The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-31
THE NOMAN'S BUILDING.
The Mecca Of the Fair Sex at the
Chicago Exposition.
FINE WORKS OF ART DISPLAYED,
woman's Genius and Energy Appear to
Have No Limitations what One VIII
Sec by a walk Through the Hand
some Building.

WORLDS FAIR, May 81. - TSpecial.l
The first of the exposition buildings which
most visitors approach on entering the
gates Is the Woman's building, for it
stands near the entrance most commonly
used by those who come from Chicago by
rail. But even IL IL were not SO conven-
iently located it would be the first build
ing entered by great majority of the
women visitors, and as things go in this
world they would take with them a large
retinue of husbands, brothers and escorts.
This is the department Of departments to
women. During their first day at the fair
many do not get beyond it. The Woman's
building is always crowded, not with
women alone, though, they are of course
In the majority, but with men also Nat,
urally all women take pride I'm il. The
first woman's building in an international
exposition, designed by a woman archi-
tect, managed by women throughout, and
filed from top TO bottom with the Gre
ations of woman's genius and skill-why
should not "the emancipated sex" revel in
the glory of their awakeninga
But one does not have to be q woman to
enjoy few hours, or, for that matter, a
few days, in this beautiful structure. Its
exhibits are only just completely installed,
and for the first time one may Judge their
value and comprehensiveness. 1t is mar
velous 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,
darc say, is one of amazement that
woman Is able to do so much and do IL 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 q slow-coach sort of q man-you all
know just such arc 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 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
spacious and brilliantly lighted rotunda
with richly decorated skylight overhead
and surrounded by a chaste arcade. In
the portals and over them, and in the ves-
tibules, will be seen fine mural paintings
and modelled work in low relief, all exc
cuted by women. Thus IL 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 is impossible in the limits of single
article even to indicate the ramifications
Of woman'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
in America but in many other countries
has burst the boIf1s which held her sex
within certain narrow limits in the field
of professional and industrial activity,
and that she has already shown her ability
to compete with man all along the line.
IL is womans era, sure enough, and the
movement has extended through America,
Great Britain and nearly all the con-
tinental countries, and is now reaching
out for the woman prisons Of Asia and
Africa.
A walk 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.