The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-07-18
WEDNESDAY. JULY IS, 1888.
A TECHNICAL SCHOOL
IN NEW YORK CITY EXCLUSIVELY
FOR TRAINING GIRLS.

fOH hHlNlNG 0thlS.
The Modern Movement by which Women
Have Entered So Many Departments of
Industry Taught in the School.
Some Suggestions.
We imagine that it will surprise most peo-
pie to learn that there is a technical school in
New York, exclusively for girls, which has
been in existence fourteen years, and gradu
ated this year class of 924 members, or more
than the united members of the graduating
classes of boys in all the technical schools in
the western hemisphere. It is true that the
sciences taught in the school are not of a
very abstruse character, but they are of the
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 Arneri
can in the modern movement by which wo-
men have entered into nearly all the depart
ments of industry and trade which were once
fhonopolized 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 OF 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 intrusted with very
great responsibility All the girls who wish
to be employed, however, cannot find places
as typewriters on bookkeepers, and it is a
matter of much Importance to the welfare of
the sex to increase the number of occupa-
tions 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
err class of their fellow citizens placed in a
position where they need not be dependent
for support upon the uncertain mercies 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, niechani-
cal and free hand drawing, sewing both by
hand and 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 Young Women's Chris
tian Association. So far as the public are
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 atfiuent pro-
ducers, but the introduction of SO much
trained skill into the practice of the domes-
tic arts must before long show itself in the
development of those arts.
The manufacture of wall paper in this
country certainly owes to a few clever
women great part of tho 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, il
would certainly DO the development of the
actual practice OF artistic industry in other
ways besides embroidery There is no
reason, for Instance, why women hereshould
not be as successful in decorative painting as
the Misses Garrett and their rivals are in
England.
Most women are somewhat sensitive ia
color, but are so 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, APP
pear painfully ignorant and bald. If the
same women would get rid of the notion
that heaven has already taught them bust
ness which their brothers spend years in
learning, and would, like men, make them
selves acquainted with the observations Of
n. H..
and William Morris, and compare the work
OF different nges and countries, the beautiful
forms Of the antique and the Renaissance,
the brilliancy of the Japanese and the inef-
fable coloring OF the Chinese, they could,
more easily than most men, acquire a re-
source and certainty which would make
them the best and most rapid Of decoratoys.
The same sort of training would fit them
for other artistic professions. We cannot
say that we think the system of making de-
signs for tiles and similar things, for indif-
ferent workmen 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 i'ir artists own
hands, without the interven; It mechan-
les, and there is just now a " iield for the
use OF works of decoration (which shall be as
much autographs of the designer as an easel
picture could he. Totake a single example,
q great deal OF mosaic for the adornment OF
buildings is now made in Venice by an asso-
citation of girls of good familys who draw
and color the designs, pick out the bits of
glass or stone, and send them to be put in
position Although mosaic is now rare
luxury with us, it might be popularized in
this way to the general advantage --Ameri-
can Architect.
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Inyentor of the Catcher,s NrasL