Name of project.—Redecorating my bedroom.
Plan of project.—Since my bedroom must be repapered and painted, I plan to make it as attractive as possible by following some of the things we have had in our art work in home economics.
The plaster of the walls is not suitable for painting, so I will select some light and cheerful colored paper with figures in warm pastel shades.
The woodwork, which is a pea-green color, is quite dull and cool for a north room and needs brightening up, so instead of having the same color again, I will paint it a light cream or ivory. A dark-yellow paint covers the floor, which is quite worn in some places. I do not like this color, so my plan is to use either light brown or tan, at least something darker thanthe walls, as I want the floors darkest, the walls next, and the ceiling the lightest.
To make the furniture, which is now varnished, blend with the color of the woodwork and floor, it too will have to be painted a color lighter than the floor or darker than the woodwork.
In place of white tie-back curtains, deep cream or some other color darker than the white will be more suitable with plain-colored draperies, as they will blend with the ivory woodwork and enameled furniture.
In order to contrast the curtains with the bedspread and dresser scarf, I think the spread and scarf can be a lighter cream color.
A cushion for the rocker and a flower by the window will also add color and finishing touches to the room.
Outline of project activities.—
Time for project.—A total of 62-1/2 hours was spent on my project between November 15 and January 11.
Story of my project.—My bedroom is a northeast room, long and narrow, with sloping walls, and had but one window on the north side. This made it dark and cheerless during most of the year. Last summer my father built a dormer window inthe east side of the sloping walls. Immediately the room seemed transformed. It did not look so long and narrow and the sunshine drove out the darkness and cheerlessness. This improvement gave me the idea of remodeling the bedroom, and I saw many possibilities of making it into a cheerful and cozy one, where I could spend much of my spare time.
I began almost immediately to remodel. The first thing I started with was the walls. They were not suited for painting, so I chose paper, which I got at the furniture store. After looking through several wall paper catalogues I chose paper with a light background and an inconspicuous, conventionalized design in pastel tones of blue-green, red-orange, violet, and yellow. (Sample attached.)
Before I put the paper on the wall I cleaned and sandpapered the woodwork, floors, and dusted the walls. Father and I then began papering. We had some trouble in matching the paper, but after the first two strips were matched the rest was put on without difficulty. The next job was painting the woodwork. I applied two coats of ivory paint after having dusted the wood so that there would be no dust to interfere with the painting. This was done successfully and without difficulty. (Sample of color used.)
The next step was painting the floor. I chose inside tan. (Sample of color used.)
The furniture was easier to paint than the floor but it took quite a while to give it two coats. I used enamel that dried in two hours, so had to be careful not to rebrush the parts I had painted, as rebrushing causes light streaks after the paint has set. (Sample of color used.)
With father's assistance, I completed the difficult work of papering and painting. Then I began the pleasant work of making a spread, curtains, draperies, and cushion.
I looked through several magazines, catalogues, and books for the different ways of making curtains, spreads, and draperies. My mother and sister also gave suggestions as to what would go best with the room and how to make them. I chose deep cream voile curtains with red-orange (peach) pongee draperies. The curtains are made with a wide hem at the bottom and sides.
The spread is of unbleached krinkled muslin. (Sample attached.) I have a deep ruffle of the same material at both sides and I repeated the red-orange color in two bands near the ruffle.
The rocker needed a cushion. This I made of figured cretonne, which blends nicely with the room. (Sample attached.)
On the floor I have two rag rugs which also have colors of blue, red-orange, and tan.
My teacher came to visit my room one evening and gave me some splendid ideas.
I shall add a homemade wardrobe for my clothes and put a low shelf in it for my shoes. In front of the dormer window a table will fit nicely. I am going to fix this table up with some books supported by book ends, a simple box, and a blooming plant. I will keep some simple and useful articles on my dresser.
All through this report there are many evidences that the pupil can apply the principles of art successfully and also that she knows how to obtain further information as needed. Another interesting feature of this project is that the pupil did not consider this a finished piece of work when her original plan had been completed. She saw other possibilities for her room and was beginning to make plans for further changes and additions in keeping with those that had been completed. There is no better evidence of the success of art training than in the effective use the girl makes of it in her home life. It may be anticipated that a girl who has gone this far in improving a part of the home will endeavor to make other desirable changes. To the extent that the members of the entire family welcome the changes brought about by the project and enjoy the results, the project may be considered successful.
