Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-06-01
Dresses fer Graduation.

AT a certain school in the East, it has
been decided to dispense with the usual
public exercises in connection with the
presentation of diplomas to the gradual
ing class Of young ladies unless the sentI-
ment of the class shall be in favor OF an
abandonment Of the practice which has OF
late years grO"n to such an extent as TO
be an evil, OF lavish display in the matter
Of dress on the occasion Of graduation,
No doubt, some Of the " sweet girl gradu-
ates' of next month in the school referred
to will be indignant at the proposed &C
ton; but it is probable that the large ma
iority will see the reasonableness and pro-
priety of the restriction that has been placed
upon elaborate and expensive toilets, and
will foregO them.
It has been the custom at most schools
for the young ladies to signalize their
farewell to their studies by appearing
dressed as nearly as possible alike To
the custom itself there is, perhaps, little
or no objection whatever; but unfOrtu-
nately, instead of keeping the costume as
simple and inexpensive as possible, it has
come to such pass that it is almost as
expensive for the head Of the family to
bring out the daughter in good style on
graduation day as it is to fit her out for
her first fashionable party, and the cOstin
many cases is beyond what can be
afforded. 1t is, of course, an easy matter
to say that, with white the regulation
dress, it is not incumbent upon parents to
go to any unusual expense in providing
the daughters with apparel appropriate to
the occasion. But it is human nature for
parents to do everything possible-even
more than they should do-to enable their
daughters to be as well dressed as any Of
their associates, and to spare them the
modification they would be sure to feel if
subjected to disparaging criticism and the
sneers of the thOughtless because their
dress was Of poor fabric, not made in
ming and Crnamentation.
The objection to the wearing OF eXpen-
sIye dresses on graduation day, because it
has tendency to excite extravaganza on
the part of parents is not the only one,
nor the strongest, which applies to the
practice. The effect upon the young Ia
dies themselves of making the day one in
which rivalry in dress plays a prominent
part is decidedly bad. While it is difficult
to refrain from a feeling OF admiration
for the graduates, arrayed, as they are, in
bewitching toilets, the natural reflection
Of the thoughtful must necessarily be, is
this the grand aim of the education
which these graduates have received? Is
it that the young lady who, by reason of
the length OF her fathers purse, is able to
make the best display in dress, shall be
pointed out as the highest result of the
educational system under which she has
been trained? 1t is not the most merito-
rious or accomplished young lady who,
at exhibitions where elegance in dress
constitutes a feature of the first import
ance, makes the most impression, but she
whose makeup is most rich and becom-
ing and most in accordance with the de-
crees Of fashion. The young ladies them
selves perceive how much depends
IN this case upon dress, and with true
feminine intuition they often arrive at the
conclusion, though they would be avorse
to confessing it, that it is dress which
makes the woman, as well as the man.
They are made use of to give practical
illustration Of the tyranny of fashion, at a
time when their minds should be directed
to the higher and nobler duties of woman
hood. Some of them are humored by
fond parents with Fittings, furbelows and
dresses more expensive than prudence
would suggest, and the idea thus obtains
Judgment in their minds that in after life
they need only make a demand for fine
clothes to have it complied with. From
this there springs discomfort in the flu
ture, if they cannot indulge their fancy
in the line OF dress, and sometimes an ex-
travagance which results in the bank
ruptcy OF husband or father.
1t will be good thing for America
when the day of graduation for young la
dies shall no longer be day which
brings with it a heavy burden of expense
for lose who have to provide the dresses
-D5troGt Free Press.