New-York tribune., 1870-11-30
SHOPS OF DESIGNS"


,e Edftor OF TAe Irto"~e
I have read with much interest your
- on "shops OF Designs" in yesterdays TRIBUNE,
eg leave to offer few additional suggestions on the
ect which, though they may differ from yours In the
ser. will not, / am confident in the spirit
ne main question is, How can women turn their
tIstlc faculties TO profit You say that many receive
ducaons to ut them for useful labor Of this kind and
few are employed and that the for this Is that
the large majority of these young girls Of gentle
and reserved home training anxious 10 support them
selves yet, from old prejudces with which the rest
Of us may or may not sympathize not quite
prepared 10 leave the seclusion OF home TO
open shops, or in any manner force Their way
IN public" Now, spprehend that such feelings are )us'
what ought 10 be overcome by enlightened ana pro
gressive public opinion led on by the press, lnseau "
being submitted TO- But the difficulty is not aoge'ne
there. 1t is that in reality few are sufficiently
20 become useful at all welintended as the enor's VI
those who have endeavored 10 encourage the
of women as designers have been they nave 700 o''"
been misdirected for want OF knowledse as 7" VIVA,
required 10 be done and how to do IT, Even "nei0 '
"A known another difficulty is encountered III op'Aie
eompetent teachers. Too many women are eu tn, ~ a
requires only the artistic. i"Uu,S' mS time and
have found out their mistake when II was 700 a,e ao
organize shops of design and put mconpeten, % woen
"a esIa,n vord he further waste OF time anu bohe!
Those women who hare procured empioynent nSVe & av
anred knowledge and skin by other means man rnTsS S
ssorded in schools OF designs. Women must learn nf
something like the apprentice system, conplhe9 viii
thorough study of general drawing IN Scnoos in
schools of design only be conducted suceessrun5 III
connection with manufacturing establishments. lno e
women who have succeeded IN obtaining h @ s
have heen educated by tong connection Win the Work
they 10 do more than In the schools know VI hS
Eho nave no b had o6ained an acceptable offer her
services refusing because of her indlsp0son 10
in pubc shop. Do not women standing high IN society
work AT the editorial desk amid printing presses type
settlers and nky devils And is the eApeTlcnee iess Wy
ing TO modest woman than to be designer lor maHu
fact, of wall
The reason why women do not obtain employment IN
these walks Of life only that they are as general
thing insuRceny instructed but that what they aim
at always he reached TO SIT dowh peISe see1s
OF paper and produce elegant designs or TO explain them
70 0echanics in detail blackboard may appear to
spectator elegant employment and one
10 the capacities Of women; but the amount OF know
ede of materials and mechanical processes not 10 speak
of the state the market and the tastes OF consumers
which must he brought to the successful o
the such few women can acquire without prae
tca mechanical and thorough scientific training which
feys can acquire Men may get practical mtcnalod or
chemical knowledge while making living by haru;
rough, muscular labor but how can women Ho So 80
thorough Meorehcd education, or while pursuing cai
ing by which they thrown in contact with all KINDS
Of mechanical work and are eonPeieu 70 DE Juus h w
materials processes, and work Ths IS lhe reason WY
branches OF the arts OF design.
The class from whom the designers for manufactures
should be drawn is the class OF mechanics, VINO may e
males or females, according TO the pecuar he oI pS M
ness All efforts the interests OF art, 10 improve te
designs of manufactures should be IN the way OF
Establishing schools Of art for mechanics ana appTen-
tices For designing is not business that can De ap
and those who work well the ones to be trained to
design well their fields OF labor Most OF 1.-the the
are the chef ntelects of their respective shops and
give character 70 their business more even hah tLel
employers. When mans designs make Tue
reputation and fortune Of house, il can
REALLY understood why some designers obtain slGh
lilh salaries The very success OF the business depends
upon them. The designer IN gaS;fxnfe hahuIaGt"S M S
the execution Of new work well as the designing It,
But 10 attain such position he must pe pt0neient III
every practical detail of the business II IS the same m
q ma act of
practical processes is equally necessary III that Inc ue
sgner must also know exactly what his design will cost
One twist or turn, the introduction OF color or III
fact many small details IN design apparently nhmpqr
tant 10 an observer might double the cost OF an article
The snccessfu designer is one who combines high order
of artistic feeling with a complete mastery OF All DIG
processes.
But though women may not attain the higher walks OF
the art, think that many useful positions are open 10
them and should lie filed by them, which may give them
opportunity, II perchanee they acquire suincieht
knowledge TO take leading positions In the eolorng OF
photographs large neld Is open 10 wonen. Anp" VI
lady III Chicago who has given an almost national epu
taton husbands establishment by the excellence
OF her retouehed and perhaps natteEhg pelures; se
has refused generous offers To take charge OF the
togaphers she was educated IL, the bnsiness
for it, Under the general designation aoS, 0
for architects engineers surveyors Goverhnent oneei
and manufacturers. very large share OF thls WORK
which EMPLOYS thousands throughout the country migI
be done by women The work IS varied, and Is done !.
M grades of workmen from the thorough professional
the office bow largest amount OF such WORK is copy
ing aud requires but little knowledge beyond carefu
manipulation and the use OF Instruments. A lmg
amount of labor is ia demand for the making OF prse,
tves aud highy.hnshed colored drawings, which bc
ieve as general thing would be better done by wOmei
than by men. l hardly think that many womeI
would aspire 10 the higher walks ia these pro
fessions; but, il content with the minor parts o
the work might make for themselves respectable ving
by meaDs adapted 10 their physical capacities. As al
architect l. for not afraid that they Will we
with Inc for the honor OF climbing ladders, dlSpullD.
with obsreporous country carpenters, aud investigating
the qualities OF weatbecOckS in position. We quite
from the advances OF The most strong minded Bu
trust that professional brethren viii see the force
of what have said and throw ont encouragement tC
such OF the weaker who competent Tor and de
sirous Of becoming copyistS aud colorsts. prominent
architect in Philadelphia has tried the experiment FOL
two years past with great success
| hope you viii pardon me, Mr.. Editor for daring tC
offer some improvements 70 your plan OF advancing the
veY by the establishing OF "shops OF design" but
have contributed any ideas whchmay lead tO saving The
shop rent hope you will credit me with being
mist as well as yourself Respectfully yours,
Nec- York, Nov. 26, 1870. T. H. WIGHT.