The success of art instruction may then be evaluated by—
1. Evidences in the classroom.
2. Evidences in the home.
3. Tests which call for judgment and creative thinking.
4. Home projects.
Home projects involving the use of art are to be encouraged, not only as a device for measuring the results of teaching, but as a means of stimulating applications of art in the home. Art training will function in the immediate lives of the girls to the extent that successful applications of it are made through the home projects. However, such applications are not made without the ideal and therein lies the importance of developing in girls ideals of having and creating beauty that will be sufficiently deep seated not only to motivate but to carry through pieces of work in their homes that will bring more beauty and satisfaction to the families. Projects carried on in the home demand more than a repetition of certain processes that have been learned in school. They involve the bringing together of many principles and processes, the exercising of judgment in determiningwhich are needed, and then the applications of these in the new situation. Thus the home project is a creative piece of work.
Much more use of art should be encouraged in many of the projects which girls are choosing in all phases of home activities since it can contribute so much to the comfort and attractiveness of homes, and these are essential factors of happy family life. Lewis Mumford,27a distinguished critic of modern architecture and decoration, has fittingly said:
The chief forms of decoration in the modern house will be living things—flowers, pictures, people. Here is a style of interior decoration that perpetually renews itself. For the modern house is built not for show but for living; and the beauty it seeks to create is inseparable from the personalities that it harbors.
It is safe to predict, on the basis of the home projects in which desirable art applications have been made, that through conscious effort the following outcomes may be expected:
1. The ideal of creating beauty in the home will be strengthened.
2. Pupils will recognize greater possibilities for making art applications.
3. Pupils will become more observing and discriminating.
4. Family life will be bettered by those projects in which home improvement has been achieved.
5. Pupils will appreciate that beauty is not dependent upon cost.
6. More successful projects will be carried out.
The last point is reflected in the summary of results that one girl made of her home project, "Improving the Looks of My Room." She said:
The only cost for my project was for the two little pictures that I hung by the mirror. I learned that it is not always the cost or quality that determines the attractiveness of a room. Things must be arranged correctly or much of the beauty is lost.
My mother thought that everything I did to my room was an improvement and encouraged me to do much more. I am planning to do more for our entire house in the future.
The home project which resulted in an improved kitchen in one home had a favorable influence upon the home life of the family. The girl, with the financial assistance of her brothers, had made an attractive and more efficient kitchen in the bare 4-room house, which was the home of the family. The living quarters were naturally limited in such a small space. In reporting on this project the teacher said:
I feel that this project has been very worthwhile to Ethel and her whole family. Her mother was so grateful and told me how much better it made herfeel to walk into a bright, cheerful kitchen every morning. She said that her boys were so pleased they had made a living room out of the kitchen on cold winter nights.
Suggestive Home Projects in Which Art is an Important Factor
Clothing projects which include planning as well as construction offer many possibilities. This planning would necessitate such applications of art as the adapting of style, design, and color to the individual, selecting and combining textures and colors in the fabrics, and using appropriate trimmings and accessories. Such projects would also afford opportunity for exercising judgment through the evaluation of results. The same opportunities exist in the "make-over" projects as in the others in which all new materials are used. A few clothing projects involving art are suggested, as follows:
1. Planning and buying or making (a) school wardrobe for self; (b) season's wardrobe for small sister or brother.
2. Making the most of clothing on hand. This will involve cleaning, pressing, and mending, as well as some remodeling.
3. Remodeling clothing on hand and choosing additional garments needed for an attractive and suitable wardrobe.
4. Selecting the accessories to complete a costume for self or for mother.
Home-improvement projects which involve the exterior of the home as well as the interior should have a place in the home-economics program. In this group of projects there is not only great opportunity for the application of art as the basis for planning and selecting, but also for the making of more pleasing arrangements of things already in the home. In view of the fact that in most home-improvement projects the girl needs to make the best use of furnishings and equipment already possessed by the family, and usually has a limited amount of money to spend, her problems are greatly increased. Except in the few cases in which she has the privilege of newly furnishing a room or a part of the home, the starting point is with the present possessions in the home and a careful evaluation of them to determine the good in each.She should appreciate the fact that the home and its possessions belong to the entire family and that any changes she may desire to make should meet their approval or at least be undertaken with their consent.In most cases the proposed changes will be more welcomed by the family if little outlay of money is necessitated and if the largest and best use is made of cherished household treasures.
