Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-18
A TECHNICAL SCHOOL
IN NEW YORK CITY EXCLUSIVELY
FOR TRAINING GIRLS.

|
Have Entered SO Many Departments Of
In6ustry-Subjects Taught in the School
Some Suggestions.
We imagine that it will surprise most peo-
pie to learn that there is technical school in
New York, exclusively for girls, which has
been in existence fourteen years. and gradu-
ated this year class of 924 members, OF moro
than the united members of the graduating
classes Of boys in all the technical schools in
the western hemisphere. 1t is true that the
sciences taught in the school are not of \
very abstruse character, but they are Of tae
sort best adapted at present to help girls to
earn an honest living, and many woman
must bless the thoughtful charity by which
she was put in the way of independence.
There is still something strange to an Ameri.
can in the modern movement by which wO-
men have entered into nearly all the depart
ments of industry and trade which were once
monopolized by men.
1t is not many years since young girls
face was rather rare sight on Wall or State
street, and those that were seen generally be-
longed to persons who were shyly hurrying
by on their way to ferry or railway sta
ton. Now nearly every brokers' or lawyers
| office and merchants counting room has its
gentle industrious bookkeepers and type
writers, and in many cases these modest and
! faithful assistants are Entrusted with very
great responsibility. All the girls who wish
to be employed, however, cannot find places
as typewriters or bookkeepers. and it is
! matter of much importance to the welfare OF
the sex to increase the number of occupa-
tons in which it can be of service. This sort
| of work is Just what technical school can
do, and those who would like to see the weak
er class of their fellow citizens placed in a
position where they need not be dependent
for support upon the uncertain merces OF
their male relatives will do well to keep the
New York example in mind.
Among the subjects taught in the school
are stenography and bookkeeping, mechani-
cal and free hand drawing, sewing both by
hand end machine, cutting and fitting,
music designing as applied to textile fabrics,
wall papers and tiles and modelling All the
instruction given is free, and the salaries Of
the twelve teachers employed, as well as rent
and other expenses, arc paid by subscription
under the care of the Y Dung Women's Chris
tan Association. So far as the public are
concerned the education of women in all
these. as well as other kindred subjects, is an
unmixed advantage. Not only are thou
sands Of intelligent persons changed from
idle and often very poor consumers to in
dustrious and comparatively afiuent pro-
ducerS. but the introduction of SO much
trained skill into the practice of the dolnes-
tic arts must before long show itself in the
development of those arts
The manufacture Of wall paper in this
country certainly owes to few clever
women a great part of the extraordinary
artistic success which it has achieved; and
to take another example, the decorative en-
broidery of the associated artists, and Of
Mrs. Holmes before them, give promise for
the future Of American art which is hardly
to be found in the painting or sculpture of
the country. ii we could suggest anything
which might with advantage be added to the
curriculum Of this or similar schools, it
would certainly be the development OF the
actual practice Of artistic industry in other
ways besides embroidery. There is no
reason for instance, why women here should
not be as successful in decorative painting as
the Misses Garrett and their rivals ars III
England.
Most women are somewhat sensitive to
color, but are 50 persuaded Of their natural !
gift in this direction that they scorn to learn |
anything about the subject, and make, In !
consequence, laborious attempts at decora- |
ton which, to everybody but themselves, ap-
pear painfully ignorant and bald. If the |
same women would get rid of the notion /
that heaven he's already taught them a BUSH /
ness which their brothers spend years in 1
learning, and would, like men, mako them |
selves acquainted with the observations OF /
such masters as Owen Jones, DR.. Dresser |
and William Morris, and compare the wor< |
of different ages and countries, tae beautiful |
forms OF the antique and the Renaissance, !
the brillancy of the japanese and the inef-
fable coloring of the Chinese, they could,
more easily than most men. acquire re-
source and certainty which would make
them the best and most rapid OF decorators.
The same sort OF training would mt them
fer other artistic professions We cannot
say that we think tie system OF making de-
signs for tiles and similar things, for indif-
ferent worknlen to carry out, Is calculated to
develop the highest artistic capacity or pro-
duce the most beautiful art. The highest
beauty can only be added by the artists own
hands, without the Intervention OF raechan-
les and there is just now wide field for the
use Of works OF decoration which shall be as
much autographs of the designer as an easel
10 a cAAAAliSs (
o great deal of mosaic for tbs adjournment OF
is row made IN Venice by an asso-
citation Of girls of good family, who draw
and color the designs, pick out the bits OF
glass or stone, and send them 10 be put IN
position Although mosaic Is now rare
Injury with Us, it might be populart1ed in
this way to tee general advantage. Aneri-
can Architect
Mr. A-1oou morning. III o. came 20
see If you viii give something toward help
ing poor woman down in Cheap street, who
has a big family Of children, and she con-
fined 70 her bed by sickness
Nh B.-H-m-yes; sorTy. but unforsu- /.
nately am awfuliT short jas. now You see
that we are going 70 give the pastor silver
service, and it won't DO for me 70 refuse 20
give nay share; and besides, an thinking Of
subscribing someshing for tie new bali club
I'm really sorry for the poor woman, indeed
ana bat then you see last how Pm f1sd-
RossIS Transcllp.