Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-19
miss LAPHAM's ADOBE.

An excellent paper. entitled "The Posi-
biliies Of Success for Women in the ludus-
trial Arts" was presented by Miss Ella Z.
Lapbam, OF Buffalo, of which the following
Is an abstract:
1t speaks first OF the present age being every
where practical one, and OF the causes for its
being inevitably such in this country the energies
and more prosaic struggle for bread ana a nome
gave mighty impetus 70 the mechanical and ag1
riculturAl arts and the marvellous increase OF
wealth here with the resulting leisure, brought
recognition of other than purely physical worth
be made beautiful. curtain must not merely
temper the light, il must have beauty and fitness
as well. Hence the industrial arts, occupying the
border land between the fine arts and the arts
whose only end is utility, have gained an un,
for designers and skilled artifcers In all this
work, what show have women? and what show are
they to have? There is no lack of occupations
for women, and the time has come when they
may have their part for the taking, II being only
quired of any incumbent of the position. There
are no new employments 10 which women may
them? Competition is Wholesome. Numerousoc-
equations await the pate 1t, fully prepared women
who will dare to take them. In Designing Tor IN,
stance, the census of dozen years ago showed
thirteen women already at work; how many 9th
have since entered this field Is not known but
the supply is far from equallng the demand rms
work is every way suitable to women, aud is very
lucrative, the prices being determined by the elsss
OF designs, whether for Christmas cards, labels
etc, or the complicated patterns for carpets.
furniture and draperies- A lady designer for
prominent print mandatory IN Msssachu-
sets earns twice much, it is said. as she
did when q teacher. III 1870 there was but
one woman architect in the United states
Now there are several in the one State OF New
York. To such doubts as that expressed by the
women might excel in the specially of interior
work and decoration, but adds that it is doubtful
whether they would thoroughly master all the de-
tails of construction the shortest answer is Doing,
Women spend a far greater portion OF their lives
within the house than do men, and of the home
of the tradition that ascrbes the first wood engrav-
lug known in Europe to Isabella Cunio and her
twin brother, it is probable that between her gen
Grafton and our own hundreds OF women have
studied and practiced engraving, more than fifty
large numbers are a work. women have not yet
emerged from the crowded ranks OF mediocrity.
hastily to earn bread for the passing hour. Some
of the best specimens of wood carvings at the Cen
tennial were the work OF women of Cincinnati,
and the work exhibited at the exposition in that
city received high commendation by the local
doing work not before attempted In this country,
and Miss Mclaughlin may yet follow the example
of Madame Helene Hengest and give to the world
some OF its choicest ceramic treasures demand
for work OF high character is limited, however,
and the women who engage in the art must
be content with the attainment OF excellence,
possibly fame, but not fortune. In painting ana
engraving glass, china painting, gold ana silver
smithing landscape gardenlns etc, with tne e1 S
generally: unskilled, aud therefore poorly palo-
Concerning landscape gardening, Fred Law Allen
rs of the opinion that there is no physical di heu
ty in The way none that would not stand i'll the
way of her practice OF medicine, or OF lawn telnis
and would apprehend but one difnculty-tnat OF
excess of attention to details working against COM
prehensiye design. Embroidery, recovering irois
be made the medium of production TO rival Ihe
specimens preserved in the art collections OF Eu-
rope but at present in this country neither
embroidery nor lace making is a lucrative Calling
Woman attsins peeuniary success the more nearly
she approaches the position of an independent
producer. Her handiwork she can sell upon It's
merits; her labor she is too often forced to sell as a
m
because, first, they lack sufragei second, they are
Innovations; third, as a rule they are poorer
workers; and fourth, because the woman VINO
enters the labor market is presumably oDngeG 70
work at something Very applicable TO the hrst
ceived from GOV. John W. Hoyt, who says; so
far as know, the women OF Wyoming receive the
abundant evidence that the old-time prejudice
against employing women exists no longer one
now wanting help seldom stops to ask whether the
quick brain and cunning hand belongs to man or
woman, The feeling Is now spreading Itself IN
theoretical disquisition, flooding newspapers ana
magazines. From various sections are received
assurances from manufacturers and many nrus
these Industries if they will only became thor
oughly skilled in technique. The employer must
have the worth OF his money. The worlds bust
ness is conducted on toe principle 0. sellnteIesL
not of philanthropy, and no self respecting woman
can desire the wages of pity. Tbs unskiiled, un,
educated woman, like the unskllled, uneouesteo
man. is at a disadvantage among workers; The
mass of women are charged with the lack OF orig,
nality, whether natural or due TO long-contlnntso
lack OF development, time will decide
Again, "the shortest answer OF all is do
ing" Already there is brighter SIDE, as
shown by the opinions of men eminent as prln-
cipals OF art schools heads of large manufacturing
establishments etc, to the effect that women are
especially adapted to excel in these Industries
The physical incapacity of woman is an imaginary
hindrance rather than a reality. The hrst condi-
ton OF success is self-discipline Social pleasures
calculated unit one for the real business OF life
must be curtailed. Energy and perseverance,, the
qualities which help on the boy, must be cuiti-
waited by the girl, and above all, nothing must be
expected where nothing has been rendered The
need and utility of art schools is recognized even
had home In the United States the facilities for
an education in the industrial arts entirely in
adequate. Last year more than 200 applicants
were turned away from the Woman's Art School
of the Cooper Union for want OF room. There are
schools of design in many of the large cities. but
are they all that they should be- Partial train
ing" says Mss McLaren, OF Marlborough, has
been the ruin of many attempts TO gain new EN-
ployme Mt for women" Here is work for another
organizing all women interested in art. ees-
ta6lishing an annual exposition to which The
art schools shall send their best work, and by
other similar measures, may do much for the ad-
vaneement of their sex. In some of the arts 1t
would appear that the work OF the schools must be
supplemented, in Others superseded by apprentice
ship. A graduate of Cornell University the only
girl who has taken their course in architecture
declares that neither the course of Cornell nor
tually prepares a man Tor womanl for the under
taking of practical wO in offices OF the finest
class" In the work of designing for silver the
words Of Tiffany Co. explain themselves. we
do not employ women as designer, as 70 design