Encouraging American 
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 What Role in 
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 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
 
 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/encouragingameriOOcoun 
 
Encouraging American Handcrafts: 
 What Role in Economic development? 
 
 prepared by 
 
 Charles Counts 
 
 Craft Consultant 
 
 National Collection of Fine Arts 
 
 Smithsonian Institution 
 
 for the 
 
 Economic Development Administration 
 
 October 1966 
 
 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
 John T. Connor, Secretary 
 
 Ross D. Davis Assistant Secretary 
 and Director of Economic Development 
 

 This technical assistance study was accomplished by professional 
 consultants under contract with the Economic Development 
 Administration. The statements, findings, conclusions, recom- 
 mendations, and other data in this report are solely those of the 
 contractor and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic 
 Development Administration. 
 
 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government 
 Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402. Price 35 cents. 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 One of the primary functions of the Economic Development 
 Administration has always been to help segments of the country 
 solve — in their own ways — their particular, individual problems. 
 Approaching problems through its program of technical assistance, 
 EDA has helped many areas in the country find, solve, and execute 
 solutions to their economic difficulties. 
 
 The report, "Encouraging American Handcrafts : What Role in 
 Economic Development?" is the work of the National Collection 
 of Fine Arts, Smithsonian Institution, under contract to EDA. 
 
 This timely study has been prepared for use wherever there is a 
 potential for handcraft industry and a community interest in de- 
 veloping handcrafts as a means of boosting a local economy. 
 
 Ross D. Davis 
 Assistant Secretary of Commerce 
 and Director of Economic Development 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 FOREWORD 3 
 
 PREFACE, David W. Scott 5 
 
 Policy Guidelines for Project Evaluation 7 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 Purpose and Scope 9 
 
 Findings 10 
 
 Recommendations 11 
 
 I. THE HANDCRAFT INDUSTRY: TERMS USED 
 
 AND BASIC 'CONSIDERATIONS 12 
 
 II. PROSPECTS FOR HANDCRAFT DEVELOPMENT. 19 
 
 III. PROBLEMS AND NEEDS 25 
 
 IV. SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS 32 
 
 V. RECOMMENDATIONS 37 
 
 APPENDICES 
 
 I. LIST OF INTERVIEWS 40 
 
 II. BIBLIOGRAPHY 43 
 
PREFACE 
 
 David W. Scott, Director, National Collection of Fine Arts 
 
 The National Collection of Fine Arts of the Smithsonian In- 
 stitution is concerned with the broad encouragement of American 
 Art, including the creative crafts. "Encouragement" is often 
 linked to considerations of livelihood; and therefore the National 
 Collection has been pleased to cooperate with the Economic De- 
 velopment Administration by sponsoring the present report, which 
 relates quality craftsmanship to its economic foundations. 
 
 We have approached the project with two basic theses : 1) in the 
 long run only excellence in design combined with efficiency in 
 production and marketing can assure healthy, wide-spread craft 
 activity; 2) it lies within the potential of our country at this time 
 to develop a great handicraft industry. The evidence of the re- 
 port supports these postulates. 
 
 ' The report contributes a valuable overview of the present situa- 
 tion and potentialities. It establishes a philosophical framework, 
 analyzes the nature of our problems, and makes specific, practical 
 recommendations for fostering a significant economic growth. 
 
 We hope this report will form the basis for constructive action 
 and look forward to continued collaboration with the Economic 
 Development Administration. 
 
 Proposals 
 
 Evaluation of projects : In accordance with recommendations in 
 this report, the National Collection of Fine Arts will be prepared 
 to evaluate craft project applications submitted to the Economic 
 Development Administration. 
 
 To assist the National Collection in this undertaking, funds will 
 be needed to recompense the Collection for staff, time and other 
 special expenses involved. 
 
 The National Collection will establish a small working com- 
 mittee, whose members will be available whenever there is a need 
 
for consultation or project evaluation. The committee will include 
 National Collection staff members and certain craft specialists 
 from closely related Government programs. The chairmanship of 
 this committee will eventually be held by a Curator of the Decora- 
 tive Arts of the National Collection. 
 
 Long range planning: The National Collection of Fine Arts 
 recognizes the need, pointed out in this report for 1) coordination 
 of the efforts in craft development of Government agencies, 
 private organizations, and individuals and 2) development of craft 
 programs of long-range value. 
 
 In order to further these objectives, the National Collection is 
 prepared to sponsor meetings of the present, informal Interagency 
 Committee, to effect coordination of information between agencies 
 concerned in craft development. 
 
 We will give careful study to the question of forming a National 
 Advisory Board for American Crafts and welcome the cooperation 
 of the Economic Development Administration and other agencies 
 in exploring this possibility. 
 
 We strongly endorse the recommendations of this report that 
 there be further specific study in areas where knowledge could 
 provide a basis for constructive action. 
 
Policy Guidelines 
 For Project Evaluation 
 
 1. Product: 
 
 a. The quality of the product and skill required to make it 
 must be sufficient to assure its sale for a good price in order 
 that the worker will receive a minimum wage or higher for 
 his work. 
 
 b. The product should be one for which a continued demand 
 can be reasonably assured. 
 
 2. Production : 
 
 a. There must be physical facilities and equipment necessary 
 for production or a feasible plan to provide these. 
 
 b. The methods of production must be efficient and appropriate 
 to the particular craft. Mechanized equipment and ma- 
 chine-processed raw materials may be used to promote 
 efficiency as long as production methods allow a substantial 
 and effective role for both human skills and individual ex- 
 pression in achieving the unique quality characteristic of 
 handcraft. 
 
 3. Marketing plan : 
 
 The project should include a specific marketing plan, based on 
 knowledge of the existing demand for the product in question 
 and a reasonable assurance of potential sales. Means of market- 
 ing the product should have been arranged with a wholesaler, 
 jobber, or several retail outlets. 
 
 4. Training : 
 
 There must be provision for a training program of sufficient 
 duration to develop craftsmen with skills adequate to maintain 
 the quality of the product as well as to guarantee a continuous 
 supply of sufficient quantity. 
 
5. Personnel : 
 
 The importance of the following personnel to each project 
 should be considered : 
 
 a. A skilled designer - craftsman who will furnish proto- 
 types of superior quality and assure design flexibility. 
 
 b. A person skilled in management and production unless 
 the designer-craftsman has proven ability in this area. 
 
 c. Adequate personnel to handle administrative matters. 
 
 d. A person, who may or may not be the designer-craftsman, 
 who possesses sufficient knowledge and skills to train the 
 craftsmen to be employed in the enterprise. 
 
 6. Location : 
 
 Since a craft project should be evaluated like any other busi- 
 ness enterprise, the question of location should be considered: 
 
 a. The project should be welcomed by the community. 
 
 b. There should be evidence that there are sufficient persons 
 in the area desiring work who possess the potential for 
 becoming satisfactory craftsmen-employees. 
 
 c. The availability of raw materials locally would be an asset. 
 
 d. Tourist and recreation programs, emphasizing the cultural 
 uniqueness of the region, would be advantageous. 
 
 Note: A project may be worth supporting even if all of these conditions are 
 not met. The elements essential to success are : a realistic plan for producing 
 a quality product, a marketing plan to sell it, and a training program to 
 perpetuate the enterprise. The possibilities for ultimate success of a given 
 project can best be judged by experts in the art field and craft business, who 
 can evaluate all the factors involved. 
 
SUMMARY 
 
 Purpose and Scope 
 
 The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is con- 
 cerned with establishing an effective program to alleviate con- 
 ditions of substantial and persistent unemployment and under- 
 employment in certain economically distressed areas as well as 
 with avoiding the waste of invaluable human resources. As a part 
 of its program, EDA is considering the support of arts and crafts 
 projects, for which it has received numerous proposals. Until 
 now, there has been little analysis of the handcraft industry in this 
 country as it relates to economic development. Therefore, EDA, in 
 an effort to arrive at a systematic method of evaluating such pro- 
 posals, has sought the advice of the National Collection of Fine 
 Arts. In accordance with the contract between the National Col- 
 lection of Fine Arts and EDA, a professional craftsman was en- 
 gaged as a consultant to make a four-month technical assistance 
 study of the handcraft industry in order to : 
 
 • Determine the role of handcrafts in economic development ; 
 
 • Develop policy guidelines for Economic Development Ad- 
 ministration use in reviewing and evaluating such projects; 
 and 
 
 • Suggest a specific administrative mechanism for expert re- 
 view and evaluation of future arts and crafts projects sub- 
 mitted to the Economic Development Administratipn. 
 
 In fulfilling the terms of the contract, the Consultant has also 
 acted as consultant to EDA, reviewing and evaluating a number 
 of proposals and making specific recommendations for EDA con- 
 sideration. 
 
 This report, which is based on four months of study and field 
 research, is by no means exhaustive or conclusive. It attempts, 
 however, to indicate where problems seem to be, where tentative 
 conclusions can serve as a basis for action, and where further 
 knowledge is required. 
 
For practical reasons, the Consultant limited his first-hand in- 
 vestigations to the East and Southeast, visiting some 13 of the 
 easternmost States, including the New England States and most 
 of the Appalachian region. In order to gain the broadest under- 
 standing possible, the Consultant interviewed craftsmen, designers, 
 economists, craft educators, administrators of craft organizations, 
 manufacturers, museum curators, representatives of Government 
 agencies concerned with the crafts as well as representatives of 
 foreign countries, at the same time studying a number of Govern- 
 ment reports and other works related to the subject. Field visits 
 were made to workshops, studios, craft industries, retail shops, 
 craft fairs, museums, community centers, and craft schools. 
 
 In the course of this study, the Consultant was able to draw on 
 the expert knowledge of Mr. and Mrs. C. Malcolm Watkins of the 
 Cultural History Division of the Smithsonian's Museum of History 
 and Technology and members of the staff of the National Collec- 
 tion of Fine Arts, who, acting in an advisory capacity, have made 
 special contributions to this report. Consultations were also held 
 with Mr. Richard Petterson of the West Coast, whose broad 
 knowledge of the arts and crafts field was particularly helpful. 
 
 Findings 
 
 1) That handcraft programs could make an important and 
 unique contribution to economic development : because of the phy- 
 sical and human resources available, sometimes reinforced by a 
 rich cultural heritage, which makes such a development prac- 
 ticable; because of the adaptability of handcraft production to 
 different circumstances and economic settings; because there is a 
 growing market for handcrafts in our affluent society; and be- 
 cause of their long-range social and cultural value. 
 
 2) That in order to increase the earnings of handcraft workers 
 and upgrade the industry as a whole, our efforts might best be 
 directed toward : 
 
 a) Improving the product's quality, particularly the design; 
 
 b) Encouraging better production and business methods, 
 especially in marketing; and 
 
 c) Increasing opportunities for training of craftsmen, especi- 
 ally in entrepreneurial skills. 
 
 In planning each project, all these areas should be considered. 
 
 10 
 
3) That coordination is needed between individuals, private or- 
 ganizations and Government agencies, on both the regional and 
 national level. 
 
 4) That most important, since success in handcraft develop- 
 ment will depend in a large degree on the quality of the crafts 
 produced, the whole effort should be directed and coordinated by 
 professionals in the art and craft fields. 
 
 Recommendations 
 
 1) That further studies be made in areas where information is 
 needed, particularly in regard to marketing. 
 
