Arts Crafts And Customs Of Our Neighbor Republics

As schools add to the curriculum in Latin-American fields, teachers are increasingly concerned with bringing material about the daily life and customs of other Americas to their classes. Furthermore, instructors find that these areas present a fresh and stimulating source of illustrative material. The aspects of art which interest young people include dress, festival, and crafts as well as the fine arts. The study of these creative expressions brings us closer to an understanding of our neighbors. The bibliography presented in this bulletin gives sources for such information in the form of books, pamphlets, photographs, and pictures. An outline of the arts, crafts, and related creative works appears at the end of the bibliography and suggests the variety of artistic expression which Latin America offers. There is little suitable material available in English on some of the items, so that the only information which the teacher and pupil can find may be photographs, a few pictures, or a brief paragraph. There are a few books specifically on the fine arts or the crafts of Latin countries. Storybooks are important sources of information on Indians, crafts, dress, customs, and daily life for the use of elementary school children. Illustrations were a basic factor in the choice of these books, some of which have pictures by well-known Latin-American artists. The books chosen for older students cover such subjects as ancient Indian civilization, crafts, painting, sculpture, architecture, fiestas, and costumes. The criteria for selection required that information be reliable, the illustrations valuable and informative, and the subject of interest to young people. A few representative books are suggested for teachers who wish to increase their background and understanding of Latin-American art. An index is included. [Best copy available has been provided.].