The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-18
The auieha Daily eagle: Saturday orng Gully 1s 1891
A DRESSnAKING CLASS.
A SCHOOL IN BROOKLYN WHERE
GIRLS ARE TAUGHT TO SEW.

Place to Learn How to Design and
Make Pretty Costumes-The Pratt In
stitute Where Teachers and Lecturers
Receive Their Education.
Seeing wealthy, travelled, elegant young
woman recently, in very pretty costume
of her own designing and making in the
school Tor dreSsmaking, Pratt institute.
Brooklyn, led the writer TO visit this de-
partment of the institute. as well as these
in which millinery and cooking are taught
MONDAYS, Wednesdays and Fridays are
visiting days.
There are three graded courses in the
dressmaking department, which occupy
three light, cheerful rooms OF the upper
part of the house; airy and sweet, and fur
nished with every requisite for good and
perfect work There are historical pic
lures of costumes on the walls, blackboard
for demonstrations OF designs, exhibits OF
free hand drawing, long tables for cutting
out work and comfortable chairs for work
ers.
As a preliminary instruction for the
course stitcheFy IN all It's branches is
Taught Picture TO yourself some twenty
five or thirty young girls sitting at rows of
desks, or little tables, facing desk st one
end of the room, where q teacher at the
moment is giving lecture on the proper
method of making and inserting a gusset,
an angular piece Of cloth for strengthening
some part Of a garment.
1t happens Row to be little bit of white
muslin, which the teacher is mauipulat-
ing, turning and twisting in her fnge
folding it in proper shape, turning dow
the corners, and showing where it should
be gathered IN the center, the whole diSser-
tation being listened to with quick inter
est, and followed in example by the pupils,
each girl having her bit OF cloth TO expert
ment upon.
DREssNAKING FROM COPY.
All the rudiments OF stitching are made
upon materials, patches of cloth, furnished
them by the school. Later, when the pupil
is an adept in sewing, she makes under
garments with a degree of elegance equal
TO those made by the French Nuns, She is
now prepared to enter the lowest Of the
dressmaking rooms.
Her draughts are made from measure
ment for besques or waists, which is
demonstrated on the blackboard By the
teacher, the pupil making a copy On brown
paper, which is used Us pattern
If the teacher finds the copy perfect the
pupil cuts it in white cotton; it is bsssted
and tried on. Here, too, the pupil il
taught freehand drawing and TO harmonize
eolors. as well as the beauty OF proper lines.
In another room the draping of skirt and
all the arts of finishing costume are de-
veloped. Beautiful tea gowns, dinner and
street dresses were hanging IN a caseyshioh
had been made by the classes, the mate
rails having been furnished by the pupils.
who had made each costume for herself or
some friend in the tip of the mode, as the
most reliable fashion books are consulted
as to the style of these garments.
4 design is made first for each costume,
which isthe work of the pupil, and paint
ed in water colors. She may convention
alize her pattern from half dozen fashion
plates, or copy some one plate. and, il APP
proved by the teacher, copy it ia expensive
or less costly materials. There is a har-
mony and beauty in these dresses which
resembles tho costumes made by the
French modistes. An important feature
Of each of the courses Is the talks on by
giene, and upon the selection of fabrics,
and harmony Of color and form IN dress.
ALSO MILLINERY.
pretty materials were scattered on the
long tables which were being made up by
the class after the various designs for head
adornments now in vogue-bonnets, round
hats, toques, etc.-some as light as gossa-
mer wings and others of heavier materials
The first lessons are demonstrated in cam
ton f1annels Of bright colors, bat in the
finishing room elegant materials are used.
Here again the becoming is taught, DA-
lures lines, the features, the coloring and
harmonizing all together. This is. indeed,
a fine art, and one which milliners rarely
possess. Here. too, all the fine materials
are the property Of the pupils. The teach
ers are adopts in their trade. During tho
year $50 pupils have been in this depart
ment Fifteen dollars is charged for three
months course for day scholars and nine
dollars for the evening classes About the
same tuition is charged for instruction in
dressmaking. There are also freq classes
in both kinds OF instruction.
Neither Of the classes is Taught every
tlay as they are divided TO accommodate
all the pupils. In the paid classes are rieh
girls who learn these trades OF arts through
preference, girls OF moderate means who
learn how to make stylish garments &c q
moderate rate, and poor girls who are sent
by some benevolent people 70 gain means
Of honest livelihood. There are women OF
middle age and young girls who sit to-
gether at the long tables, each equally in
earnest as to the uaaaufacoure Of a bonnet
There are so many visitors on visiting
days, and they ask so many questions oc
tho pupils, that printed notice Is oenspic-
uously placed to inform strangers thas
such conversation is not allowed. The Wis
itor here learns for the FIRST time, perhaps,
that properly constructed. gracetnl boa
net or round hat is designed from classic
lines, beginning with the form OF cyhn-
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