The arts tell a culture what it is. They are a direct measure of what a civilization values and the only permanent documentation that existed at all. What do we know of ancient Egypt, or Greece, or the European Middle Ages? What physically remains of your own ancestors - except old photographs, perhaps a quilt, or, if you're fortunate, a sketchbook or journal? What will remain of our generation a hundred years from now? Not our sports scores, business decisions, or even our laws. They will know us profoundly from our artistic legacy: the churches and city halls that we restored or built, the figures that we painted or sculpted, the novels and plays and operas and poetry we wrote, the music we composed and dances we performed, the fiber and metal and leather we transformed into objects of everyday use and beauty. Art tells us who we are, and it tells the future who we were. Because the arts tend to create and document culture over the long term, their importance is sometimes mis-perceived or obscured in short term concerns.
When we teach a child to draw, we teach him to see. When we teach a child to sing or play an instrument we teach her how to listen. When we teach children to dance, we teach them about their bodies and space. As we teach design, we teach the geometry of the world. When children learn about folk arts and the great masterpieces of other cultures, they find their place in the confluence of history and experience the pride of recognizing and celebrating their roots. When they learn to read and write, they also learn the metaphors by which we live.
If we do not teach the universal language of the arts, we do not give our children a complete education. More than that we discourage their astonishing imaginations, we stifle their natural creativity, and we fail to teach them in the many different ways they can learn. Arts education is not simply about art; it uniquely enhances the entire educational process.
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