The drawing of Mr. West
belongs to a later period when I myself was on the staff as art teacher.
One day Mr. West came to the door to say that some woman had phoned to say
that four Adelaide high School boys were carrying a nude down King William
Street. I had sent four boys down to the National Gallery to exchange the
loan prints. The new picture they were to bring back was Botticelli's
"Birth of Venus," which my class was studying in History of Art. This was
quite a large print, and you'll know that Botticelli's Venus, though very
decorative, is quite large and quite bare. These boys, being brave A.H.S.
types, had boldly carried the picture face outwards down the busiest
streets, instead of, like some furtive suburban types, skulking stealthily
down back alleys with the thing upside down. If you knew the old school in
those days, you'll know that Mr. West knew just how to deal with the
tale-telling woman, the foolish teacher (me!) and the four brave
boys. Nevertheless I feel sorry for all people who have never, either as
students or teacher, been associated with the A.H.S of R.A.W.!
The drawing of Mr. West
belongs to a later period when I myself was on the staff as art teacher.
One day Mr. West came to the door to say that some woman had phoned to say
that four Adelaide high School boys were carrying a nude down King William
Street. I had sent four boys down to the National Gallery to exchange the
loan prints. The new picture they were to bring back was Botticelli's
"Birth of Venus," which my class was studying in History of Art. This was
quite a large print, and you'll know that Botticelli's Venus, though very
decorative, is quite large and quite bare. These boys, being brave A.H.S.
types, had boldly carried the picture face outwards down the busiest
streets, instead of, like some furtive suburban types, skulking stealthily
down back alleys with the thing upside down. If you knew the old school in
those days, you'll know that Mr. West knew just how to deal with the
tale-telling woman, the foolish teacher (me!) and the four brave
boys. Nevertheless I feel sorry for all people who have never, either as
students or teacher, been associated with the A.H.S of R.A.W.!