The Portland daily press., 1890-05-31
SEWING COOKING SCHOOLS
A Pretty Exhibition by winthrop
school Girls.
rBoston Heraldl

SCUO0s
rBoston Herald5
1t was pretty display that met the
eyes of the invited guests as they enter
ed the hall of the Winthrop school, in
response to the invitation to the sewing
exhibition And it was not merely a
pretty sight, but most satisfactory and
encouraging one. There was long line
Of tables filled with specimens of sewing
done by the girls Of the school, and at
the side was work table, where group
was busy draughting patterns and fitting
dresses. The work that was shown would
have done credit to class of grown wo-
men, practiced seamstresses, and it is
true that many grown woman could
not begin to do the work SO we'll as these
girls have done.
In the first placethe machine, although
marvellous assistant, no doubt, is elbow
ing the good old fashioned hand sewing
out of sight, and it is in great danger of
becoming lost art. Or one would bet
ter say it was in danger, for, happily,
the instruction now given in the public
schools is restoring this industry to its
proper place, and if they follow when
they leave school what they have learned
while there, these girls will rival their
grandmothers in fine needlework The
sewing was beautifully fine, and when
the visitors read on the accompanying
cards the names and ages Of the little
seamstresses the admiration deepened to
wonder.
SPECIMENS OF HANDIwoRK.
For instance, there was a child's kilt
suit, made of bright pretty plaid for
boy of two or three years of age. There
was the killed skirt, the little vest with
the cutest pockets, and the jaunty cuta-
way jacket piped with black silk braid,
and ished with gilt buttons. This
was tn work of little girl of 10 years
of age. She made every stitch of it,
even to the putting in of the vest pock-
cts, preparing the piping and making
the button holes. 1t was as good piece
Of work as would come from the hands
of the experienced needlewomen. Near
this was dress, or more properly tea
gown, cut and made by 1o-year-old
girl. 1t was of garnet wool was fitted
in at the back in princesse fashion, and
and had a loose front Of old rose surah
shocked at the top in pointed yoke fash
ion, and hanging thence in graceful folds
to the feet; the front was finished by
revers of the wool and was tied across
with ribbons which matched. The col
lar and the cuffs of the sleeves were of
the surah.
This rather detailed description has
been en in order to let those who were
not they know something of the scope
ing that girl gets in the public school
will enable her to become self support
ing when she leaves. A sewing exhi-
bition usually suggests an array of
towels, dish wipers and handkerchiefs,
more or less well hemmed; but this one
was q revolution.
To give readers some idea of the scope
of the exhibition, list of the articles
exhibited is here appended: One bag, Q
sleeves, 8 sets of pillow spreads, 81 pairs
OF pillow slips, % undergarments,
towels, napkins, Al skirts, 10 flannel
skirts, dolls garments, 100 aprons, IA
nightdresses, AZ dresses, boys kilt suit,
making 301 pieces in all. This all repre-
sented handwork, and every piece was
finished with greater or less degree of
elaboration. A pretty wooden dress,
made with a. simple English skirt and
blouse, was finished with the most beau
tiful and even lines of feather stitching
around the skirt and ON the blouse. It
was the work of a girl of 10. The
white work" as the sewing on cotton is
termed, would show well beside any
similar exhibition.
FEATs OF COOKING.
Everything was accurately cut and
well made. 1t should be understood
that these pieces are not made especially
for the exhibition, but they are given as
fair sample of the children's work. and
are taken from their work of the year.
OF course, only those who do careful,
excellent work are allowed to exhibit;
that is understood, and it serves as an
incentive to the best effort, as every girl
feels it an honor to be allowed to have
her work at the exhibition.
The cooking exhibition, the first ever
given, by the way, in this school, al
though the school was one of the earliest
w "'"AA A0SSAA Va VIC bCuOOl klUCu6u IL
struction, was in one Of the class rooms
adjoining the hall, and was as much a
center of interest. Miss Hope, from
school kitchen l, had come over to super
intend the arrangement and to look after
the pupils, and she looked as happy as
the girls themselves. The exhibition
was common sensible in the extreme,
and showed better than anything else
could do the practical side of that branch
Of work.
Nearly every one spoke of the absence
OF fancy dishes and of the presence of
those that came under the head of neces-
sites, things that every family must
have in spite of everything. There were
104 dishes in the exhibition, and they
were arranged so tastefully that they
made one hungry to look at them. There
was fish balls, fried such delicate
brown; light, sweet bread, several loaves,
gingerbread, blanc mango, plain pud-
ding, apple pie, white cake, doughnuts,
toasted crackers, toasted bread, potato |
soup, oatmeal, lemonade, mashed pota-
toes, baked apples with oatmeal, broiled
chops and mashed potatoes, fried, boiled,
baked and Lyonaise potatoes, stewed
r1ce, custard, both boiled and baked,
steamed suet pudding and sauce, and
meat and ,,ofo +a Mo