORK HERALD. A worthy contribution to the reference library of the modern American citizen. . . . The student will ask for no fuller detail... The style and plan is praiseworthy throughout.-PHILADELPHIA RECORD. The aggregation of facts is presented with a due sense of proportion in each instance and with proper light and shade. . . . Genealogical data is not omitted. The most careful revision of dates and items seems to have been made.-BOSTON HERALD. Sold only by Subscription and only through Bound in Half Morocco, Price, per vol., $7.00. JAMES H. LAMB COMPANY, 372-378 Boylston Street, BOSTON, MASS. TEN DAYS FREE TRIAL We ship on 1902 MODELS, $9 to $15 1900 & 1901 Models, best makes. $7 to $11 MEAD CYCLE CO. CHICAGO, ILL ...AN OPPORTUNITY... We desire a permanent representative for CURRENT ENCYCLOPEDIA COMPANY 153-155 LA SALLE ST.: CHICAGO When writing to Advertisers kindly mention "THE WORLD TO-DAY." Sanitary Still on your stove furnishes plenty of distilled aerated water at trifling cost. Simple as a tea kettle. HON. W. L. CHAMBERS, ExChief Justice of Samoa, writes: "I have been using one of your Sanitary Stills in my family for some time, and beg to say we are highly pleased with it. The water obtained from it is palatable and pure and I take pleasure in recommending the Satitary Still as all you claim for it." Write for Booklet. HOUSE. Highest award at Paris The Sanitary Still used in the WHITE Exposition. Durability unequaled. Avoid cheap and flimsy Stills. This STILL is highly recommended by Bishop Fallows, Chief Editor of this magazine. CUPRIGRAPH CO., 91 N. Green St., CHICAGO. ENGRAVING AND ELECTROTYPING COMPANY Designers and Bind Your Numbers THE WORLD TODAY COMPANY, |