Joint home improvement projects have been carried out in some States with considerable success. In these projects the girls in homeeconomics have worked cooperatively with brothers who were in agricultural classes. This usually meant greater interest on the part of parents and other members of the family. More ambitious programs for improvement were thus possible, not only through greater family support and encouragement but through the boy's ability to make certain alterations in structure or finishing that a girl could not do alone. Through these projects the boy and girl have learned much from each other. Perhaps the most conspicuous evidence of success has been the spread of interest beyond the homes into community improvement.
Some suggestive home-improvement projects are as follows:
1. Making the home kitchen a more convenient and attractive place in which to work.
2. Arranging home furnishings and accessories so that harmony, balance, and desirable centers of emphasis contribute to the attractiveness and comfort of each room.
3. Assisting in the selection and arrangement of furniture, wall coverings, floor coverings, or accessories for the girl's own room or other rooms in the house.
4. Preparing the sun porch for summer use.
5. Planning and caring for window boxes.
6. Planning and planting a flower garden or border that will contribute to the appearance of the home and also be a source of pleasure.
7. Re-covering or making slip covers for furniture.
8. Assisting in the selection of linen, china, silver, and glassware for the table.
9. Planning the table decorations for special occasions.
10. Keeping appropriate centerpieces of flowers, plants, or fruit on the home table.
Two home-improvement project reports on Beautifying Our Yard and Improving Our Home are given as suggestive of types of projects in which art plays an important part in successful achievement. Only the plans for the first one are given, since they show the significant art applications.
Name of project: Beautifying Our Yard
(Reported by a girl in a vocational high school in Nebraska.)
I. Reasons for choosing this project—
II. Aims—
III. Plans—
IV. Approval of guardian—
This project, Beautifying Our Yard, selected by Alta, is a very profitable project, especially at this time of the year when our thoughts are directed toward the planting of flowers, shrubs, etc. A beautiful yard adds so much to the home and makes everyone more happy and contented. This project should create a desire in Alta to take more interest in the yard and in planting it. Also watching the plants grow will make her feel some responsibility in caring for them, while at the same time every member of the family will enjoy the realization of the project. I wish her all success in making this project come true.
Note.—An excellent planting plan worked out on squared paper accompanied this project.
Name of Project: Improving Our Home
(Reported by an Alabama high school girl.)
In the spring I took as my project home beautification. I thought when I started there was very little I could do to improve the old barnlike house and unsightly grounds, but the more I did the more there was to be done. I began by removing the old overgrown hedge from the side and front of the yard. After grading the ground we sodded the whole yard in Bermuda grass. The house was next underpinned with rough strips of lumber which were painted. A lattice fence was also built from the house to the garage (about 40 feet).
Between the fence and the lawn a space about 30 feet square was left for a flower garden. Just in front of the fence several rambling rose bushes, jonquills, and chrysanthemums were planted. All around the garden I had flower beds about 4 feet wide filled with marigolds, zenias, bachelor buttons, asters, and phlox.
In the summer we decided that we could afford a concrete walk and steps. This was a little expensive but it has helped the looks of the place so much that we have never regretted the time and money spent.
The interior next received attention, beginning with my own room. The furniture consisted of an iron bedstead, an oak dresser, table, and chairs. There was a faded rug on the floor. I moved the dresser to another room, then from an old washstand I made a little dressing table. With rough lumber I made a window seat which I covered with bright cretonne. The furniture was very attractive after a coat of paint and two of enamel were put on. I have very light curtains at the windows. The old rug was turned over and looks almost like new.
The walls in the living room and hall were painted in buff, the dining room and kitchen are to be the same.
One of the greatest improvements of the interior is the built-in cabinets. A very convenient one was made between the dining room and kitchen, where an old chimney used to be. The bricks were used to build a basement. The part of the cabinet in the dining room is to be used for dishes, and that in the kitchen for the cooking utensils. Both are to be painted cream inside and oak outside.
Next spring I am going to plant more flowers and keep working on everything that I think can be improved, for I love home projects. It not only has helped me, but has helped my entire family and even our neighbors.