 2) That EDA encourage handcrafts by giving technical assist- 
 ance to carefully selected craft projects in its depressed areas, and 
 that these be established in accordance with the Policy Guidelines 
 outlined for this report. 
 
 3) That the National Collection of Fine Arts of the Smithsonian 
 Institution, heading a small advisory group, serve as the central 
 repository for professional competence in evaluating the varied 
 arts and crafts programs throughout the Federal Government. 
 
 4) That certain other measures to provide coordination and 
 long-range planning be considered. Proposals to this end appear 
 in the Foreword and final section, Recommendations. 
 
 11 
 
I. THE HANDCRAFT INDUSTRY: TERMS 
 USED AND BASIC CONSIDERATIONS 
 
 A. What is a handcraft? 
 
 The term ' 'handcraft" is used to cover a whole spectrum of prod- 
 ucts from the one-of-a-kind work of art to mass-produced items, 
 such as souvenirs for the tourist market. Therefore, it is ex- 
 tremely difficult to define the word precisely. The Director of the 
 Museum of Modern Art in New York City, Rene d'Harnoncourt, 
 gave perhaps the most succinct definition : "When the hands and 
 tools used affect the final form" the object produced is a handcraft. 
 This definition does not rule out the possibility, for example, that 
 the woods used for cabinet Work have been prepared by machine 
 or that the fibers used at the hand loom have been spun by ma- 
 chine. A handcraft is "an art or skill" as denned by Webster, 
 "hence an occupation requiring this." It can also be taken collec- 
 tively to mean an entire profession. "A craftsman is one who 
 practices some trade or manual occupation ; an 'artisan.' " In 
 attempting a definition, we might say that arts and crafts, hand- 
 crafts (sometimes handicrafts), and crafts are terms generally 
 used synonymously today to refer to articles produced predomi- 
 nately by hand rather than by assembly line techniques, so that 
 there is maximum control of the design and the process by the 
 handworker and so that the finished product exhibits a special 
 quality of individuality as a result of the method of production. A 
 true craft object reflects the time, the place, and the man, and the 
 method by which it was made. An Indian craft, for example, is 
 produced out of the environmental complex of a particular tribal 
 culture. 
 
 When we refer to a "quality" product, we mean any product, in- 
 cluding a mass-produced item, which is of good design and well ex- 
 ecuted. The term "design integrity'' is much used by professional 
 craftsmen to mean good design as it applies to a suitable product, 
 made with appropriate materials and tools. The object thus 
 created has its own inherent functional and aesthetic value. For 
 instance, no amount of hand finishing can turn a machine-produced 
 item of plastic into an artifact with genuine ethnic character ; to 
 
 12 
 
design it as such would be to lose "design integrity." On the 
 other hand, the professional designer might use plastic and native 
 skills to create a new "authentic expression." The top professional 
 in the field tends to consider design the most important factor 
 and is more concerned with the end product than with the tech- 
 nique of production which is used, so long as design integrity is 
 maintained. For this reason, professional craftsmen can be in- 
 terested in all kinds of production, from factory to folk craft. If 
 we can accept the concept of design and its importance in giving 
 purpose and form to the objects created by industry, we need not 
 get bogged down in arguments over category, "fine arts" as op- 
 posed to "applied arts," for instance. We hope to avoid such pit- 
 falls in this report by recognizing "design" as the common denomi- 
 nator for all material products of human expression, whether made 
 by hand or machine. Then we can look forward to technological 
 advances without fear, knowing that a proper balance between the 
 artist, the scientist, and the businessman is possible and essential. 
 
 B. How are handcrafts produced? 
 
 Handcrafts can be produced under a variety of conditions: in 
 the home, sometimes under a "cottage industry" arrangement, in 
 a craft center sponsored by a charitable, religious or civic group, 
 by an artist-craftsman working alone or employing several craft- 
 workers in his studio, or by a large handcraft production center. 
 
 Production in the home : Traditionally, crafts were produced in 
 the home, at first for the use of the immediate family, later for 
 supplemental income; as late as the 1930's home weaving was 
 widespread in the Southern mountains. Most Indian products are 
 produced today in the home. However, in our rapidly changing 
 world, this kind of production, which is reflective of another way 
 of life, is on the decline. In areas where such products are made, 
 the work is done mainly for supplemental income. 
 
 Sometimes home production is organized on a cottage industry 
 basis. The term "cottage industry" is used advisedly since it is 
 perhaps misleading to speak of an "industry" in the usual sense. 
 We are referring to the kind of arrangement where craft work is 
 carried on in the home and marketed through an agent or on 
 consignment through a handcraft center. A typical example of a 
 successful cottage industry would be the Arrowcraft Weavers in 
 Gatlinburg, Tennessee, managed by the Pi Beta Phi Settlement 
 School. This enterprise makes a variety of handloomed products 
 and employs some 50 to 60 workers who come to the Arrowcraft 
 Center to gather materials and obtain advice from an experi- 
 
 13 
 
enced designer. The Center was reluctant to use the word 
 "employ," however. Legally, the weavers "consign" their work to 
 their clubs and no one is "employed." Sales are handled by the Pi 
 Beta Phi Sorority and have been highly profitable. 
 
 Occasionally, a home industry of this kind will develop into a 
 full-fledged machine operation, as in the case of a hand-tufting in- 
 dustry in north Georgia, which progressed to producing machine- 
 made chenille products and has now evolved into a sophisticated 
 enterprise claiming a large part of the Nation's ca*rpet business. 
 
 The handcraft center: Somewhat similar to the Arrowcraft 
 Weavers are the Churchill Weavers in Berea, Kentucky, but here 
 the weavers are brought together into a central workshop. It was 
 founded 40 years ago by Mr. and Mrs. Churchill, who wished to 
 provide an opportunity for employment, but "to ask no subsidy 
 and give no dole." The workshop has, according to the founders, 
 "given work to many hundreds of people and . . . brought into the 
 town of Berea many millions of 'foreign dollars.' " 
 
 The small shop or studio : Handcrafts are often produced in a 
 craftsman's shop or studio as in the case of traditional community 
 artisans — the potter, the blacksmith, and others of the colonial 
 survival type. Such a shop may have from 2 to 12 workers. There 
 would be only a few such operations left today if their numbers 
 had not been enlarged in recent years by the artist-craftsman 
 and designer-craftsman, representing those who have sought out 
 crafts as a conscious form of artistic expression. 
 
 The handcraft factory : If production is sufficiently organized, it 
 may be carried on in a production center with a factory-like 
 atmosphere. These production centers may use machines and as- 
 sembly line techniques, but if the skill and hand of the individual 
 worker has a major effect on the product, it is still considered a 
 handcraft. Good examples of this type of production can be seen 
 in the Rowantree's Pottery in Blue Hill, Maine, or the Blenko Glass 
 plant in Milton, West Virginia, which qualifies as a handcraft op- 
 eration because it employs some 30 skilled glass blowers. Such 
 operations seldom employ more than 30 to 50 persons. According 
 to a study by the Spindletop Research Center in Kentucky, (Evans, 
 William J. and Lynch, Lawrence K., The Development of Ken- 
 tucky's Handicraft Industry, Spindletop Research Center, Lexing- 
 ton, Kentucky, August 19, 1963) the ideal number for such an 
 enterprise is about 35, since administrative services can then be 
 kept to a minimum, but further research is needed to determine 
 the best size for such production centers. 
 
 Craft-related industries: Finally, there are the craft-related in- 
 dustries where the object produced could not be called a "hand- 
 
 14 
 
craft" but where a considerable amount of ''craftsmanship" is 
 required, and the talents of a professional craftsman are used to 
 design prototypes, direct production, and handle marketing. An 
 example of a craft-related industry would be the Iron Mountain 
 Stoneware plant in Mountain City, Tennessee, where the services 
 of a ceramicist are used to design its machine-made line of dinner- 
 ware. These operations vary from small enterprises to large scale 
 industries, but they are important to our discussion of the hand- 
 craft industry because of the craftsmanship involved and because 
 of their potential for economic development. Often small hand- 
 craft studios can be expanded to become either handcraft factories 
 or craft-related industries by the skill or design ability of the 
 craftsman producer. Also, many small craft-related industries, as 
 well as the handcraft factories, have had a considerable economic 
 impact in the areas where they are situated and so proved their 
 capacity for generating jobs and income. 
 
 C. How are handcrafts marketed? 
 
 Handcrafts may be sold in a variety of markets : to wholesalers 
 who buy large quantities for resale to small gift shops and 
 specialty shops, or agents for large chain stores, such as Sears, 
 Roebuck and Company; to manufacturers who use handcrafts as 
 components in their products, such as straw woven goods for shoes, 
 or handcrafted knobs for furniture; to interior decorators and 
 architects; to retailers, for instance, owners of small gift shops 
 of all types who come directly to the craftsman to acquire their 
 stock ; to craft associations who sell products on consignment ; or 
 to tourists and individual consumers on a custom basis. The 
 wholesaler might sometimes be considered a sort of agent, and a 
 number of craftsmen today are turning to such middle men for 
 distribution of their products. These dealers, however, generally 
 buy for a large market in quantity and want dependability in pro- 
 duction and quality. "Quality market" means wherever quality 
 handcrafts are sold. 
 
 D. Kinds of craftsmen 
 
 It is almost as difficult to categorize craftsmen as to describe 
 a handcraft, since individual craftsmen seldom fit any particular 
 pattern. Many of them work on a part-time basis or practice 
 crafts as an avocation, as for instance, the teacher of arts 
 and crafts who practices a craft on the side or the woman 
 who weaves at home while caring for her children. For purposes 
 
 15 
 
of discussion, however, we shall divide craftsmen into the follow- 
 ing categories, bearing in mind that any individual may fit into 
 several of these, or not exactly into any. 
 
 Craftworker : A craf tworker is one who is employed to do any 
 sort of work in relation to a craft enterprise. He may stack the 
 pottery kilns, or prepare yarns and fibers for weaving, or secure 
 and dress the wood for furniture. The degree of skill necessary 
 may vary from the little required for very simple tasks to con- 
 siderable technical dexterity. A craftworker is generally trained, 
 if at all, as an apprentice, although this system is not so widely 
 used as it might be or so highly developed in this country as it is 
 in many foreign countries. We might also include here the home- 
 worker, often of meager skills, or the worker in a cottage industry 
 who depends on a handcraft center for what little training he 
 receives. 
 
 Traditional craftsman: A traditional or folk craftsman is an 
 individual usually responsible for his own products, who works in 
 a home or a community where skills are handed down from gen- 
 eration to generation. His sources of inspiration are traditional 
 designs which, as a rule, he follows in a repetitive way. These 
 designs are generally simple in conception and unaffected by out- 
 side influences. If he happens to have special talent and orig- 
 inality, he may also be an "artist-craftsman." Actually, there are 
 very few unspoiled traditional craftsmen left in the United States. 
 They exist only in remote areas such as in out-of-way Indian re- 
 servations, or isolated parts of the Southern mountains. The 
 Cheevers Meaders family near Cleveland, Ga., who make pottery, 
 and Maria Martinez of San Ildefonso, N. M., a maker of black- 
 ware pottery, could be considered traditional craftsmen. 
 
