RUSS TA.
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ion, and a number of excellent machine-drawings by tke pupils,
had been sent to the Exhibition by this school.
Finland appeared quite independently in Group XXYI. with
drawings by pupils, as well as witb aids for teaching. Whoever
followed the efforts made in behalf of education in this Northern
province, as they were sketched in the short notices of the country
and of the objects sent by it, contained in the little pamphlet
which had been provided, must have feit himself strongly attracted
towards the specimens on exhibition.
The country is comparatively poor, and its industry is still in a
low state of development; navigation and agrieulture are still the
main sources of income for its inhabitants; nevertheless educational
affairs have looked up most satisfactorily during the last ten
years, and are rapidly progressing, especially since they have
passed from under the control of the church (1867). More attention
has also been paid to drawing, since the creation of the
“ Direction of Manufactures,” a special board whqse duty it is
to look to the elevation of the industries. Sunday and Evening
Schools for the practice of drawing have been opened in all of the
raore important places; and the higher artistic training of working-men
is provided for by the Industrial School at Helsingfors.
In most of the People’s Schools drawing is also practiced; and
specimens from the Normal School, and from the Teachers’ Seminary
at Jyväskyla, were on exhibition. The results were modest,
but gave evidence of a good method. The copies for elementary
instruction, by G. A. Hippinsen, are, however, too small, a fault
which was also to be censured in the drawings by the pupils.
But on the whole it was apparent that this people has a talent
for form, and that it will only need good teachers to educate its
artistic feeling.
