Academicians

In Manhattan, the National Institute of Arts and Letters, and its more exclusive offspring, the American Academy of Arts and Letters (nearest equivalent to the French Academy) held their annual meetings. The Academy is limited to 50 members. To the vacancy left by Elihu Vedder, classical painter, it elected John Charles Van Dyke, demolisher of the Rembrandt tradition (TIME, Oct. IS). Professor Van Dyke was also elected a Vice President of the National Institute, along with Louis Betts, painter, and Robert Aitken, sculptor. Arnold Brunner, the medallist, was made Treasurer of the Institute. The Institute may have 50 members. Each year it awards a gold medal for achievement in some fine art. This year the medal went to Edwin H. Blashfield, President of the National Academy of Design.