National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-07-21
school Costume.

Iron the Philadelphia Ledger
Most OF the semlnares for young women
profess to require that the pupils shall be
plainly and inexpensively dressed. All schools,
however, do not enforce the regulation; and
the style OF costume and the expense Of the
material worn, especially on promenades, at
receptions, and exhibitions, are something
surprising, 1t Is estimated" that one thou
sand dollars per annum is required to habit
young girl PLAINLY and lnexpenslrely" at
some Of these popular institutions; and this
Is beside and above tuition fees, board, music,
books and extras. The principal of school
who should combine the best educational
opportunities with the actual repression of
extravaganza In toilets, would do great
service TO the cause Of education, and ought
to secure wide and profitable patronage.
The lessons OF extravaganza, the miserable
envyings and jealousics, the low manners In
dresses of high cost, arc not the only evils Of
dress composition among young girls ut school.
Their studies are neglected, of course; and II
they barely pass nominal examination"
whatever they may be said to have acquired
In the way Of learning Is In very superficial
manner. How can education" fail TO be
superficial, when the pupils arc chiefly inter-
ested In the superficial tricks Of fashion,"
This attention to elaborate toilets Is entirely
foreign to the objects for which the pupils
are presumed TO be assembled. Aud as to
anything like 'politencss, or ''deportment,"
to be learned from mincing about In costumes
too advanced for the wearers, all such ''ac-
complishmcnts" are simply ridiculous.
The foundation Of true pollteness Is In,
goodness OF heart and ease Of manner. The
Two are more nearly connected than one
might think at first sight. The person who
Is DESTROYS of making all around her cheer
NJ a b nd LIT. L.. H. -
those whom she meets, cannot be otherwise
than at ease in her own department. She
has no burden of dignity to carry, no gauge
Of social standing, graded from calico up to
lace, to remember. She Is school girl
pure, simple and natural, and meets other
school girls on the same platform, avoiding
| the disagreeablo and quarrelsome, and seek
ing, desirable companions, entirely upon
their PERSONAL dcmerits aud merits. II the
pupil has proper appreciation Of the object
| Tor which she Is placed at school, her studies
and school exercises are above all other con-
sideratlons. Upon kindness, cheerfulness
and diligence all satisfactory progress de-
ponds Introduce competition In dress, and
| antl-republlcan discussions as to whose papa
Is who" and whose papa is not, and all
| the objects OF the school are impaired, If not
defeated.
The good sense and good principles OF
young as well as old are taxed by the inter
course OF life and the demands Of society.
Social usages will always compel attention,
and the demands of conventional usage can
not be evaded. But these are things which
affect men and women, not girls at school
Absurd as social distinctions, based on Other
than grounds of merit, seem, they always
have existed, and perhaps always will. The
wise man and woman give them only so much
weight as necessity or convenience requires
and the prudent know how to move without
offence, and to recognize worth, even with.
out shocking 'Mrs Grundy." 1t is comics.
sedly difficult to attend to all these things,
but, Us already said attention to them is no
part Of the school course In this country. II
Is even found convenient In foreign countries
10 let the badges which marked "scions OF
nobility" fall into disuse. To permit In
schools In this America any competition in
dress-for costumes Of dress is always sort
Of challenge to competition-is taking up
metropolitan usagcs at their smallott and
meanest end.