‘Ambassador of Beauty’: Mary Bailey to Discuss Legacy of Great-Grandfather, Arts Educator Henry Turner Bailey

by MADELINE DEABLER on AUGUST 13, 2024

In the first sentence of his book Art Education, Henry Turner Bailey stated that he believed “the purpose of art education is the development of appreciation for the beautiful and of the power to produce beautiful things.”

Bailey, also known as HTB, was hired as director of the School of Arts and Crafts at Chautauqua Institution in 1906 to upgrade and expand its arts and crafts curriculum, and his vision was the driving force behind the design of the Arts Quad.

Over the course of his life, HTB emerged as a prominent national advocate for transforming art education in public schools. “Such taste and skill will not appear when the teacher stamps his foot,” he wrote in Art Education. “They are fruits. They must be grown.”

HTB held the belief that art should not be a privilege for the wealthy, but an essential part of everyday life, aligning perfectly with the vision of the Institution’s founders John Heyl Vincent and Lewis Miller. They championed the idea that education, including art, should be universally accessible, enriching, and integrated into daily activities.

More than 100 years later, his great-granddaughter, artist and lifelong Chautauquan Mary Bailey will present “Henry Turner Bailey: Ambassador of Beauty & Director of the Chautauqua School of Arts and Crafts 1906-1916,” about the life and legacy of her great-grandfather, at 3:30 p.m. today in the Hall of Philosophy as part of the Oliver Archives Center’s Heritage Lecture Series.

To continue reading article click here

To watch video of lecture click here