 Artist-craftsman: An artist-craftsman is a craftsman who 
 creates his own designs and generally makes one-of-a-kind prod- 
 ucts, usually in his own shop or studio. These are sold, if he has 
 sufficient talent and skill, in the quality market. He is concerned 
 with his own satisfaction as an artist, and his work may become 
 non-utilitarian and tend toward sculpture or painting. The artist- 
 craftsman is frequently highly educated, attending a college or 
 university which offers courses in applied arts, or a craft school 
 where he studies the principles of design and the history of art, 
 thereby gaining an understanding of the cultural significance of 
 the crafts. His curriculum schedule, however, rarely permits much 
 studio time and his training remains primarily academic. If he is 
 to develop sufficient skills to make handcraft production his liveli- 
 hood, he must usually devote at least a year after college to train- 
 ing in the capacity of an apprentice. Often his manual skills are 
 
 16 
 
only developed to a degree necessary for teaching or for limited 
 practice of his craft. In some cases, the artist-craftsman is self- 
 taught and occasionally achieves a fair degree of competency by 
 this means. 
 
 Designer-craftsman: A designer-craftsman is an artist-crafts- 
 man who creates designs for others to execute. He may employ 
 several "craftworkers" in a shop of his own or employ workers 
 elsewhere, in another part of the country or even abroad to im- 
 plement his designs. Or again, he may design for a handcraft 
 factory or a "craft-related industry," in which case he might be 
 called an "industrial designer." The work of the designer-crafts- 
 man combines all that is inherent in the definition of design with 
 all that is meant by the word "craft." For example, it is neces- 
 sary for the designer to know thoroughly the processes of a craft, 
 the materials and the use of the tools involved because only one 
 who practices a craft can design for it. He also derives ideas from 
 the methods of production and materials used. The word "design" 
 implies exploration, experiment, and originality, so that the de- 
 signer-craftsman, like the artist-craftsman, is essentially an artist. 
 
 For the successful development of any craft program, the de- 
 signer-craftsman is a key factor. The designer-craftsman, for 
 instance, could be the production manager in a factory or craft 
 business employing anywhere from 5 to 500 people. Whatever the 
 scope of his operation, however, the designer-craftsman, like the 
 artist-craftsman, would want to supervise every step of produc- 
 tion, both from a practical and an aesthetic point of view. 
 
 According to Rose Slivka, editor of Craft Horizons (May /June 
 1964, Vol. xxiv, No. 3, p. 10) , it is in the realm of quality crafts . . . 
 
 . . . that the craftsman has demonstrated that there 
 is an economic base . . . for the two values that only 
 he, traditionally and inherently, can afford to give: 
 Quality-. The craftsman has discovered that he is 
 satisfying a growing need for quality, unremitting 
 quality of material and workmanship and design. 
 
 In a world gutted by cheap production both from his 
 own domestic industrial producers, as well as from 
 foreign imports . . . the American craftsman is grac- 
 ing the attribute of use with genuine quality. His 
 production, limited in order to assure personal con- 
 trol of quality, will not earn him a million dollars, 
 but simply a modest living for himself and his 
 family, as he makes the very best products he can 
 for an ever increasing American market. 
 
 New Design : Only the craftsman can afford to pro- 
 duce genuinely new design as soon as he creates it. 
 Not restricted by enormous investment in the vast 
 
 17 
 
machinery of production, he does not have to invest 
 in the fantastically high costs of retooling in order to 
 produce a new shape or a new material. 
 
 Although classification will continue to be difficult, further study 
 is needed to identify the craftsman and include him property in 
 the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. The terms "designer-crafts- 
 man," "handcraft worker," or equivalents are not now listed. A 
 "weaver" might be described but the definition would not neces- 
 sarily fit the handweaver. The Spindletop Research Study for the 
 State of Kentucky describes the different kinds of craftsmen, how 
 each is employed, and what the economic circumstances are for 
 each type. This kind of study could be made on a nation-wide basis 
 and would be extremely helpful in dealing with the problems of 
 the industry. 
 
 18 
 
II. PROSPECTS FOR HANDCRAFT 
 DEVELOPMENT 
 
 If the aims of an economic development program are to generate 
 jobs in economically depressed areas, to increase per capita and 
 total income, and to stimulate outside investment and spending, 
 then there are a number of reasons why the handcrafts can make 
 a substantial and perhaps unique contribution. 
 
 First, in many areas, the raw materials — both the human and 
 physical resources — already exist. Skills and traditions, sometimes 
 reinforced by a rich cultural heritage, persist as a way of life or 
 can be revived. 
 
 Second, handcraft production is adaptable to a variety of cir- 
 cumstances and economic settings, particularly in some under- 
 developed and transitional areas. 
 
 Third, a potential market for handcrafts exists or can be de- 
 veloped. The tourist market is of special importance — the ever- 
 growing number of tourists are avid buyers of handcraft products 
 and are attracted to areas producing native crafts. By bringing 
 in outside capital, they double the economic advantages to the 
 community, which enjoys all the benefits of a tourist industry. 
 
 Finally, in helping to build local pride and self-reliance, hand- 
 craft programs can contribute to social well-being while at the 
 same time raising the cultural level of the community. Thus, 
 handcraft development is a long-range investment. 
 
 A. Background: American Crafts in the Past and Today 
 
 Before the age of industrialization, our society depended on 
 handcrafts to supply our most basic everyday needs. Our folk art 
 collections today abound with objects our ancestors made for 
 routine use which we now respect for their inherent esthetic 
 qualities. For like all good craft products, these objects, although 
 utilitarian in form, express the maker's feeling for beauty. 
 
 With the rapid industrialization that has taken place since 
 pioneer days, there have been vast changes in our methods of pro- 
 duction, and many of our traditional American handcrafts have 
 
 19 
 
died out. Handcrafts persist in our society today, however, be- 
 cause of their unique value both to the producer and the consumer. 
 Although a craftsman's income usually does not compare with that 
 of most industrial employees, many craftsmen feel that other 
 benefits not calculable in dollars and cents compensate them for the 
 difference in wages. On the other hand, the consumer turns to 
 handcrafts to supplement standardized, mass-produced items and 
 thus fulfills the need to express his own individuality. 
 
 The customer seeks to identify his own personality 
 and make himself stand out from the masses. Pur- 
 chasing quality products offers him a way to be an 
 individual in the crowd and to create an image of 
 himself which will give him satisfaction and pride. 
 (Robert H. Myers in a Small Business Administra- 
 tion Report, Quality and Taste as Sales Appeals.) 
 
 The tremendous interest in contemporary handcrafts and their 
 increasing popularity was apparent from all the interviews and 
 travels undertaken in the course of this study. It can be seen in 
 the numerous gift shops that sell craft products in many cities 
 and towns, and in the crowds of people who attend crafts fairs. 
 
 The cultural importance of the crafts is widely recognized today. 
 Respected art museums, such as the Baltimore Museum of Art and 
 the Brooklyn Museum, have undertaken special programs to sell 
 beautifully handcrafted objects from all over the world. The 
 Baltimore Museum sells crafts from a number of American States, 
 and there is a trend among regional museums, such as the Museum 
 of the Atlanta (Georgia) Art Association, to exhibit for sale area- 
 made, jury-approved crafts along with works traditionally ac- 
 cepted as fine art. Cultural history specialists of the Smithsonian's 
 Museum of History and Technology seek native crafts not only 
 for its varied collections, but also for sale in the Smithsonian 
 Museum shops, which now sell, for example, Southwest Indian 
 crafts as well as traditional craft products from Appalachia. 
 According to Dr. David W. Scott, Director of the Smithsonian's 
 National Collection of Fine Arts, the Collection has formed plans 
 for a gallery shop in Washington, D. C, which will serve as a 
 sales outlet for fine American arts and crafts. This growing 
 interest in crafts is perhaps related to a tremendous urge today 
 to seek satisfaction in an understanding of our cultural roots. 
 
 B. Availability of human and physical resources 
 
 Although handcrafts in this country have been more seriously 
 affected by the advance of industrialization than in most other 
 countries, we have, nevertheless, resources which could be de- 
 
 20 
 
veloped. There has been a continuing tradition of handcraft pro- 
 duction in many foreign countries, where the crafts are an im- 
 portant and organized part of the economy of the Nation. The 
 Scandinavian countries, England, Italy, Japan, India, and the 
 South American countries are some of the more notable examples. 
 The continuity in the development of crafts in other countries may 
 be attributed to a number of factors. It may be that their roots 
 were deeper than in our new pioneer society. One important 
 aspect is the active part that the governments of these Nations 
 play in promoting and thus preserving their crafts. Whatever the 
 reason, it must be admitted that the United States has not been 
 able to compete on a large scale with foreign-made handcrafts. 
 This does not mean we could not. We have both the design 
 capability and the skills. There are American-made craft products 
 which are second to none in execution and design. In many parts 
 of the country, particularly in regions which are not fully de- 
 veloped industrially, or in areas which are in transition between 
 an agriculturally-oriented economy and an industrial economy, 
 traditional skills have been preserved. In parts of the Southern 
 Appalachian mountains, for instance, handcraft traditions have 
 remained a way of life and a major source of employment. Again, 
 where strong cultural feelings have persisted, as with the Ameri- 
 can Indians, craft work has stubbornly survived. 
 
 Many of these areas have a wealth of natural resources on which 
 handcraft industries could be built. Georgia, for instance, is rich 
 in the materials necessary for ceramic production, native clays 
 and earth materials used for glazes, but these are not now pri- 
 marily used there but shipped to New York, Ohio, or the West 
 Coast. Native hardwoods, which are now being exploited by 
 large-scale industry in Appalachia, could also be used in the pro- 
 duction of fine handcrafts. 
 
 C Adaptability of handcraft production 
 
 Because of the many kinds of handcrafts, materials used, and 
 means of production, craft development could fill a variety of 
 needs and purposes in different areas and situations. Handcraft 
 projects may be especially suitable in remote regions where it 
 would be difficult or inappropriate to introduce more highly in- 
 dustrialized projects and where other kinds of employment are 
 scarce. Here, the small craft project may offer the only available 
 possibility for development. Support of a cottage industry, for 
 example, (although this might not ordinarily be the most desirable 
 kind of project) may bring to an area substantial income that 
 
 21 
 
would otherwise be nonexistent. At the same time, economic condi- 
 tions could be improved, leading eventually to a situation where 
 more stable and gainful employment would be possible. In some 
 sections, there may be possibilities for industrialization, but strong 
 cultural resistanse may discourage it. The potential labor force 
 might not comprehend the concept of full employment with a 40- 
 hour week and 8-hour day. Craft work could then be a stop-gap 
 arrangement until the area passed through the transitional stages 
 of industrialization. There could be lasting benefits, however, if 
 an effort were made to develop craft skills to a high degree so 
 that workers could sell their products on the best market, to get 
 the best possible prices and thus maintain a minimum wage. If 
 enterprise and ability are encouraged, the small craft center can 
 grow into a larger industry as the area moves toward industrial- 
 ization. In other areas, there may be a need for seasonal work. 
 Craft skills are important here and should not be allowed to die, 
 as they may allow subsistence wage earners to increase their earn- 
 ings. In yet another spot, where new industry is badly needed, the 
 crafts may play another kind of role, with the establishment of a 
 handcraft factory or a craft-related industry. In an ideal situation, 
 the labor force in an area would not be drastically uprooted, but the 
 craftsman, in moving out of the role of small producer into larger 
 factory production, would be enabled to remain in the land of his 
 heritage, while changing to a more gainful kind of employment. 
 