ADDITIONAL UNITS IN ART RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO HOUSE FURNISHING AND CLOTHING SELECTION
Though we travel the whole world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.—Emerson.
In the earlier sections of this bulletin it has been suggested that the first course or unit in art be chiefly concerned with the fundamental principles of art and that applications of them be made in a great many fields. It is anticipated that a detailed or complete study of art as related to home furnishing or to clothing selection is to be given at a later time as separate units or courses. It is, however, hoped that the foundation course in art related to the home will give pupils such training that they will be better able to solve their most common daily problems in which art is an important factor, should they fail to have opportunity to take units in home furnishing or clothing selection later.
In schools having two semesters that can be devoted to related art, it is recommended that the fundamental art course in which general applications are to be made be given in the first semester and the work of the second be composed of these more advanced units. When but one semester is provided for related art work, additional units in home furnishing and clothing selection should become a part of the regular homemaking program, with several consecutive weeks planned for each unit. These additional units offer fine opportunity for further applications of the principles of art in judgment and creative problems pertaining to home furnishing and clothing. Since the pupils will have gained an art consciousness through the more general course in art related to the home, and should have developed to a fair degree an ability to recognize and use certain fundamental art principles, it may be expected that the home furnishing and clothing selection units will be built around the larger and more difficult judgment and creative problems of selection, combination, arrangement, and rearrangement as they are met in life.
In planning for a unit in home furnishing as an additional unit in related art, the present and future needs of girls should again be considered. In the study of house plans, the question arises as to whether or not to require pupils either to draw original plans or to copy plans for houses. To do so has been justified as a means of developing interest of pupils in well-planned houses. However,since comparatively few pupils will ever make use of house plans they have made and because many of them will have occasion for making changes in a house that is already planned or assisting in the selection of a plan for a house, it would seem more worth while and less time consuming for them to judge house plans from the standpoint of convenience and the placing of furniture than to draw them. Since the amount and kind of wall space is a determining factor in successful arrangements of home furnishings, opportunity for the individual pupil and class to judge house plans should be provided. Many interesting plans are to be found in nearly all household magazines. Care in the selection of such plans is important in order to avoid discussion of types of houses that are not in keeping with the standards of the community.
If the home furnishing unit is to provide worth-while training and experience it should give to the pupils not only an ability to recognize good design and pleasing proportion in various pieces of furniture but ability to determine pleasing combinations of color, design, and texture in upholstery, drapery materials, and floor coverings, and to arrange and rearrange furniture and home accessories so that the rooms are comfortable and inviting.
In all consideration of home furnishing and accessories, emphasis is given to the selection of the vase, the lamp, the chair, or the curtain which is most pleasing in shape and suited in color and texture for a particular grouping or arrangement. In the earlier and more general art unit, attention is confined to such selection for some parts of the home, but in the later study of home furnishing, they are made for the entire home, with more specific reference to the relationship of one room to another and to larger arrangements.
It is assumed that in classes for the average girl 14 years of age and above, little if any reference will be made to period furniture. If any is made, it should be from the point of view of determining the suitability of adaptations of it to the average home and not purely as a means of identifying one style from another.
To the extent that a better appreciation of good design and proportion in furniture may be gained by studying why some period furniture, as early American, is always beautiful and continues to be reproduced, it may be desirable to make some allusion to it. When a teacher determines that for the majority in a particular class there is no need for devoting any time to a consideration of period styles in furniture, she may satisfy the few who ask questions concerning those styles by directing them to specific reference readings and allowing them to make individual studies of those in which they have greatest interest.
The type of furniture to be found within the community is always a guide in determining how much, if any, study of period furniture is to be made. An attempt to justify such a study is sometimes made from the standpoint of the pupil's personal need in assisting in the selection of new pieces of furniture for the parental home and of the future need in selecting furniture for her own home. But, after all, success in providing an attractive and convenient home depends more upon the harmonious combination of colors and materials and the satisfying daily arrangement of furniture and accessories than upon whether or not the furniture is of a definite period or style. It is upon the former that emphasis should be placed in planning and directing a unit in home furnishing if it is to be of the most service in the everyday experiences of the pupils.
