The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-29
EDUCATION FOL DE ROL.
PRIzEs NOT WON ON PRETTY
FACES ALONE.

But by an Exhibition OF Gracss-A
Sensational Show In q Boarding
School, With Men as Two OF the
Judges.
From the Philadelphia Record.
Robert J. Crook, the well-known athlete
of this city, has been officiating as judge in
an extraordinary beauty show. The contest
occurred at a fashionable private school
for girls in New York city. The prize was
not awarded for the superiority Of mere ia
cial beauty, but for the symmetry Of the
body. the gracefulness Of limb movement
and the attractiveDess of the girls as a whole.
The principal Of this school understood
that her forty fair pupils must be healthy Of
body as well as trained mentally If they are
to be admired and sought after by the oppo-
site sex, and they must not only bs strong,
but graceful and easy IN manner. AS an
incentiYe to earnest work in the gymna-
SUM, Miss Beufey, the principal, informed
the young ladies that at the end of the
school year they would give an exhibition
of their graces before competent judges,
two OF whom we're TO be gentlomen.
This exhibition has taken place, and the
prize was carried away to Salt Lake City
by Miss Ora Hardness, beautiful blonde.
All the measurements OF the girls, such
as the hight. length of waist, depth of cnest
and circumference Of limbs mad been taken
at the beginning of the year, aud at the
end of the twelve months for the purpose
of showing in cold figures the amount
Of development that had taken
place ia each pupil. After these
figures had been carefully studied the
contestants for the prize, numbering the
whole school, were obliged to pass ia review
before the judges up and down stairs, make
| street bows. drawing-room courtesies, prom
enade on the street, mount chairs, hang
floor, introduce friends, and score OF other
little thugs that will one day be a part Of
their regular daily life.
Mr. Cook, who has had great experience
in coaching Yale athletes, and who is the
originator of WHAT'S known as the Cook
stroke. was a capable judge of the SYM
metrical proportions Of the aspiring beau
ties, while Gen. Porter was supposed to
know what would be the correct thing in
carriage and department. A well-known
society lady Of New York was the third
judge, and she looked after the bows, cour-
tesies and introductiOus.
'It is an easy matter, to tell pretty girl
from homely one, said one of the judges;
but to pick out the most charm
| ing Of forty charming girls is
a mighty difficult thing. There is only one
way to decide which Is the prestiest, and
that is by selecting the girl who makes the
most favorable impression upon you. As
far as measurements 60, 1t is easy to name
| the prize winner. as there is pretty clearly
defined standard of correct bigness,' as
Washington termed it,"
This contest of beauty was not to crafty
a whim of the pupils or the principal. 1t
served a purpose In the line OF gymnastic
exercise, just as the awarding of prize
would serve a purpose in any other depart
msnt OF the school. 1t created rivalry and
consequent endeavor on the part of every
girl to look the prettiest in the eyes Of
stranger judges. The unsuccessful COM
petitors had an opportunity of seeing what
young lady of almost perfect form and
department looked like. and might, to some
extent, profit by their knowledge.
"Some such contest as this" said Mr..
Cook the other day, II think will be insti-
tuted in other fashionable schools for girls.
The idea seems to be very popular"