Help us Save the Logan City School District Art Collection
Utah is home to this country's oldest Arts Council, founded by state legislator Alice Merrill Horne. We celebrated her 150th birthday on January 2nd. Her passion for the arts & humanities was unbridled, and in the 1930s, Alice Merrill Horne helped 37 school districts and libraries across the state begin their own collections of original artworks by regional artists. The investment started with milk money - nickels and dimes - contributed by school children which was matched by city, county and state funds to purchase collections that are now worth millions of dollars. The Logan City School District's collection is still publicly owned and displayed, for now. However, LCSD is now selling 11 of the finest paintings from their collection.
Because these pieces were purchased by children for the public good of future students to enjoy, they should remain in public collections and viewable by the descendants of these children, for the public benefit of all Utahns. We, the signers of this petition, ask the Logan City School District to immediately halt the sale of their collection and work to find a solution that keeps the collection accessible to the public and properly preserved and stored.
We ask LCSD to also consider the terrible timing of this sale: Cache County recently made international news for firing an art teacher for showing children art, and, it is Alice Merrill Horne's 150th birthday month.
Keep these pieces public. Take care of these historical treasures for future generations.
Residents of Logan:
Please also contact your School District representative immediately!
Click here for contact information: http://www.loganschools.org/school-board-1/
Visit vote.utah.gov to find how which Logan City school district representative
There is a school board meeting on Tuesday January 23rd at 5pm, you are welcome to attend and ask them in person not to sell the pieces. 101 West Center Street, Logan, Utah
Below is the petition text.
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Dear Logan City School District and Superintendent Schofield:
It is empowering to know that the community of Logan, especially its children, understood the value of art by purchasing art, which not only allowed them to be surrounded by great art, but helped them build cultural knowledge and experience.
We, the undersigned individuals and institutions, are dismayed over your decision to sell pieces from this "milk money for art" collection. We ask you to immediately halt the sale of your collection and work to find a solution that keeps the collection:
- accessible to the public and,
- properly preserved and stored.
Possible solutions include donating or loaning the pieces to a local museum such as:
- Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art
- Logan City's new Library
- The new Logan History Museum could be expanded to include art
- Utah Museum of Fine Arts
- Springville Museum of Art
- Capitol Preservation Board
- Donating to the Utah Division of Arts & Museums
The loan to these publicly entities could include the entity funding any necessary restoration work.
Because these pieces were purchased by children for the public good of future students to enjoy, they should remain in public collections and viewable by the descendants of these children, for the public benefit of all Utahns.
We ask LCSD to also consider the terrible timing of this sale: Cache County recently made international news for firing an art teacher for showing children art, and, it is Alice Merrill Horne's 150th birthday month right now.
The legacy of genuine art purchased by school children for public viewing is pretty incredible. Please keep these pieces public. Take care of these treasures for future generations.
Signed,
the following individuals and institutions