The unit in clothing selection provides further opportunity for valuable art training. The main purpose in this unit is to develop in the pupils an ideal of being becomingly dressed at all times and an ability to choose and combine articles of clothing into attractive daily ensembles. It is evident that if such a training is to be of real service to the pupils in meeting their daily clothing problems they must work as much as possible with actual garments, clothing materials, and clothing accessories. The pupils may be expected to bring some of the needed garments and accessories from home, the teacher may borrow some from the stores, and whenever possible the pupils may be taken to the stores. Such an experience as the last named is most true to life and is described elsewhere under the topic "Field trips." (Seepp. 53-55.)
Many teachers question whether or not to include some study of historic costume. Since the unit in clothing selection is designed to give the pupils an ability to solve their daily clothing problems, the practice of having the pupils make sketches, tracings, and mountings of costumes of different periods is undoubtedly of little value. It is not only time consuming but can contribute very little to the development of judgment in selecting and combining articles of modern clothing into suitable and becoming ensembles. There is even a danger that such a procedure may stifle rather than stimulate interest in beautiful and harmonious clothing combinations for everyday use. However, certain features of those costumes which have withstood the test of time and have been revived and adapted again and again in modern dress designs may justly claim some consideration. A few well selected and mounted illustrations of these historic costumes in color may stimulate an interest in art and a desire to know more about the influence of dress in the early periods upon the designs of to-day as well as contribute to better appreciation of color.
ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIAL
When you understand all about the sun and all about the atmosphere and all about the rotation of the earth, you may still miss the radiance of the sunset.—Whitehead.
In home economics teaching there is an increasing recognition of the importance of illustrative material as a teaching device. There is no greater opportunity for effective use of it than in the teaching of art related to the home. Since one of the major objectives of such a course is to develop an ability to select the most suitable materials and articles, and since there is such a variety from which to choose, it is essential that materials which will give the pupils contact with good things and adequate experience in selection be provided. Another important objective is to develop ability to make successful combinations and arrangements. Since it is not yet possible to use real homes as classrooms, it is advantageous to bring some of the home into the schoolroom.
Some outstanding advantages of the use of illustrative material are:
1. It focuses attention upon a single example and affords opportunity for common interpretation and discussion.
2. It furnishes visual as well as audible instruction.
3. It provides contact with actual materials not in an imaginary form, but as found in real life. (The use of doll-size houses with furnishings is questionable for their construction is too time-consuming and they are too much in miniature to furnish standards or to interest girls in real problems.)
What are the factors governing the choice of illustrative material? The following ones have been adapted from a study by a graduate student at the University of Nebraska. The material should—
Teachers of art have a double problem in the selection of illustrative material in that they must not only choose those things which meet the above standards, but they must eliminate those in which there are unrelated factors which cause a lack of clarity. Quality rather than quantity should be the guide in making selections, for a small amount of well selected and arranged illustrative material is usually more effectively used than a large unorganized collection. Having determined upon the pieces of material that are desirable, the next problem is where to obtain them. Every teacher of art should build up her own personal collection of materials to supplement what can be procured from other sources, for one teaches best from her own material. At the same time, the teacher has a responsibility in guiding the selection of some pieces which should be provided by the school as permanent illustrative material. Still other pieces which it is inadvisable for either teacher or school to buy may be borrowed for special purposes. Chart 3 lists the general types of illustrative material and indicates possible sources of this material.
Chart 3.—Types and sources of illustrative materials
The above list of illustrative material should in no way be considered as representing all that should be provided for the teaching of art nor as meeting minimum requirements. It is, however, indicative of some of the materials that are desirable and most usable as well as available at a small expenditure of money.
The finest collection of illustrative material is futile if it is not used in such a way that the pupils see the significance of it and develop discriminating powers through the use of it. Charts and other materials lose their value if hung around the room or left in the same arrangements from September to June. Little notice is taken of them for they seem to become a permanent part of the background. Most charts are not decorative and their use should be confined to that part of the work to which they definitely contribute.
There are three important objectives to be kept in mind in the use of illustrative materials. They are—
1. To arouse interest. For this purpose pertinent materials should be arranged attractively on the bulletin board or screen or placed in some conspicuous part of the classroom. These particular pieces should be changed very frequently. See Figure 2,page 8.
