The Progress., 1893-06-03
TNE VONANS BUILDING
trecca OF the Fair Sex at the
Exposition.
,,yr WORKS OF ART DISPLAYED.

..,,,n,s Genius and Energy Appears to
uavo no Limitations What One VIII
nv A., Walk Through the Handsome
ynudipc-Ono Exhibit Of Special Pride
Women
WORLDS FAIR, May 81. - Special -
Tho first of the exposition buildings which
1T visitors approach on entering the
.os * the Woman's building, for 1t
e,a,ds near the entrance most commonly
,,soJ by those who come from Chicago by
al But even if it were not so conven-
io,tly located it would be the first build
ing entered 10y great ajOrity OF tho
,ro,ren visit Is, and IA things go in this
..orlJ they would take with them n large
r,,inue OF husbands, brothers and escorts
This * the department of departments to
,romen. During their first day at the fair
many do not get beyond it. The Woman's
huilding is always crowded, not with
women alone, though, they are of course
,n the majority, but with men also. Nat.
vr,lly all women take pride in it. The
first womaus building in an international
exposition. designed by n woman archi.
tect. managed by women throughout, and
6lled from top to bottom with the Gre
atoms Of woman's genius and siiill-why
should not "the Gmancipated sex" revcl in
the glory Of their Awakening
But one does not have to he a woman to
enjoy a few hours, or, for that matter,
few days, in this beautiful structure. It's
exhibits are only just completely installed,
and for the first time one may judge their
value and comprehensiveness. 1t is mar.
yplous array Of woman's triumphs in the
fine and applied arts, in science, literature
and industry that one beholds here. The
first feeling which comes to every visitor,
dare say, is one of amazement that
Uoman Is able 10 do so much and do It SO
well. There Is not much that is beyond
her capabilities or her ambition. There
does not appear TO be any limitation to her
genius or her energy. 1t must be that to
marry n slow-coach sort of man-yOu all
know Just such are one-who has never
been able TO appreciate the changed condi-
ton Of woman wrought in the last ten or
fifteen years, this building and its con-
tents must come like n shock Of an earth
quake or clap of thunder. For the first
time in all his career it will dawn upon
him that woman Is good for something in
the world beyond simple domesticity.
For instance, he will find himself imme-
diately after passing the doors, within a
spacious and brilliantly lighted rotunda
with richly decorated skylight overhead
and surrounded by IA chaste arcade. In
the portals and over them, and in the ves-
tibules, will he seen fine mural paintings
and modelled work in low relief, all exc
cuted by women. Thus 1t goes in every
part Of the structure built by and for
women-the decorations, the statuary and
the exhibits are all, or practically all, the
product of feminine fingers. The rotunda
Is an art gallery in which the paintings
and the statuary are fine enough to attract
the attention of connoisseurs and almost
to disarm the critics.
1t IL impossible in the limits of n single
article even to indicate the qualifications
of womsn's work in the busy, work-a-way
world as shown by the handiwork here
displayed. The most striking lesson Of
the whole show is that woman, not only
III AlhCi2N1 Ohb III ONhtI
has burst the bonds which held her sex
within certain narrow limits in the field
Of professional and industrial activity,
and THAI she has already shown her ability
to compete with man all along the line.
IL is woman's era, sure enough, and the
movement has extended ~ rough America,
Great Britain and nearly all the con-
tnentsl countries, and is now reaching
out for the woman prisons of Asia and
Africa.
A Awslk through this building brings be-
fore the eye an almost infinite variety Of
woman's handiwork. From the south is
cotton raised and ginned by women, and
from California fruits and wines grown
and pressed by fair hands. The fisher
women of New Jersey send samples Of
their nets. From Colorado are tracings
OF mining claim surveys made by women
S&nALNOOk