(1) Thomas Eakins sets the dramatic scene with the boxer looking absolutely exhausted and like he just got it handed to him the previous round. The boxer seems to be holding the ropes with both hands

(1)

Thomas Eakins sets the dramatic scene with the boxer looking absolutely exhausted and like he just got it handed to him the previous round. The boxer seems to be holding the ropes with both hands so he can sturdy himself that way because he is to tired and beat up to do it on his own. What also adds to the dramatics is his coaches in his corner. One coach has his hands around the boxers face as if he is desperately trying to find something to spark the fighters energy. The other coach seems to be using his towel as a fan to cool the fighter off. Also the scorekeeper in the picture adds to the drama as he is intently focused on his book and noting else.  I think in Eakins time people believed a whole lot more in science rather than art. That made it more difficult for artists to get their work out there and keeping it relevant. In that time people were not interested in art as much as they are today, to them it was just another hobby and not something they saw as a beautiful piece of work. The size of the paintings in my opinion gives the author more room to showcase their talents. In both paintings the background and its detail are both amazing to look at. In Between the Rounds you can look up and see people in the audience who were painted to stand out more than others. You can see on the balcony where the fight is in round 2. In The Gross Clinic he also does a well job of making some things more noticeable in the background. If Eakins were alive today, he would be much more appreciated and his ideas welcomed as the days of art being a lost cause are no longer. 

(2)

  Between Rounds by Thomas Eakins depicts a boxing match taking place in the Philadelphia Arena between 1898 and 1899. The scene depicts fighter resting between rounds of the match, centered in a large arena filled with as many patrons as likely possible, not only on the ground floor but on several different levels of balcony. The size of the audience, in combination with the diversity of the audience (for example, a police officer on duty, an armed forced official in uniform in the audience, and several men in official looking suits and top hats) that all have come together to witness this one fight gives a sense that not only is this fight happening, but that this fight is a happening. The fighter (and 2 men that are assumedly his coaches, one talking to him and one fanning him) are highlighted and centered in the photo, giving it great importance. The fighter is dressed in nothing but a single cloth wrapped around his pelvis and a pair of shoes, in stark contrast against his well dressed coaches. The fighter looks tired (he is hanging from the ropes of the boxing ring) but is still holding his head up and has not yet completely collapsed. From the look of the fighter, this isn’t the first round- something happened last round, and with the prep work being done by the coaches it is safe to assume the fight isn’t over- something is about to happen in the next round. We don’t know what happened, we don’t know what’s about to happen, but considering how much work the fighter is willing to put into this, the importance the coaches place on this, the social importance that the fight holds for the audience, and the work that went into even building this large arena, whatever it is that’s happening is very important- and this very important mystery makes for a very dramatic painting.

            The dark tones, accurate anatomy and depiction of the subjects, and willingness to engage with the brutal gives both paintings Portrait of Dr. Samuel D. Gross and Between Rounds by Thomas Eakins a sense of realism. These are realistic looking people doing what was of great importance at the time. For example, in Portrait of Dr. Samuel D. Gross science and medical advancement were important not only for the interests of health and wellbeing, but it was also a time of medical discovery and exploration. Before anyone knew how to operate on a leg, someone somewhere simply had to make the decision to grab a sharp knife, start cutting, and hope for the best. The surgery being done by Dr. Gross in the painting isn’t quite that barbaric, but it was still conducted during a time of exploration and scientific venture. This ties into the ideas of the importance of the unknown in Between Rounds, the subjects don’t entirely know what will happen next, but they are engaging in it regardless- which is very important. This importance is demonstrated in just how small the subjects are in each painting. Though the subjects are highlighted in each painting, at least half of each painting (more than half in the case of Between Rounds) is of a dark, hard-to-make-out depiction of an audience. The actions in each painting (fighting and medical exploration) are done for the benefit of a (quite literally) bigger picture.

number (3) is statistic discussion

I am interested in whether a group of kindergartners is more likely to have to repeat the grade level if they are home schooled online or taught in person. 

I hypothesize that those students who have access to in person teaching are more likely to succeed academically than those who are home schooled online. 

The independent variable is the method of education. Online vs. In-person

The dependent variable is the academic success of the kindergartner.  

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