2. To assist in solving problems in the development of the principle. The teacher will need to use clear and concise illustrative materials for this purpose. Since these pieces of illustrative material are usually held up before the class, it is necessary that they be of such size that all of the pupils can see them clearly. In addition, the class should be so arranged that all members have equal opportunity for observing them and handling them.
3. To assist in developing judgment ability. Materials for this purpose will be used in two ways: (1) As an aid in solving judgment problems given to the class. In this case some pieces will be used by the group as a whole and others will be passed out to individual pupils. (2) As a means of further developing powers of discrimination and judgment. For this pupils are asked to make selections and arrangements from a large number of articles and materials.
In using illustrative material it is often advisable to have examples of both the good and the poor. When this is true, one must remember to finish with the good. In other words, start with the poor and contrast with the good; or start with the good, contrast with the poor, and then go back to the good.
Illustrative materials can not serve such purposes successfully unless they are so arranged as to be easily accessible for class use. For example, the small fabric sample mounted fast to a sheet of paper can not be examined adequately for texture study. It would be far better to have larger samples which are unmounted, thus making possible not only design, color, and texture study of them, but also many variations in combinations.
The bulletin board and screen, well placed, offer good possibilities for accessibility of certain illustrative material which does not need to be handled. The screen is preferable because it can be moved around and placed to the best advantage for vision and light.
To the extent that pupils have contact and experience with real articles and materials, there will be a better carry over and thus a greater ability to solve everyday art problems successfully.
In addition to collecting and using illustrative materials, the teacher has the further problem of caring for and storing them. Soiled, creased, or worn materials are not only lacking in inspiration but set up poor standards.
Illustrative materials may be most efficiently cared for by—
1. Mounting that from which margins will not detract, that in which only one side needs to be used, and that of which texture study is not important.
2. Avoiding too long or unnecessary exposure.
3. Careful handling.
4. Cleaning if possible.
5. Pressing.
6. Labeling and classifying.
7. Careful storing.
Good storage for illustrative materials offers many problems, but is that sufficient excuse for a teacher to leave materials on the wall the year around or piled carelessly on open shelves in the classroom? The provision for adequate storage does not necessarily require elaborate equipment nor a large expenditure of money. Cabinets and steel filing cases are highly desirable but are not absolutely essential for good storage.
Much of the illustrative material for teaching related art lends itself to storage in manila folders and large envelopes, but some could better be stored in boxes, and still others, such as posters, swatches of fabrics held together by large clips, or pictures, may be best hung up.
The use of folders or envelopes necessitates a place to keep them. In the absence of a filing case, one teacher improvised space by utilizing a large, deep drawer. A partition through the center made it possible to arrange two rows of folders. The same plan might be utilized in narrower drawers, providing for one row of folders and space at the side for storage of boxes. If regular manila folders are not large enough to protect the materials, larger ones may be procured at small expense by making them of heavy paper, which is obtainable at any printers. A strip of bookbinding tape may be used to reinforce the bottom.
Cupboard shelves are more often provided in school laboratories than drawers. In such cases large envelopes, which are easily labeled and handled, will hold the materials more successfully. Boxes arevery usable also, and may be stacked on shelves for easy accessibility. Those which are uniform in size and color are especially nice for storing many materials such as textiles, yarns, and other bulky pieces, and when used on open shelves a good standard of appearance in the laboratory is maintained.
Any available space for hanging materials can also be used effectively. Textile swatches, charts, and posters, as well as garments, may be kept in better condition by hanging in closets or cases than by packing.
When the teacher of art has the privilege of advising on the original building plans that include an art laboratory, she would do well to plan for various types of storage space. Perhaps the first essential is plenty of drawer space of varying sizes. Shallow drawers of 4 to 6 inches are recommended by many art teachers. These may vary in width and length, but some should be sufficiently large for posters and the larger pictures. Some deeper drawers are desirable for the odd, bulky pieces of material. Cupboards with solid panel doors should also be provided, for boxes, vases, candlesticks, and similar articles which can be most easily stored on shelves. If a storage closet or case is to be provided, a small rod and many hooks should be included. Then, of course, a special series of deep drawers or a filing case for the material that can be placed in folders should be a part of any newly planned laboratory.
The most important factor is accessibility, and therefore the containers for all materials must be plainly labeled and conveniently arranged. Since illustrative material is such a valuable teaching device in art related to the home, good storage space and easy accessibility are of fundamental importance in its successful use.