=Questions to arouse interest.= Who are these people? What country does
this represent? Why were they called Pilgrims, and why did they leave
England? Where are they going in this picture? Why do the men carry
guns? Where might foes be lurking? What time of the year is it? what
time of day?
=Original Picture=: Lenox Gallery, New York.
=Artist=: George Henry Boughton (bô´tȯn).
=Birthplace=: Norwich, England.
=Dates=: Born, 1834; died, 1905.
=The story of the picture.= We have read many stories about the lives of
our forefathers in America, but perhaps we realize more clearly just
what that life must have been when we look at this picture, “Pilgrims
Going to Church.” It makes us realize why the Pilgrims came to this
country and willingly endured such terrible hardships,—that they might
go to their own church and worship according to their own conscience.
It was a brave and sturdy people who, although loyal in all else, defied
the king when he would take away their freedom of worship. Little wonder
there was much excitement when people of all ranks and conditions in
England began to sell their homes and possessions, preparing to leave
for a land almost unknown and full of danger.
The king tried to prevent their leaving, even putting some of them in
prison. But our forefathers were not of the kind who are easily
discouraged or defeated; and one day the little band which had collected
on the shores of the great ocean said good-by to their sorrowing friends
and were rowed to the little ship, the _Mayflower_, which was to carry
them safely to the new land. We have read much of the perils of that
journey, and how, in spite of accidents on shipboard and equinoctial
storms, they finally arrived off Cape Cod one cold and wintry morning in
December. They sent out parties to search the shores for a favorable
place to build their homes, and on Monday, December 21, 1620,
disembarked on the sandy beach, landing a few at a time on that greenish
granite rock called Plymouth Rock. This famous rock is still to be seen,
an object of veneration.
Arrived on this dreary, frozen land, the Pilgrims began to work with a
will, cutting down the pine trees, building their rude houses, and
trying in all ways to establish here a permanent home. Their religion
was not forgotten. In fact, it is said that the party sent out to find
this location landed there on the Sabbath day, and as they would not
labor on that day, they did not cut wood for a fire, but walked back and
forth all day and night to keep from freezing to death.
In our picture we see them in this dreary land in the midst of winter.
Their rude, snow-covered homes were so roughly built that the cold winds
whistled through them, and their provisions were so scant that they were
often thankful for a meal of fish and a cup of water.
To-day is Sunday. They are on their way to church. They have realized
their ideal—freedom of worship. Even the fact that they must go armed,
keeping a careful watch for their treacherous foe, the Indian, cannot
take away the comfort of that thought.
When they first landed, they found all the shore deserted except for a
few empty wigwams which seemed not to have been inhabited for a long
time. Later the Pilgrims were told that there had been a dreadful plague
among the Indians at this very place, and all the survivors had fled.
At first the few Indians whom they saw were friendly, but later they
began to resent the presence of these white people, whose number was
constantly increasing and who seized upon their lands and fields as if
they were the rightful owners. They began to plunder and burn the homes
of the settlers, and all sense of security was gone.
But the common danger held the brave band closer together, making their
religious freedom seem more precious. In this picture, guards are
stationed at the front, center, and end of each group of people. The
minister, the women, and the children are thus surrounded and protected.
Our chief attention is for the central figures—the minister, his wife,
and the child. It is interesting to study the expressions on the faces
of this stanch little band. We observe the light on the heads and faces
of the Pilgrims and on the sides of the trees, and the absence of
shadows on the snow. This tells us that the sun must be high in the sky.
This group of Pilgrims is only a part of those who will assemble in the
little church just over the hill. We catch a glimpse of the first man in
the next group.
Notice the quaint hats and collars which the men and women wear. The
artist was very particular to show us the Pilgrims’ peculiar style of
dress.
=Questions to help the pupil understand the picture.= Who were our
forefathers in America? Why were they so called? Why did they come to
America? What kind of people were they? What did they know of America
before they came? Who tried to prevent their coming? Upon what boat did
they sail? Tell about the journey. Why was it so dangerous? When did
they reach America? Upon what did they land? What has become of this
rock? What did the Pilgrims do as soon as they arrived? Tell about the
party sent out to find a permanent location. Why could they not build a
fire? What time of year is represented in this picture? Where are the
people going? How many churches did they have? Why do they carry guns?
Who occupied this land before the Pilgrims came? Why did the Indians
leave? Why did they dislike the Pilgrims? What effect did this danger
have upon the Pilgrims? To which members of the group in the picture is
our attention directed? How is this accomplished? What makes you think
the sun is shining? What time of day is it? What makes you think there
are more people coming? How are these Pilgrims dressed?
=To the Teacher=: Let the pupils illustrate the various scenes in the
story with charcoal on manila paper.
=The story of the artist.= George Henry Boughton was born in a little
village near Norwich, England. His father was a farmer. But the farm he
possessed was so small that he found it difficult to provide for his
large family. So he decided to sail to America where there were better
opportunities for farming. The long voyage was taken the year following
George’s birth.
The family settled near Albany, New York, and there George Boughton was
raised and educated. It was decided that he should be trained for a
business career and so he was sent to a commercial school. But the young
artist had other plans in his head. At school he began to show great
skill in drawing, gained, as he said afterwards, “by drawing every
mortal thing that came under my notice.” While he was still in school,
Boughton’s father and mother died and he was left to the care of his
older brothers and sisters. They regarded his efforts in art with little
favor and offered him no encouragement.
But George Boughton would not be discouraged. Drawing and painting had
more attraction for him than even the sports that are dear to every
boy’s heart. He has himself told the story of how he once went into a
store to buy hooks and a line to use on a fishing trip to a neighboring
creek, and how he came out with a set of oil colors and paint brushes
instead. The picture he painted at that time was the beginning of his
success. When he was nineteen years old he sold enough of his sketches
to pay his way to London. He spent a few months in London and then went
on a long trip through England, Scotland, and Ireland, making sketches
of the scenes that appealed to him.
With these he returned to New York, where they were quickly sold. A few
years later, with the help of a millionaire patron who bought the
artist’s pictures in advance, Boughton went to Paris. After a year in
Paris he went to London again, finally making his home there. Then, of
course, his studio in New York City was given up, but, though he lived
in England, his art remained distinctly American.
He was especially interested in the history and literature of our
country and has been called “the interpreter of New England life in the
seventeenth century.”
Besides painting, Mr. Boughton wrote stories for magazines, illustrating
his own stories.
In 1879 Mr. Boughton was elected Associate of the Royal Academy in
London, and in 1896 he became a member of the Academy with all the
honors and privileges of that position.
Among his most noted pictures are the “Return of the Mayflower,”
“Pilgrim Exiles,” and “The Scarlet Letter.”
=Questions about the artist.= Who painted this picture? Where was he
born? What was it decided that he should become? Tell the story of the
fishing tackle. What did he do with the money he received for his first
pictures? What did he do in England? Who helped him to go to Paris?
Where did he settle down? What part of the United States interested him
most? What kind of pictures did he paint? What has he been called? What
is meant by that? Why might he be considered an American artist? What
could he do besides paint?
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[Illustration]