 Handcrafts can employ all kinds of workers, young and old, as 
 well as the physically handicapped. The Consultant has found 
 from his own experience that people over 40 are excellent pro- 
 spects for training. 
 
 A further point to consider, particularly in relation to transi- 
 tional areas, is that handcraft production will not be affected by 
 automation. Once trained, workers will not have to be retrained, 
 and the handcrafts can thus offer a relatively stable form of em- 
 ployment in areas undergoing rapid change. 
 
 D. Marketing Prospects 
 
 There has been little analysis of the market for handcrafts, and 
 sound knowledge of all aspects of marketing is needed. Neverthe- 
 less, there seems to be ample evidence of a wide and expanding 
 market, particularly for quality crafts. This may be due in part 
 to the current recognition of the cultural importance of the crafts, 
 already noted, or to our general and growing affluence which means 
 that consumers have more to spend on "finer things." Craft 
 market experts, such as Charles Burwell, President of Thaibok 
 
 22 
 
Fabrics in New York, were enthusiastic about this development. 
 Tage Frid, the well-known designer-craftsman, has said that there 
 could be no better time to go into crafts. He believes that the 
 material, labor, and craft people living in the Southern States, 
 for instance, offer tremendous opportunities for development, and 
 that we "could very easily compete with the European market, as 
 for example, Banska Even now, successful designer-craftsmen 
 cannot begin to fill the orders they receive and a store like America 
 House in New York can never get enough quality products to 
 supply the demand. The National Park Service is selling an in- 
 creasing number of native handcrafts and would sell more if they 
 could get quality merchandise. There is the growing market 
 reached by museum shops. In all these cases, the demand is for 
 quality products. 
 
 Although comprehensive documentation is not available, we 
 might cite several examples which indicate the rise in sales over 
 the past few years. 
 
 1) Robert W. Gray, Director of the Southern Highland Handi- 
 craft Guild, has provided the following figures on sales since 1960 : 
 
 
 Shop Sales 
 
 Fairs 
 
 1960 
 
 $237,371.00 
 
 $42,588.00 
 
 1961 
 
 239,427.00 
 
 46,255.00 
 
 1962 
 
 231,484.00 
 
 51,139.00 
 
 1963 
 
 256,010.00 
 
 56,452.00 
 
 1964 
 
 302,026.00 
 
 65,086,00 
 
 The Guild currently operates four retail shops and since 1959 
 has sponsored two craftsmen's fairs — one in Asheville, North 
 Carolina, and one in Gatlinburg, Tennessee — which are drawing 
 increasing numbers of people every year. In October 1965 sales 
 from one fair alone reached $65,000. According to Mr. Gray, a 
 tabulation of recent wholesale orders received by the Guild in- 
 dicates that $200,000 worth of crafts could be sold "tomorrow" 
 to small gift shops all across the country if these wares could 
 only be systematically procured. 
 
 2) Steve Richmond, Field Representative of the Indian Arts 
 and Crafts Board, has provided the following figures for the 
 Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual of the Cherokee Indian Reserva- 
 tion in North Carolina. This cooperative was founded in 1946 
 and 200 craftsmen sell products through this outlet. 
 
 Sales 
 1946 $ 7,000.00 
 
 1961 41,392.00 
 
 1962 45,791.00 
 
 1963 56,140.00 
 
 1964 55,669.00 
 
 23 
 
These figures represent less than half of the total volume of 
 craft sales to tourists on the Cherokee Reservation. However, 
 handcraft production at the Reservation has been diminished by 
 the establishment of industry and, at this time, the demand far 
 exceeds the supply. 
 
 Tourism as an industry is growing rapidly every year, and 
 where people travel, they want to buy locally made items. Some 
 idea of the immense money-making possibilities of a well co- 
 ordinated program can be gained from the examples of Williams- 
 burg, Virginia, and Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts, which 
 attract thousands of visitors every year. Here, craft demonstra- 
 tions attract tourists and thus potential customers, and employ 
 craftsmen in serious production in a dignified way. 
 
 Handcraft production does not, by its nature, employ people 
 on a mass basis. We can conclude, however, that because of the 
 opportunities for development and potential marketability of 
 handcrafts, a significant number of jobs could be filled. 
 
 24 
 
III. PROBLEMS AND NEEDS 
 
 In spite of market potential, however, there are a number of 
 problems which make it difficult for a craftsman to earn a liveli- 
 hood and which therefore hamper handcraft development. Pro- 
 duction costs, inefficient production methods, poor design and 
 lack of talent at the local level, lack of management and entre- 
 preneurial skills, need for distribution facilities, inadequate 
 training, and lack of planning are some of the specific ills. A 
 number of these problems could be traced to the lack of effective 
 organization and leadership in the industry. 
 
 A. Production costs 
 
 Labor standards in the United States make it difficult to meet 
 the competition of handcrafts from foreign countries where labor 
 costs remain lower. Many hours of labor are often required to 
 produce a single piece. Due to high production costs, there is 
 little possibility of mark-up in distribution channels, and even 
 reasonable mark-ups prevent sales. Also, there is often a long 
 time-lag between the initial investment and the realization of 
 profits. This is particularly true where sales depend on the 
 often-seasonal tourist trade. 
 
 Related to high cost of production is the difficulty of procuring 
 capital for handcraft operations. Since the industry tends to 
 suffer from lack of quality control, inconsistency in design, and 
 inability to assure prompt delivery, commercial backers are re- 
 luctant to invest. What capital has been provided to establish 
 craft businesses in the past has come mainly from philanthropic 
 sources or Government agencies. Even then, many craftsmen 
 lack the necessary information enabling them to avail them- 
 selves of help from Government agencies or are unaware of the 
 opportunities. There has been little research done to determine 
 ways to finance various kinds of craft enterprises. 
 
 25 
 
B. Lack of design talent 
 
 Good design is perhaps the key to upgrading the industry, for 
 good design determines not only where and how a product can be 
 marketed, but also the price it will bring and hence the wages of 
 the craftsman. Crafts which have persisted longest in Ap- 
 palachia or on Indian reservations have been those with authentic 
 ethnic qualities, based on excellence in design — that is, when they 
 were also supported by sound marketing practices. 
 
 In the craft projects reviewed by the Consultant, too often 
 the missing ingredient was design talent. Frequently, consider- 
 able skills are used in making a product of low quality, to com- 
 pete with mass-produced souvenirs and curios, when the same 
 skills, with good design, could produce objects of intrinsic beauty 
 and higher sales value. One pottery plant, for instance, where the 
 skills have been preserved and handed down through four gen- 
 erations, is now making a cheaper version of its earlier pottery, 
 which lacks good design and finish, but which sells reasonably 
 well in a local tourist market. The management of this plant is 
 considering converting to making bricks and tiles on which the 
 craftworkers' valuable skills would be wasted. They might in- 
 stead be persuaded to improve their present product by recaptur- 
 ing some of their older, more beautiful pottery forms and im- 
 proving their glazes, thus aiming at a different market. Even 
 where there is good design, however, there is often no design 
 flexibility, an important factor in the marketability of a product. 
 Market conditions, for instance, may require a design change to 
 avoid competition with a similar item produced elsewhere. 
 
 C. Lack of management and entrepreneurial skills 
 
 The lack of management and entrepreneurial skills (which are 
 especially scarce in economically depressed areas) affects both 
 production and marketing. Production methods are often in- 
 efficient or out-dated. Failure to understand the demands of the 
 market often results in inappropriate designs and lack of good 
 business management, for instance, the failure to purchase raw 
 materials in quantity, or the inability to determine reasonable 
 costs and prices. The net result is poor overall quality. As in the 
 case of poor design, these lacks are frequently related to the 
 divorce of talent from the industry. 
 
 As it now exists, the marketing of crafts ranks among the 
 poorest managed enterprises in the United States. Most gift 
 shops are low-level in taste, few entrepreneurs understand the 
 
 26 
 
potentialities of handcrafts merchandising, and although many 
 successful craft shops and retail programs exist, retailers have 
 yet to learn how to promote handcrafts in a creative way. In- 
 dividual craftsmen have had noteworthy success, like Ronald 
 Pearson, for instance, a talented New York State silver crafts- 
 man. One of the founders of a successful retail craft shop, he has 
 combined artistic skill with a sound business sense to develop a 
 flourishing business, and his superb handcrafted jewelry is in 
 great demand all over the country. Another example is a noted 
 New England potter, David Gil, who understands the importance 
 of good marketing. He hires an outside agent to handle this 
 aspect of his business and enjoys a large nationwide market. 
 Most craftsmen, however, are haphazard about their marketing, 
 and although their limited production often creates great demand, 
 they are usually insufficiently oriented in business to take ad- 
 vantage of the situation. 
 
 Too often, craft programs have lacked carefully thought-out 
 marketing plans, and no consideration has been given to the 
 existing demand for the product, to potential sales, or to distri- 
 bution. A representative of one Federal agency, for instance, ex- 
 pressed concern over reports coming in from the field that in- 
 dicated the failure of craft businesses to employ people after 
 craft training. In almost every case the reason seemed to be that 
 a training program had been planned because there was "a large 
 market for handicrafts," but specific marketing problems had 
 not been solved. 
 
 This report suggests that we can be optimistic about market 
 potentialities, but there is presently no general marketing in- 
 formation on which estimates of job or income potential can be 
 based. Not only do we need more knowledge about the market in 
 general, but also about means of marketing, and about kinds of 
 markets, so that craft producers can know how to supply them. 
 
 D. Need for distribution facilities 
 
 Many small retailers throughout the Nation would like to 
 procure handcrafted products, but no systematic way exists to 
 collect the wares and present them to this potential market. It is 
 for this reason that the Southern Highland Handicraft Guild is 
 handicapped in filling its $200,000 worth of current orders. 
 
 E. Inadequate training 
 
 One reason for the divorce of talent from the industry is that 
 craft school and university graduates are most often directed 
 
 27 
 
into teaching positions rather than into commercial craft produc- 
 tion. Much talent, especially in design, is thus inadvertently kept 
 from contributing directly to commerce. Even more serious, 
 however, is the failure of schools offering craft courses to include 
 instruction in business and marketing techniques. As a result, 
 graduates lack entrepreneurial skills. This leads to much of the 
 difficulty we are experiencing in attempts to utilize crafts in 
 economic development programs. 
 
 A second pressing problem is the failure of craft businesses to 
 train new workers to replace those whose skills are rapidly dy- 
 ing out. Traditionally, craftworkers were trained on-the-job by 
 expert craftsmen, and apprenticeship remains the best method to 
 develop craftsmen. In Germany, where the craft industry is 
 traditionally well-organized and where craft work is a vocation, 
 the apprenticeship method of training is highly developed, and 
 the greatest care is given to training the younger generation of 
 craftsmen. The traditional three states of vocational training 
 are preserved — apprentice, journeyman, and master — and an 
 examination must be passed before one attains the title of 
 "master" and is thus permitted to set up a business of one's own. 
 In this country, however, there is no such system. Few crafts- 
 men are fully aware of the importance and necessity for training 
 their workers, and they seldom see the relationship of training 
 to the future quantity and quality of the product and thus the 
 stability of the enterprise. For instance, the pottery plant which 
 is considering converting its production to bricks and tiles is 
 hampered in expanding its present pottery production because 
 of the lack of a training program. Also, small craft producers 
 often lack funds for training programs. 
 
