The Portland daily press., 1876-07-11
Calico and Commencement.

'About this time look out for disquisitions
in the newspapers on calico and fustian,"
would be toleraby safe prophecy to run
down the July page OF an almanac; for now
the Journalist turns from political discussion
for a day and devotes his great mind to the
the composition of datribes against gradu-
alton gowns and commencement orations.
1t is the commencement season. The ora
ton is receiving its final flourish, the gradu-
alton dress its last bewildering founce, and
the stern moralist conceives it TO be his duty
to attack both. Having invested the halt of
his weekly salary in box of regalias or prin-
cipes. having just read in print his leader on
the Eastern question, a subject concerning
which he is, like the most of mankind, pro-
foundly ignorant, he prepares to write a yig-
orous assault upon school girls for the dis
play and extravaganza Of their graduating
rules or upon school boys for the ambitious
aim and unsatisfactory performance of their
graduating essays.
For years the newspaper moralist loudly
demanded that girls should be dressed in
WuIIe, uCCduSC3 do uC odlu, IL W. duu
inexpensive. A white gown and profusion
of flowers he insists upon, and usually
coupled the demand with an obscure refer
ence, as befittcd the occasion, to the white
robes of the Roman candidates. Having annu-
ally written himself down an ass for a number
years it was finally made evident to him that
the frocks and flowers which he so longed to
see cost much money, and that the sweet
simplicity for which he had been clam oring
is, in pecuniary point of view, an expen sive
quality. With his usual readiness he
at once changed position, and aft er
lingering lovingly for while over bombazin C
that word of mysterious attraction to ears
masculine, he finally fixed upon calico, and
has sung the praises of that useful material
ever since. He knews nothing of it, but is
possessed of an idea that it costs ten cents
yard and is therefore the very type of econ
omy in wearing apparel.
Newspaperdom may be right in its advoca-
cy of calico, but there is certainly another
side to that shield. Young women should no
more than young men, be encouraged in ex-
travagance. But Che graduation ceremony
is, with the exception of that one in which
every maiden expects Eventually to take
part, the most important in girls life, and
the expense of her dressing is a pardonable
.prodigality. Calico is well in its place, but
its place is not upon the platform. The
newspaper scribe of ncotian proclivities may
loudly declaim in favor of the pipe, and
cling during Office hours with fond affection
to his blackened dhudeen, but when he
strolls upon the street of an evening or draws
his chair little back from the table at the
close of public dinner he knows that the
Guilty is out of place and betakes himself to
the shapely cigar. He ought to perceive that
there are times when the calico is as i'll fitted
to its surroundings as is the pipe. The evils
he predicts from its absence are chiefly imagi-
nary, the arguments he adduces for its use
are fallacious. Few young women at school
wish to make themselves prominent in their
class in the matter of dress only. They in
stinctivey feel that such distinction is to be
avoided. No girl Of generous impulses cares
to so far out-dress her class-mate and friend
in less prosperous circumstances as to call out
insidious comparisons. No wise parent, no
mother possessing any sense OF propriety
would permit it. Nor would any girl of CON-
mon sense feel shame or envy at be-
ing so out-done. The material of the
dress is not an important question. Let
the gown be neat, and tasteful, and