Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-06-01
The WOmen's Pavilion at the Cen.
tennial.

In the Women's Pavilion are several
inventions designed to assist ladies'
dresses in avoiding too intimate an asso-
citation with dirt; but, while the ladies
assent to the correctness of the princi-
pie, few of them are willing to spare an
inch from the demands of fashion.
Among the other inventions in this de-
partment, which is exclusively feminine
in all its exhibits, are the following: A
griddle greaser, q bath chair, life saving
mattress, combination desk, dish
drainer, a patent flower stand, various
dress charts, dust receiver, a baby's ex-
ercising corset, needle threader for sew.
ing machines, a mangling, washing and
drying machine, broiler, an invalid's
chair, a smoothing iron, meat tenderer,
models for teaching children obiect-draw-
ing, window shutter and fastener, q
trunk hinge, a lunch heater, a travelling
bag, a postage stamp moistener, a bureau
trunk, beadsteaa, bureau and safe, sew
ing machine attachments, and besides
these many others of minor Importance.
In all justice to the women of the country
it can be said that nearly every one of
these inventions is practical, and many
of them are now in every day use. This
department is still in an incomplete state,
owing to the delay in the arrival of ex.
hihiIs which are delayed en- route. Among
the latest articles displayed are specimens
from the School of Industrial Art at Gin
cinnati. These are the handiwork Of the
girl pupils, and include splendid sam.
Piles OF wood carving, and painting
on porcelain. Mrs. Gov. Noyes, of
Ohio, and Mr.. Ben Pitman, who
are deeply interested in the work at the
school, are here, experimenting the ar.
rangement of the exhibits. The arts of
wood carving and of painting on porce-
lain are of recent introduction in the
school, but from the adaptablity of the
scholars to these branches, and the facili-
ty with which they acquire skill, the
teachers are convinced that they have de-
veloped new field for employment for
women. The Cooper Union, of New
York, and the Massachusetts Art School
are represented by crayon sketches and
pencil drawings, which are OF a high or
der OF merit In the English department
are many beautiful specimens of needle
work and embroidery, done by the pupils
In the Kensington Art School. The Con.
vent schools in the vicinity of Montreal,
Canada, send samples of their handiwork
with the needle and pencil. The ladies
of Brazil have contributed embroidered
cushions and artificial flowers. The col.
lection OF paintings and statuary would
fill small gallery, and this section will
be still more interesting when Miss Hos
mer's group of statuary arrives, early in
June. Carpet weaving and ribbon man
ufacture are carried on in the building,
and the Neo Century, a woman's newspa-
per, is edited and the type for each
issue is set before the eyes of lockers.
on, but the press work is done else
where. The display of wax flowers,
AM of all those delicate articles
for household ornamentation which only
women Of leisure can produce, IL varied
and complete. II the articles which fill
the building are suggestive Of decorative
rather than useful arts, IL is the mans
fault. The cage Is not the best field for
endeavor, and this exhibition of what
women have done is a potent reminder of
what they are capable Of doing with the
door open for free endeavor. They are
proud of this collective display, and no
lady visitor thinks of leaving the grounds
without inspecting IL. The women's pa
vilion, however, Is not the sole place
where womens work il visible. In the
machinery building Il hundred or more
are employed in weaving, making envel-
opes, watches and thread, in operating
sewing machines, and in sundry other
pursuits In the Government building,
where the regulation army musket and
cartridge are being made, almost all the
work is done by women. The TURKS, the
Egyptians, the japanese, the Herzegoyin.
ians, the Cubans, and several other for
eign nations are now carrying on cam
paigns armed with guns made by Ameri.
can women. The strictest tenets OF the
sex would not perhaps iLdorse employ
ment which SO directly leads TO bloodshed,
but il pays, and the women are after the
labor and the legitimate dollar as well as