 Some other problems in connection with training, especially 
 noted in discussion with the Department of Labor's Bureau of 
 Employment Security, concern: the time required for training, 
 difficulties in the selection of trainees, and the lack of stand- 
 ards in training. 
 
 1) Training for craftsmen is usually long and expensive. 
 Wage scales remain low until the individual develops the expert- 
 ness which comes only with some years of experience, so that 
 young people are discouraged from entering the craft field. 
 
 2) Frequently, insufficient consideration is given to the many 
 types of people being trained. In the interests of helping a 
 particular group, assumptions are sometimes made which are not 
 based on sound testing. 
 
 3) It is difficult to determine standards in every field, but 
 standards seem particularly nebulous in craft training. We need 
 
 28 
 
to know how to gage the time which should be devoted to teach- 
 ing different skills and to determine which skills are essential 
 to a training program. 
 
 F. Lack of planning 
 
 As we have shown in a number of instances, the problems of 
 craftsmen are often inter-related, a difficulty in one phase of op- 
 eration giving rise to problems in other areas. For example, lack 
 of workers, particularly lack of skilled workers, in small busi- 
 nesses and centers making handcrafts will result in an in- 
 sufficient quantity or poor quality in the product, thus making it 
 unmarketable. Just as some craft programs have failed because 
 they did not include a well-conceived marketing plan, so con- 
 versely, a marketing plan cannot succeed without the assurance 
 of continued productivity; and long-range productivity is impos- 
 sible unless new workers are trained. In order to be effective, a 
 craft program must be organized with the right combination of 
 elements. This means design talent, knowledge of production 
 techniques, organizational ability, business skills, and proper 
 training programs. So far, however, coordinated planning has 
 been lacking. 
 
 G. Lack of effective organization and leadership 
 
 Although handcrafts can be a highly organized and coherent 
 part of a modern economy, as has been dramatically demonstrated 
 in the Scandinavian countries, there is little effective organization 
 for crafts in this country. This can be explained in part by the 
 natural individualism of craftsmen. However, there are other 
 factors. We have already mentioned the divorce of talent from 
 industry. Museums, leading craft organizations, and educators, 
 in an effort to uphold high standards, tend to emphasize crea- 
 tivity * and originality and thus concentrate their attention on 
 the artist or designer-craftsman to the neglect of the skilled 
 craftworker or the industry as a whole. Therefore, there is little 
 communication between those with top talent, who have more 
 ideas than production capability, and the grass-roots craftsmen 
 who have the ability to produce but lack design talent and en- 
 trepreneurial skills. 
 
 Craftsmen have never enjoyed the advantages derived by 
 many other working Americans from unions, other pressure 
 groups, and organized marketing. This is true in spite of the 
 existence of craft associations in almost every State for the pur- 
 pose of encouraging handcrafts. There are associations like the 
 
 29 
 
excellently organized League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts, 
 with active groups in 32 New Hampshire communities, or the 
 Southern Highland Handicraft Guild which aims to preserve the 
 highland heritage of craftsmanship. Because of its location in 
 Appalachia, the latter has been perhaps more involved in prob- 
 lems of economic development than other craft organizations. 
 Many of these associations, however, are limited in membership, 
 or, having been founded for philanthropic, artistic, or other 
 reasons, have not in the past concerned themselves with such 
 matters as the economic feasibility of handcraft production or 
 methods of creating a market. The American Craftsmen's 
 Council, which has a national membership, seeks "to promote 
 every aspect of craftsmanship." Unfortunately, however, the 
 organization has been able to make little headway in depressed 
 areas, for most grass-roots craftsmen lack the outlook or back- 
 ground to understand and participate in the Council's program. 
 Recently, some organized attempts to promoting the handcrafts 
 have been made by several States. West Virginia and Kentucky, 
 for instance, have instituted extensive programs for craft de- 
 velopment. The West Virginia State Department of Commerce 
 sponsored the formation of the West Virginia Guild of Artists and 
 Craftsmen; and Federal funds paid a group of three specialists 
 to tour the State in an effort to find means of stimulating hand- 
 crafts. One of the most successful projects sponsored by the 
 State Department of Commerce was the establishment of the 
 Mountain States Arts and Crafts Fair near Ripley, now in its 
 fourth year. This five day event attracted 25,000 people last 
 year. Although the program has not yet produced all the hoped- 
 for results, its promotional efforts have brought attention to 
 the already existing craftsmen in the State. It has also created a 
 climate which may encourage new entrepreneurs to enter the 
 field and demonstrated the potential of crafts for drawing 
 tourists. This program is worth studying for the lessons it has 
 to offer in connection with future similar attempts. Kentucky has 
 taken a number of steps which might profitably be followed else- 
 where, such as conducting an intensive advertising campaign, 
 providing loans to local entrepreneurs to establish craft centers, 
 and publishing a catalogue of Kentucky handcrafts. Even the 
 present partial programs have tended to improve the cultural 
 climate and have given impetus to the tourist trade. However, 
 the results of these efforts serve to point up the need for a more 
 comprehensive development plan. 
 
 Craft development has also been the concern of innumerable 
 Federal agencies: the Economic Development Administration 
 
 30 
 
(Department of Commerce) ; the Small Business Administration; 
 the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
 and the National Park Service (Department of the Interior) ; the 
 Rural Community Development Service and other agencies of 
 the Department of Agriculture; the Bureau of Employment 
 Security and the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (De- 
 partment of Labor) ; the Cultural Affairs Branch of the Depart- 
 ment of Education; the Office of Economic Opportunity; and the 
 Smithsonian Institution. Because there has been no central direc- 
 tion or clearinghouse for information related to craft programs, 
 however, it has not been possible to coordinate the efforts of the 
 various agencies, and this has been a major obstacle to success. 
 Need to involve 'professional craftsmen: One of the reasons 
 why previous craft programs have failed to measure up to ex- 
 pectations is that they have seldom had the cooperation of the 
 top professional craftsmen many of whom have yet to be con- 
 vinced of the value of such endeavors. Indeed, some feel that 
 Governmental efforts can only be a detriment to the industry, by 
 supporting poor quality or ersatz products and that the use of 
 mediocre talent will result in little of value to economic develop- 
 ment while destroying advances in the crafts field of recent 
 years. The interest and cooperation of the professional crafts- 
 man must be enlisted and his confidence won by the Govern- 
 ment, however, if any progress is to be made. 
 
 31 
 
IV. SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS 
 
 If the handcraft industry in this country is to live up to its 
 potential, it must be upgraded in all areas — production, market- 
 ing, and training — and a primary effort must be made to raise 
 the earnings of the handcraft worker to at least the minimum 
 wage and higher, to correlate with his talents and skills. There 
 are a number of measures which we might take to improve cur- 
 rent conditions. 
 
 A. Production 
 
 1) Technical assistance should be provided to craft enterprises 
 and small craft producers to assure good design and design 
 flexibility. In this way new and better markets could be opened 
 up to formerly mediocre products. Working with professional 
 designer-craftsmen, people could be trained to make products that 
 would be second to none on the international market and thus 
 maintain a steady economic influence on a specific region. 
 
 2) To increase the efficiency of production and improve the 
 quality of the product, technical assistance should be made avail- 
 able in production methods. Existing enterprises could be helped 
 to explore new production methods and ways of working with 
 various materials. 
 
 3) Assistance and training should be provided in business 
 techniques and management. 
 
 4) Ways should be found to bring the talented graduates of 
 our craft schools and universities, the potential leaders in the 
 field, into all areas of production so that their influence will be 
 felt at the grass-roots level. 
 
 B. Marketing 
 
 1) Assistance should be provided to craftsmen in marketing 
 their products. 
 
 2) Local craftsmen and entrepreneurs should be trained in 
 marketing techniques and made aware of the demands of the 
 market and its potentialities. 
 
 32 
 
3) Capable entrepreneurs should be encouraged to enter the 
 handcraft field. 
 
 4) Top entrepreneurs should be encouraged to find American 
 craft sources in economically retarded areas as some have already 
 done in Italy, Denmark, and Mexico. Their marketing expertise 
 would be valuable and would take on a new dimension in a co- 
 ordinated national effort. A number of professional people have 
 expressed willingness to contribute in this way. 
 
 5) There should be a marketing plan in conjunction with every 
 craft project which includes information about the existing de- 
 mand for the product, a reasonable assurance of future sales, and 
 an arrangement with a wholesaler, jobber, or retail outlets. 
 
 6) In order to help solve the problem of distribution, regional 
 warehouses should be set up, which would help provide an in- 
 ventory and give an opportunity to prospective buyers to view 
 craft products. At the same time, producers would be en- 
 couraged to expand their production and hire more craftsmen. 
 A warehouse of this kind, however, should be planned in con- 
 nection with a total marketing scheme for the region, which 
 would provide for staff to procure merchandise, inventories, 
 prepare catalogues, and promote sales. Also, technical assistance 
 in design and production could be given by the warehouse center 
 to struggling producers in order to upgrade their quality and thus 
 offer them an opportunity of earning higher wages. In this 
 way, a warehouse could serve as a means of action not only in 
 providing jobs, but also in setting standards, while tastefully 
 promoting quality handcrafts of the region and thus helping to 
 correct the image of "poverty" which contributes to the discour- 
 aging atmosphere in so many depressed areas. 
 
 7) The publication of a national catalogue of handcrafts would 
 be an excellent way to aid in handcraft distribution and, at the 
 same time, establish higher standards. 
 
 C. Training 
 
 1) We should encourage craft schools and university art de- 
 partments to include courses in management and marketing 
 techniques in their curriculums. This would benefit the craft in- 
 dustry as a whole. One current plan of this kind, for instance, 
 is that of a school in the mountains of North Carolina, a de- 
 pressed area, which, however, is rich in timber. This school plans 
 to offer training in business and marketing techniques to crafts- 
 men who might wish to establish businesses in Appalachia and 
 thus provide much needed entrepreneurship to the area and en- 
 courage high standards of workmanship. 
 
 33 
 
2) In accordance with a suggestion by Charles Burwell, craft 
 schools could be encouraged to establish a "chair" for teaching the 
 marketing of crafts and finely designed products. 
 
 3) Colleges and universities could be encouraged to give credit 
 to their students for apprenticeship experience with master de- 
 signer-craftsmen. This would allow for training in manual 
 skills not now provided by schools of higher education. 
 
 4) A training program should be an integral part of any craft 
 project. Lagging craft centers should be encouraged to train new 
 workers and retrain older workers to higher levels of skill. Some 
 efforts have been made in this direction, for example, by the Iron 
 Mountain Stoneware Plant in Tennessee which, with the help 
 of Economic Development Administration funds, has instituted 
 an extensive training program to develop the skills of its em- 
 ployees. This program has been coordinated with a carefully 
 thought-out overall production and marketing plan. 
 
