The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-01-30
First Useful-Then Ornamental

GA girl who can put on square
patch, may not be SO accomplished as a
young lady who can work a green
worsted dog on yellow ground, but
she is of more real value to the COM
munity."
1t is possible il the olden times too
much stress was laid on the Importance
OF training girls TO mend and darn so
exouisitely thu it would be difficult al
most impossible; to discover that there
had been any necessity for tho labor !:
bat i there waa any error Ill teaching
and e,-!e.;Dg such perfect work, Il "as q
eluit that ,caned to virtues side,' and
beyond al comparison better than the
" bo5ching" to be found on the raiment
of some of many--of the girls of the
present day. Laundresses that wash
for school girls could make strange reve-
lations Of neglect Of garments and
careless repairs, were not their lips
sealed with the fear of losing good Gus
toners.
When a broken stitch is allowed to go
uncared for, until it has become a hole
so large that the stocking can no longer
be worn without some repairs, it is then
drawn up in an ugly bunch-hard
enough to blister the feet instead of
being nicely darned OF when tear or
rip on dress or under garment is pulled
together with thread thick enough to in
lure the garment, who is to blame, the
mother or the daughter What instruc-
ton has ever been given the young girl
about looking out for the beginning Of
the evil in Der wardrobe Has she beer.
taught TO mend or darn every rent or
rip the first possible instant after it was
discovered, and do it neatly
Oh, no There are lar too many
young girls from whom the most rigor
Gus application to fanciful accomplish
ments is exacted, whose mothers have
never taught them to sew decently, If at
all. When the mothers Of these young
ladies we're girls of ten or twelve, they
would have been ashamed to have had
no more practical knowledge, or have
proved themselves such utterly useless
members of the home circle. Why
should they thus defraud anddwarf their
own children 1t is not very remote
period to look back to, when, if mothers
had permitted their daughters to enter
womanhood ignorant of domestic arts, OF
unable 70 keep their own garments in
proper order, they would have been
thought incompetent 70 have the charge
of children, destitute of that affection
that seeks the present best good Of those
committed to their charge, and is anx-
ious to secure their present prosperity.
|. parents never before realized tho
Importance OF securing = thoroughly
practical education FOR their children. the
''hard times" which of late have pressed
so heavily or all classes, must now sure
" show them The absolute necessity Of
such training This practical knowledge
is quite as important for our daughters
as for our Sons. Give both every ae-
compl;shmcnt, and of the highest oroe-
that can be secured. without deducting
the smallest fraction from the far more
valuable practical Instructions that in
mature age may save them from much
suffering and acute modification.
If young lady has what in these
days is the rare skill OF compelling hey
needle to assist her in carrying out al
the rsquisitioas which will enable her,
with seant materials, t. keep herself
neatly and genteelly clad, if she can turn.
remodel, piecs neatly, cover the lack Of
material by some simple ard appropriate
trimming, until she makes an old dilap-
idated garment look ''asnaist as weers
the new" she will have cause all the
DAYS of her life to thank the mother who
led her in the way she should CO. Mrs.
Fl W. Beecher.
TS,4 T~sI4k 1oH,ito nF a rStS