Dear Sir,—I was interested to note the neat appearance of the radiators in the frontispiece of your November issue. These I imagine were made of cast iron, as I believe is the general practice in this country.
During my recent visit to Sweden I was told that the latest method of constructing hot water appliances over there is to make them of sheet iron. This change has been made as it was found that with buildings designed for modern needs, where every square inch of space is valuable, and in rooms which are so simply furnished that a radiator cannot be easily concealed, sheet iron is much more suitable to make a light radiator with a small heating body which may be shaped to fit any space.
Another reason why this form of heating appliance has had such a success, even in the country districts, is that the plumbers and village smiths have a very high standard of skill with welding apparatus.
It would be interesting to know what British manufacturers think of the pros and cons, of the matter, and if they have experimented with sheet iron for this purpose.
London, W. MARGOT SHEEN.
TOO MANY DOLLS
Dear Sir,—I hope that as a result of the charming illustrations of dolls and toys in your Christmas number your readers will not be tempted to follow the example of the Japanese father in the accompanying photograph. He started to collect dolls for his small daughter, but became so engrossed in the search that he entirely lost sight of his primary object, and ended by acquiring many thousands for himself, which took up a considerable amount of housing room, and which his daughter was not allowed to play with.
London, N.W.1. J. C. RAE.
ART SCHOOLS: A VINDICATION
Dear Sir,—In the course of an article in the December number the author suggests that art schools should teach window display. This suggestion has been anticipated. In Hull, Bradford, Sheffield, Bournemouth, Plymouth, Cheltenham, Dewsbury, Banbury, Oxford and Lowestoft, the local art schools are teaching the subject.
The number so doing will steadily increase. In the College of Art at Hull there is a realistic row of shop-fronts specially erected inside the building, providing means for experiment in all problems of display and lighting. A similar “shopping street” will be provided in the new School of Art for Willesden. At Sheffield, in addition to window display, equipment is provided for interior and counter displays. At Bradford the activity covers display and also the designing and making of display fittings. In similar ways the other art schools are busy with display. The courses are conducted by experts and enjoy the generous cooperation of the retail trades.
Shop window display is only one of many industrial and commercial subjects handled by art schools to-day. Art teachers are fully alive to all aspects of modern problems of design.