 Another example of a successful training program is the De- 
 signer-Craftsman Project in Nome, Alaska, which aims to train 
 the Eskimo craftsman to express in a contemporary idiom the 
 designs peculiar to his native tradition. This program, which 
 was organized experimentally by the Federal Government, pro- 
 vides for some 40 trainees from various parts of Alaska who are 
 taught in demonstration workshops. They learn skills in different 
 media — wood, stone, ivory, metals — while being given training 
 at the same time in marketing techniques. 
 
 5) Attention should be given to new methods of training, 
 since teaching techniques can shorten training time substantially. 
 
 6) Good selection procedures for trainees should be introduced 
 and tests sought to determine suitability for craft training. 
 
 7) Standards must be determined for training and categories 
 designated to describe the abilities of craft workers, as a basis 
 for further training and promotion. Compelled by their own 
 experience to seek solutions in this field, the Department of 
 Labor, with funds provided by the Manpower Development Train- 
 ing Act, has evolved a set of criteria for training in the craft 
 field. This is a step in the right direction. 
 
 8) Public schools could be aided to improve their programs. 
 Industrial arts and vocational education should be strengthened 
 in economically deprived areas. An educational program of 
 particular interest is that of the Institute of American Indian 
 Arts, a school in Sante Fe, New Mexico, administered by the 
 Bureau of Indian Affairs. The object of this school is to give the 
 young Indian a good education in conventional subjects and at 
 the same time a chance for creative expression based on a study 
 
 34 
 
of his own heritage, thus linking the best in Indian culture to 
 contemporary life. Similar schools could be established in Ap- 
 palachia and elsewhere and make a valuable contribution toward 
 encouraging the crafts and preserving our cultural heritage. 
 
 D. Planning 
 
 Coordinated planning is needed for each project. The Policy 
 Guidelines provide criteria for judging specific craft projects 
 which will insure the consideration of all the necessary ele- 
 ments in production, marketing, and training. Since a craft 
 project should be evaluated like any other business enterprise, 
 the question of location should also be considered — the avail- 
 ability of labor and raw materials, proximity to areas with 
 tourist and recreation programs, and other factors. 
 
 In this connection, the teamwork approach of the Agency for 
 International Development in the Latin American countries might 
 be studied. Although handcrafts are not produced on so large a 
 scale in this country, the method of attacking the problem with 
 a team of experts is very much like what we are advocating in 
 the Policy Guidelines. This teamwork approach might be partic- 
 ularly important in the less developed areas. 
 
 E. Organization 
 
 The separate and fragmented approaches to the problem of 
 handcraft development which have thus far characterized the 
 efforts of private organizations and Government agencies have 
 been the natural result of their different goals. In order to 
 provide much needed organization in the craft field on a regional 
 and national level, to coordinate the efforts of various individuals 
 and agencies, and to develop craft programs of long-range value, 
 national coordination is needed. Such a coordinated effort should 
 use the combined talents and knowledge of Government experts 
 concerned with different facets of the problem, professional 
 craftsmen in the field who know the business as well as their 
 craft, and most important, experts in the field of art, crafts, and 
 design who can judge the quality of the objects produced. For 
 on this last factor of quality depends the success of the effort. 
 
 In the following section, we give our recommendations for 
 inaugurating a systematic program for the encouragement of 
 American crafts. 
 
 We might summarize the solutions suggested as follows : 
 
 In production: Provide technical assistance in production 
 techniques, design and business management. 
 
 35 
 
In marketing: Provide technical assistance and training in 
 marketing techniques and encourage capable entrepreneurs to 
 enter the field. 
 
 Establish regional warehouses and showrooms to aid in distri- 
 bution, and to serve as regional centers for information and 
 advice. 
 
 Publish a national catalogue of handcraft products. 
 
 In training : Encourage craft schools and university art de- 
 partments to provide courses in marketing techniques and busi- 
 ness techniques. 
 
 Institute programs for training craftworkers and encourage 
 craft businesses to train new workers or retrain older workers. 
 
 Improve teaching techniques and methods of selection. 
 
 Establish standards for training. 
 
 Improve vocational education in public schools. Schools like 
 the Institute of American Indian Arts might be founded in other 
 areas such as Appalachia. 
 
 Coordination: Consider all factors in each project or program 
 in accordance with criteria given in Policy Guidelines. 
 
 Organization and coordination on a national level is needed, 
 and a plan for this purpose is outlined in the following section. 
 
 36 
 
V. RECOMMENDATIONS 
 
 A. Further study 
 
 In order to provide a basis for future action, it is recommended 
 that further specific studies be made in areas where knowledge 
 is needed, as indicated in this report. Some of the subjects which 
 deserve attention are: 
 
 1) Potential markets and methods of marketing; 
 
 2) Potential of tourist trade in relation to handcraft sales; 
 
 3) Current situation in the handcraft industry, numbers of- 
 workers involved, numbers and kinds of craft enterprises; 
 
 4) Optimum size for handcraft centers; 
 
 5) Methods of financing the industry; 
 
 6) Methods of training, standards for training and selection 
 of trainees; 
 
 7) Foreign handcraft programs; 
 
 8) Methods of United States agencies in other countries, such 
 as the Agency for International Development teamwork 
 approach in Latin America. 
 
 B. EDA support of craft projects 
 
 It is recommended that the Economic Development Administra- 
 tion encourage the handcraft industry by the support of ap- 
 propriate craft projects in its depressed areas, and that these be 
 established in accordance with the Policy Guidelines. 
 
 In determining the kinds of programs and enterprises which 
 should be supported, there are the following considerations : 
 
 Use of existing resources : In order to make the best use of the 
 resources at hand, we should first strengthen existing enterprises 
 and wherever possible, we should work through existing craft 
 associations, in order to strengthen them as well as to take ad- 
 vantage of their knowledge and resources. 
 
 Selective programs : Support should be given only to carefully 
 selected programs. These should serve as pilot projects and 
 demonstrate the advantages of central planning with Govern- 
 
 37 
 
ment participation. Good programs will serve to enlist top de- 
 signer-craftsmen in developing new enterprises. Poorly conceived 
 programs, on the other hand, will attract mediocre participants 
 and result in failure which could be harmful to the morale of a 
 depressed region and result in products which are detrimental 
 to the total development of American crafts. 
 
 Flexibility of approach: Leadership will have to be developed 
 on the local level. Where outside talent is introduced, it will have 
 to be done with tact and sensitivity, based on a knowledge of the 
 cultural background of the area, especially where craft products 
 have had a long-standing tradition. Therefore, craft programs 
 should be considered in relation to conditions in the community, 
 and sweeping and dramatic results should not be expected. 
 
 Our aim should not be to limit the kinds of production sup- 
 ported or the purposes for which it is used but to develop produc- 
 tion centers of all kinds that are oriented toward well-made, well- 
 designed, craftsmanlike products, utilizing human resources and 
 craft skills in a way that is compatible with life in our con- 
 temporary world. With constant research and development, we 
 need not go tp the extremes of industrialization for the sake of 
 industrialization or art for art's sake, but can strive to use all 
 available means, technological as well as artistic, to create prod- 
 ucts that are both functional and beautiful, while making the 
 most of our human resources. 
 
 C. Project evaluation 
 
 It is recommended that the National Collection of Fine Arts of 
 the Smithsonian Institution serve as the central repository for 
 professional competence for evaluating the varied arts and crafts 
 programs throughout the Federal Government. 
 
 The National Collection of Fine Arts is in many ways especially 
 qualified for this role. As a part of its program for the encour- 
 agement of contemporary art, the National Collection is currently 
 creating a new department for the decorative arts and is plan- 
 ning to create a new gallery specifically for arts and crafts. 
 Essentially, this will be a national gallery of design with em- 
 phasis on America's creative achievement in that field and will 
 display decorative arts, crafts, folk arts, and contemporary in- 
 dustrial art and design. In the words of Director Scott: 
 
 The recognition of America's creativity in areas of 
 arts, crafts and design will serve many purposes. 
 It will honor past achievement, foster pride in 
 American accomplishment, assist in bringing fine 
 
 38 
 
products to the attention of the market, encourage 
 further growth and help establish high standards. 
 
 Also, the National Collection has on its staff a number of experts 
 in all areas of art and can call on the many specialists in all 
 fields within the Smithsonian Institution. 
 
 It is therefore proposed that the National Collection establish 
 a small advisory group for the evaluation of projects. A pro- 
 fessional craftsman should be retained as a part-time consultant, 
 and other consultant-specialists from the craft field — designer- 
 craftsmen, production experts, marketing specialists — should be 
 retained as necessary. 
 
 D. National coordination 
 
 In order to provide for coordinated action in the craft field and 
 develop meaningful craft programs of long-range value, it is rec- 
 ommended that there be regular meetings of the present, informal 
 Interagency Committee, representing different Government 
 agencies concerned with handcraft development. The purpose of 
 this committee would be to insure consistent communication and 
 provide for cooperation in the evaluation of craft programs. 
 
 In addition, the advisability of establishing a National Ad- 
 visory Board for American Crafts should be studied. This 
 board could be composed of private citizens who have made pro- 
 fessional contributions toward the crafts as practicing craftsmen, 
 businessmen involved in craft-related operations, and educators 
 who have exhibited an awareness of, or an interest in, solving the 
 problems related to encouraging the crafts. Such a board could 
 help to coordinate efforts by private agencies and serve to effect 
 better relations between Government agencies and private enter- 
 prises. It .could also encourage regional efforts and programs. 
 
 If the Board can be established as an effective spokesman for 
 the craft field, consideration should be given to having the Chair- 
 man serve as a member of the National Council on the Arts. 
 
 39 
 
APPENDIX I 
 
 List of Interviews 
 
 (Persons named are those interviewed by the Consultant.) 
 
 1. PRODUCTION CENTERS AND DESIGNER-CRAFTSMEN : 
 
 Arrowcraft (Weaving), Pi Beta Phi Settlement School, Gatlinburg, Tennes- 
 see, Mrs. Marian Mueller, Director. 
 
 Bannerman, Mrs. C. R. (Weaver), Culloden, West Virginia. 
 
 Bennington Potters, Bennington, Vermont. David Gil. 
 
 Blenko Glass, Inc., Milton, West Virginia. Joel Myers, Designer-Craftsman. 
 
 Bybee Pottery, Bybee, Kentucky. C. E. Cornelison. 
 
 Churchill Weavers, Berea, Kentucky. Mrs. E. F. Churchill. 
 
 Delavin, Nelson (Woodenware), Interlaken, New York. 
 
 Dodson, Fred (Pewter), Deer Isle, Maine (Summer). 
 
 Flor, Wolfgang (Woodsculpture), Rock Cave, West Virginia. 
 
 Glass, Jane (Enamels and silver), Gatlinburg, Tennessee. 
 
 Iron Mountain Stoneware Plant, Mountain City, Tennessee. Miss Nancy 
 Patterson. 
 
 John C. Campbell Folk School (Woodcarving), Brasstown, North Carolina. 
 Georg Bidstrup, Director. 
 
 Kobo Group U.S.A., Warrenton, Virginia. Teruo Hara. 
 
 Kossick, Ebba (Weaver), Deer Isle, Maine. 
 
 Pearson, Ronald (Silversmith), Victor, New York. 
 
 Riverwood Crafts (Pewter), Sylva, North Carolina. Mrs. Ralph Morgan. 
 
 Rowantrees Pottery, Blue Hill, Maine. 
 
 Sax, William (Pottery), Richmond, New Hampshire. 
 
 Scheier, Edwin and Mary (Potters), Durham, New Hampshire. 
 
 Scott, Charles (Potter), Glenville, West Virginia. 
 
 Stell and Shevis Hand Prints, Camden, Maine. 
 
 Zachai, Dorian (Weaver), Richmond, New Hampshire. 
 
 2. CRAFT ASSOCIATIONS: 
 
 American Craftsmen's Council, 29 West 53rd Street, New York, New York 
 
 10019, William J. Barrett, President. Also ACC staff members Lois Moran, 
 
 Sandra Zimmerman, Paul Smith, and Ben Watkins, now Director of Boston 
 
 Society of Arts and Crafts. Also Hal Halverstad, Managing Editor, Craft 
 
 Horizons. 
 Council of the Southern Mountains, Inc., Berea, Kentucky. Loyal Jones, 
 
 Associate Executive Director. 
 Kentucky State Department of Commerce, Division of Arts and Crafts, 
 
 Frankfort, Kentucky. Susan Black, Director. 
 League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts, Concord, New Hampshire. 
 
 Joseph Trepetti, Director. 
 Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Cherokee, North Carolina. Steve Richmond, 
 
 Field Representative, Indian Arts and Crafts Board. 
 Southern Highland Handicraft Guild, 930 Tunnel Road, Asheville, North 
 
 Carolina, Robert Gray, Director. Also Mrs. Persis Grayson, President, 
 
 Board of Trustees, and other board members. 
 
 40 
 
West Virginia Artists and Craftsmen, West Virginia State Department of 
 
 Commerce, Charleston, West Virginia. Richard Schnake, President. 
 West Virginia State Department of Commerce, Division of Arts and Crafts, 
 
 Charleston, West Virginia. Carl Little, Director. Also Don Page, Crafts 
 
 Specialist. 
 York State Craftsmen, Chamber of Commerce, Ithaca, New York. Jean 
 
 Delius, President. 
 
 3. RETAIL SHOPS: 
 
 America House, 44 West 53rd Street, New York, New York. Robert Hodge, 
 
 Director. 
 Bonniers, 605 Madison Avenue, New York, New York. 
 Centennial House, Deer Isle, Maine. Mrs. Frances Merritt. 
 Georg Jensen, Inc., 667 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York. 
 The Gift Horse, West Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, Tennessee. Mrs. Ellen 
 
 Jones. 
 Hillcrest House, Charleston, West Virginia. 
 League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts Shops, At Sharon, Concord, and 
 
 Manchester, New Hampshire. 
 Log House Sales Room., Berea, Kentucky. Mrs. C. B. Hall. 
 Midland Crafters, Pinehurst, North Carolina. Robert Stearns. 
 The Pascos, Kennebunkport, Maine. Henry Pasco. 
 Shop One, Rochester, New York. Tage Frid, Franz Wildenbain, John Prip, 
 
 Ronald Pearson. 
 The Signature Shop, 3267 Roswell Road, N.W., Atlanta, Georgia. Blanche 
 
 Reeves and Sally Adams. 
 The Southern Highland Handicraft Guild Shops: Allanstand and Guild 
 
 Crafts in Asheville, North Carolina; Parkway Craft Center, Blue Ridge 
 
 Parkway, Blowing Rock, North Carolina; and Guild Gallery, 947 The Mall, 
 
 Shelbyville Road, Louisville, Kentucky. 
 Straw Valley Crafts, Route 1, Chapel Hill Boulevard, Durham, North Caro- 
 lina. Robert Black and Ormond Sanderson, Jr. 
 Twelve Designer-Craftsmen, Roaring Fork Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee. 
 
 Bernice Stevens, President. 
 
 4. SCHOOLS: 
 
 Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D. C. Richard Lafean, Pottery In- 
 structor. 
 
 Haystack School of Crafts, Deer Isle, Maine. Frances Merritt, Director. 
 
 Penland School of Crafts, Spruce Pine, North Carolina. William Brown, 
 Director. 
 
 Pi Beta Phi — University of Tennessee Craft Workshop, Gatlinburg, Ten- 
 nessee. Mrs. Marian Mueller, Director. 
 
 School for American Craftsmen, Rochester Institute of Technology, Roches- 
 ter, New York. Harold J. Brennan, Director. 
 
 University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee. Marian Heard, Professor of 
 Related Arts and Crafts. 
 
 5. MUSEUMS: 
 
 Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, Maryland. Dorothea Bell, Manager of 
 
 Museum Shop. 
 Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn 38, New York. George Maxigini, Manager of 
 
 Museum Shop. 
 
 41 
 
Museum of Contemporary Crafts, 29 West 53rd Street, New York, New 
 
 York. Paul J. Smith, Director. 
 Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, New York. Rene d' 
 
 Harnoncourt, Director. 
 Museum of the Atlanta Art Association, Peachtree Street, N.W., Atlanta, 
 
 Georgia. Gudmund Vigtel, Director. Also Mrs. Betty Miles, Manager, The 
 
 Art Shop. 
 
 6. REPRESENTATIVES OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES: 
 
 Abrahamson, John D., Assistant Chief, Projects Development Staff and 
 Supervisory Economist, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the 
 Interior. 
 
 Beatty, Don, MDTA Training in Redevelopment Areas, Bureau of Employ- 
 ment Security, Department of Labor. 
 
 Davis, George, Vocational Education. Office of Education, Department of 
 Health, Education, and Welfare. 
 
 Feldman, Sidney, Division Chief, Manpower and Training, Bureau of Em- 
 ployment Security, Department of Labor. 
 
 Flynn, Tom, National Park Service, Department of the Interior. 
 
 Gerteis, Lou, Information Office, Small Business Administration. 
 
 Gould, Ann, Training Coordinator, Economic Development Administration, 
 Department of Commerce. 
 
 Grove, Richard, Museum Education Specialist, Cultural Affairs Branch, De- 
 partment of Health, Education, and Welfare. 
 
 Handy, Elaine, Office of Manpower, Automation and Training, Department 
 of Labor. 
 
 Hart, Robert, General Manager, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Department 
 of the Interior. 
 
 Hoffa, Dr. Harlan, Art Specialist, Arts and Humanities Branch, Office of 
 Education, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. 
 
 Howard, Sylvia, President's Committee for Employment of the Handicapped, 
 Department of Labor. 
 
 Humphrey, David, Rural Community Development Services, Department of 
 Agriculture. 
 
 Robinson, Mary, Planning Branch, Office of Education, Department of Health, 
 Education, and Welfare. 
 
 Tibbetts, Dr. Clark, Office of Aging, Department of Health, Education, and 
 Welfare. 
 
 Turner, Helen D., Federal Extension Service, Department of Agriculture. 
 
 7. OTHER: 
 
 Broida, Theodore, Director of Techno-Economics, Spindletop Research, Inc., 
 Lexington, Kentucky. 
 
 Burwell, Charles, President, Thaibok Fabrics, New York, New York. 
 
 Christiansen, Carlo, Cultural Attache, Danish Embassy, Washington, D. C. 
 
 Graham, Beardsley, President, Spindletop Research, Inc., Lexington, Ken- 
 tucky. 
 
 Richards Irving, Richards-Morganthau Company, New York, New York. 
 
 Shaw, George, Director, Saskatchewan Arts Board, Regina, Canada. 
 
 Thompson, Miss Betty, Director, Hand Work Shop, 316 North 24th Street, 
 Richmond, Virginia. 
 
 42 
 
APPENDIX II 
 
 Bibliography 
 
 Albright, Gerald F. 
 
 1957-61. Summaries of four national conferences, American Crafts- 
 men's Council: Asilomar, June 1957; Dimension of Design, 
 June 1958; The Craftsman's World, June 1959; Research in 
 the Crafts, August 1961. American Craftsmen's Council, New 
 York. 
 
 These four conference reports give a stimulating cross-section 
 of the views of top people in the crafts world — in education, 
 design, production, marketing — with rich philosophic overtones 
 of the purpose of craftsmanship. 
 
 1963. Developing "Home-Grown" Industry. Area Redevelopment 
 Administration, Dept. of Commerce, Washington, D. C. 
 Survey showing "home-grown" businesses may have a long- 
 range benefit. Good information on organization, financing, 
 location, and marketing. Also gives breakdown of plant 
 needs: equipment, purchasing, labor, packaging, records. 
 
 Bahti, Tom. 
 
 1964. Southwestern Indian Arts and Crafts. KC Publications, Flag- 
 staff, Ariz. 
 
 A brief introduction to the native arts and crafts of the 
 Southwest. Well presented with illustrations. A good survey 
 for popular use. 
 
 Bayer, Herbert; Gropius, Walter; and Gropius, Ise. 
 
 . Bauhaus 1919-1928. 
 
 An important account of the school that did so much to 
 make a place for "artists" in an industrial system — how the 
 classroom involved a factory system and revolutionized our 
 concept of design, utilizing arts and crafts in modern times. 
 
 Bridenbaugh, Carl. 
 
 1964. The Colonial Craftsman. University of Chicago Press, Chi- 
 cago. 
 
 The craftsman's role in pre-Revolutionary years — discusses 
 American contributions to craftsmanship by Paul Revere, 
 Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Charles Willson Peale. 
 
 Caudill, Harry M. 
 
 1963. Night Comes to the Cumberlands. Little, Brown, and Co., 
 Boston. 
 
 The best book yet written on the complex and deeply-rooted 
 problems of Appalachia. 
 
 Commerce, Department of. 
 
 1965. Recreation and Tourism Development through Federal Pro- 
 grams. Ad Hoc Committee on Tourism of the Interagency 
 Policy Committee of the Area Redevelopment Advisory Policy 
 Board, Area Redevelopment Administration, Washington, 
 D. C. 
 
 Discusses growth of industry, Federal programs, and their 
 economic effects. 
 
 43 
 
Counts, Charles and Rubynelle. 
 
 1965. A Potter's Journey through the Southern Highlands. Ceram- 
 ics Monthly, Vol. 13, No. 6, pp. 19-27. 
 
 Documents survival of pottery tradition for five generations 
 among hand craftsmen in Appalachia. 
 Crawford, Jean. 
 
 1964. Jugtown Pottery: History and Design. Winston-Salem, N. C. 
 A good account of a "colonial-carryover" pottery industry and 
 its adaptation to conditions in a modern industrial society. 
 Eaton, Allen. 
 
 1937. Handicrafts of the Southern Highlands. Russell Sage Foun- 
 dation, New York. 
 
 A thorough book which made an important contribution in 
 the movement for the revival of handcrafts in the 1930's. 
 Ford, Thomas R., Editor 
 
 1962. The Southern Appalachian Region, A Survey. University of 
 Kentucky Press, Lexington, Kentucky. 
 Harrington, Michael. 
 
 1962. The Other America. Penguin Books, Baltimore, Md. 
 
 A dramatic but factual account of the poverty-stricken 
 element in our society whose misery tends to grow proportion- 
 ately to the increase of general affluence, often being in- 
 creased by the very measures initiated to alleviate it. Har- 
 rington emphasizes the fallacy in the belief that industrial- 
 ization can solve the problems of poverty. 
 Heckscher, August. 
 
 1962. The Public Happiness. Atheneum, New York. 
 
 Sets forth the condition of the modern citizen who tends 
 "increasingly to lose the sense of his own individuality and 
 his sense of the reality of the world around him." 
 Israel Ministry for Foreign Affairs, State of. 
 
 1963. Handicrafts for Home Industries and Cooperative Marketing. 
 Mount Carmel International Training Center for Community 
 Services, Haifa, Israel. 
 
 Discusses the international scope of handcrafts; handcrafts 
 as "the international language" and the need for utilizing 
 human resources in emerging nations in all parts of the 
 world. 
 
 Kory, Lee. 
 
 . She Started Something. Mountain Life and Work, Vol. XL, 
 
 No. 4. Council of Southern Mountains, Inc., Berea, Kentucky. 
 The story of how a modern tufting industry grew out of a 
 handcraft tradition in North Georgia. 
 
 Larkin, Oliver W. 
 
 1956. Art and Life in America. Rinehart and Co., New York. 
 
 A survey of architecture, sculpture, painting and minor arts, 
 including folk art, with attention to the development of 
 American ideas, particularly the idea of democracy as mani- 
 fested in. the arts. 
 
 Larsson, Matts Bergom. 
 
 1963-64. Talent and Taste. Creative Sweden, Kontur 12, Swedish De- 
 sign Annual. 
 An editorial documenting how a small country utilized its 
 
 44 
 
top artists, scientists and businessmen to create a highly de- 
 veloped technical culture. 
 
 Leach, Bernard. 
 
 1953. A Potters Book. Transatlantic Arts, Hollywood-by-the-Sea, 
 California. 
 
 The book that has inspired most United States artist-crafts- 
 men in pottery — good section on the role of crafts in the 
 contemporary world. Leach points out the universal qualities 
 of crafts and has done much to bridge the gap between the 
 Oriental world and the Western. 
 
 Lecky, Eleazor. 
 
 1962. Design and Designer. Creative Crafts, Vol. 2, No. 5, p. 12. 
 A good analysis: "Where do we differentiate between artist, 
 designer, and craftsman?" 
 
 Legislation. 
 
 1964. Economic Opportunities Act of 1964, Public Law 88-452, 
 August 20, 1964. 
 
 1965. Economic Opportunities Amendments of 1965, Public Law 89- 
 253, H.R. 8283, October 9, 1965. 
 
 1965. National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965, 
 
 Public Law 39-209, S. 1483, September 29, 1965. 
 1965. Higher Education Act of 1965, Public Law 89-329, H. R. 
 9567, November 8, 1965. 
 Logan, William B. and Traicoff, George, Jr. 
 
 1964. Handicrafts and Home Business. Small Business Bibliog- 
 raphy, Revised No. 1. Small Business Administration, Wash- 
 ington, D. C. 
 Lynch, Lawrence K. and Evans, William J. 
 
 1963. The Development of Kentucky's Handicraft Industry. Spindle- 
 top Research Center. Lexington, Kentucky. 
 
 Good analysis of what needs to be done to create jobs and 
 generate income in Kentucky through expanded craft centers. 
 Lyon, Mary, Editor. 
 
 1964. Crafts for Retirement. The American Craftsmen's Council. 
 A handbook directed to teachers and administrators inter- 
 ested in developing programs for the creative use of leisure 
 by the retired. It points to successful programs and outlines 
 ten* craft projects suitable for the home or center workshop. 
 
 Marggraf, Zella. 
 
 1961. A Craft Business. Creative Crafts, Vol. 1, No. 6, p. 3. 
 
 A brief account of how a silk screen handprint business 
 (Eric Hand Prints) started and grew to meet the challenge 
 of market success. 
 Manniche, Peter. 
 
 1952. The Folk High School, Living Democracy in Denmark. GEC, 
 Gad, Copenhagen. 
 
 Account of how the Danes utilize human resources in •'grass- 
 roots" areas. 
 Mayne, David R. 
 
 1961. Specialized Help for Small Business, Small Marketers Aids 
 No. 74. Small Business Administration, Washington, D. C. 
 Good information for crafts businesses. 
 Mock, Albert K., Jr. 
 
 . The Iron Mountain Way. Mountain Life and Work, Vol. XL, 
 
 45 
 
No. 4. Council of Southern Mountains, Inc., Berea, Kentucky. 
 A short article on the ARA financed stoneware factory, the 
 approach to training and impact of the factory in a de- 
 pressed area. 
 
 Moholy-Nagy, L. 
 
 1946. Vision in Motion. Paul Theobald, Chicago. 
 
 An account of the work of the Institute of Design in Chicago. 
 Presents an excellent argument for the integration of art 
 with life, emotion, and reason; describes the artist's role as 
 one of organizing the emotions to give structure and meaning 
 to contemporary life. 
 
 Moore, David G. and Collins, Orvin F. 
 
 1964. The Enterprising Man. Management Research Summary. 
 Small Business Administration, Washington, D. C. 
 Interesting in connection with Weller's description of the 
 "Appalachian Man." (See Weller.) 
 
 Moseley, Spencer; Johnson, Pauline; and Koening, .[azel. 
 
 1962. Crafts Design. Wadsworth, Belmor ;, California. 
 
 An illustrated guide; a good survey of the whole range of 
 contemporary crafts — exceptionally good explanation of the 
 interplay between design and craft skills. 
 
 Mueller, Eva; Barth, Nancy; and Ladd, William. 
 
 1964. Migration into and out of Depressed Areas. Area Redevelop- 
 ment Administration, Department of Commerce, Washington, 
 D. C. 
 
 Concludes that young people are leaving depressed areas, 
 often taking with them the best skills and entrepreneurial 
 talent. Older, less mobile people are left. 
 
 Myers, Robert H. 
 
 . Quality and Taste as Sales Appeals. Small Markets Aids, 
 
 No. 113. Small Business Administration, Washington, D. C. 
 Lively discussion showing that sales of quality products are 
 on the upswing. 
 
 Nelson, Norbett. 
 
 1960. A Look into the Growing Crafts Market. Craft Horizons, 
 Vol. XX, No. 2. 
 
 Good documentary evidence of the growing demand for 
 quality crafts. 
 
 Petterson, Richard. 
 
 1956. California: A Climate for Craft Art. Craft Horizons, Vol. 
 XVI, No. 5, p. 11. 
 
 Describes the climate created by the "tens of thousands of 
 people participating in craft arts" — the large number of pro- 
 fessionals, schools, museums, fairs, and determined indi- 
 viduals. 
 
 Peusner, Nicolaus. 
 
 1949. Pioneers of Modern Design. The Museum of Modern Art, New 
 York. 
 
 A factual sketch of the development of modern design from 
 William Morris through Walter Gropius. 
 
 Prerau, Sydney. 
 
 1964. Taxes and the Craftsman. The American Craftsmen's Coun- 
 cil, New York. 
 A guidebook for members. 
 
 46 
 
Province of Ontario Council for the Arts. 
 
 1965. Visual Arts, Crafts. Annual Report, 1963-64. Frank Fogg, 
 Queen's Printer, Toronto. 
 
 Good information on the scope of crafts in Ontario; gives 
 insight into how Canada supports its craftsmen. 
 
 Read, Herbert. 
 
 1964. Art and Industry. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 
 Indiana. 
 
 Good discussion of hand skills in the machine age, human- 
 istic and abstract art, art education principles. The abstract 
 artist (engineer or technician) must be given a place in all 
 industries; his decision on all questions of design must be 
 final; calls for education of the whole man. 
 Rice, Jacquelyn, Editor. 
 
 1965. First World Congress of Craftsmen. American Craftsmen's 
 Council, New York. 
 
 A record of the First World Congress held in 1964 in New 
 York which brought together village artisans and designer- 
 craftsmen; discussion of the potential impact of crafts in a 
 world "in transition." 
 
 Robinson, John W. 
 
 1965. Gift and Art Shop. Small Business Bibliography (revised), 
 No. 26. Small Business Administration, Washington, D. C. 
 Important source of information — lists trade associations, 
 marts, and gift shows. 
 
 Rosenbery, Bernard and White, David Manning. 
 
 1964. Mass Culture. Collier-Macmillan, Ltd., London. 
 
 Collection of readings on the effects of mass culture on 
 American social life; interdisciplinary focus on common 
 problems in the development of modern civilization. 
 
 Rowlett, John D. 
 
 1964. Conference to Identify Broadened Roles for College and 
 Secondary School Industrial Arts Programs in Appalachia and 
 to Plan Pilot Educational Projects. Cooperative Research 
 Project, No. F-061, Department of Education (HEW). East- 
 ern Kentucky State College, Richmond, Ky. 
 Important papers on the development of the crafts industry 
 by Ronald Pearson and Tage Frid. Other findings by Olin 
 Russum, Rude Osolnik. 
 
 Segal, Martin. 
 
 1964. Population, Labor Force, and Unemployment in Chronically 
 Depressed Areas. Area Redevelopment Administration, De- 
 partment of Commerce, Washington, D. C. 
 Important for determining suitability of potential employees 
 for various types of employment; information on male and 
 female employability, migrations, and training programs. 
 
 Slivka, Rose. 
 
 1964. The Craftsman in Production Crafts Horizons, Vol. XXIV, 
 No. 2. 
 
 Articles concerning the role of the designer-craftsman, his 
 opportunities as a production designer as well as an artist. 
 1964. The American Craftsman 1964. Craft Horizons, Vol. XXIV, 
 No. 3. 
 Outstanding articles on the role of the artist-craftsman. 
 
 47 
 
Small Business Administration. 
 
 1963. The Wage-Hour Law in Small Firms. Small Marketers Aid, 
 No. 88. Small Business Administration, Washington, D. C. 
 Important facts for the crafts producer. 
 
 Stewart, Brown, et al. 
 
 1963. Small Business Opportunities in Redevelopment Areas. Small 
 Business Administration, 1963. 
 
 Potential for small business, including crafts, in redevelop- 
 ment areas. 
 
 Webb, Mrs. Vanderbilt and Rorimer, James J. 
 
 1965. The American Genius for Crafts. House Beautiful, Vol. 107, 
 No. 2. 
 
 The founder of the American Craftsmen's Council and the 
 Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art discuss the 
 meaning of handcrafts in the present and the future. 
 
 Weller, Jack E. 
 
 1965. Life in Contemporary Appalachia. Yesterday's People. Uni- 
 versity of Kentucky Press, Lexington, Ky. 
 
 Reflections of a Presbyterian minister on his 14-year stay 
 in mountainous sections of West Virginia and eastern Ken- 
 tucky. Describes effect of modern sociological conditions on 
 traditional attitudes of individualism. Important background 
 for planning in economic development. 
 
 Wildenhain, Marguerite. 
 
 1959. Pottery: Form and Expression. American Craftsmen's Coun- 
 cil, New York. 
 
 The author, who has had a tremendous impact on contempo- 
 rary craftsmen, discusses the total involvement necessary 
 to the potter's craft. 
 
 Zahle, Erick. 
 
 1961. A Treasury of Scandinavian Design. Golden Press, New 
 York. 
 
 A broad, pictorial survey of Scandinavian design products, 
 with references to the development of domestic crafts, rural 
 industries and the encouragement of handcrafts in poverty- 
 stricken areas. 
 
 * GPO : 1966 O - 237-561 
 
 48 
 
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