Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-07-01
A DRESSMAKlNG CLASS.
A SCHOOL M BROOKLYN WHERE
GIRLS ARE TAUGHT TO SEW.


Mako Pretty Costumes-Ths Pratt In
stitute whers Teachers and Lecturers
Receive Theit Education
Seeing wealthy. travelled, elegant young
woman recently, In very pretty costume
Of her own designing and making in the
school for dreasmakinG, Pratt institute,
Brooklyn, led the writer to visit this de
partment OF tho institute, ms well ms those
In which millin cry 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, black boards
for demonstrations Of designs, exhibits OF
free hand draw ng, long tables for cutting
out work and comfortable chairs for work
ers.
As n preliminary instruction for the
course stitchery In all it's branches Is
taught. Picture to yourself some twenty
Ave OF thirty young girls sitting at rows OF
desks, or little tables. facing desk at one
end OF the room, where teacher at the
moment In giving n lecture on the proper
method Of max ng and inserting gusset.
an angular piece OF cloth for strengthening
some part OF u garment.
H. happens Nv to be little bit OF white
muslin, which the teacher is Inanipulat
ing. turning and twisting in her fingers.
folding IL In proper shape, turning down
the corners. and showing where II should
he 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.
DRHssstAKIyG FROM cory
All the rudinlents 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 vs. the French nuns She In
now prepared 10 eu''t ths lowest OF the
dressmaking rooms.
| Her draught|s are made from measure
ment for basques or waists, which Is
demonstrated on the blackboard by the
teacher, the pm pill making n copy on brown
paper. which Ia used as pattern.
II the teachc finds the copy perfect the
pupil cuts II il| white cotton; IL Is busted
and tried on. Here. too. the pupil IL
taught freehRnd drawing and to harmonize
colors. as well ts the beauty Of proper lines
In another ROOT m the draping Of skirt and
all the arts Of finishing costume are de
veloped. Beautiful tea gowns, dinner and
street dresses were hanging In case which
had been maG IL by the classes, the mate
rials having be eu 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 10 the style of these garments.
Il A design is made first for each costume.
which Is the W Drk OF TIM pupil. and paint
ed In water cdlors. She may convention
alize her pate rn from half dozen fashion
plates. or copy some one plate. and. II Ap
proved by the teacher. copy IL In expensive
or less costly materials There Il har
mony and be- uty in these dresses which
resembles t,t costumes made by the
French modl1tes. An important feature
of each of thA courses Is the talks on by
giene, and a pom the selection Of fabrics
and harmony Of color and form ip dress.
Also MILLINERY
In the mill merry department some very
pretty mater ais were scattered on the
long tables which were being made up b,
the class after the various designs for head
adornments npw In vngue-bonnets. round
hats. toques. ate.-some as light as gossa
mer wings anil others of heavier materials
The first lessdns are demonstrated in eau
ton flannels bf bright coiors, but in til,
finishing room elegant materials are used
Here again the becoming II taught, ma
lures lines, the features, the coloring nnt
harmonizing hll together. This Is. indeed
n fine art, and one which milliners rarely
possess. Here. too, all tue fine materials
are the property of the pupils. The teach
! ers are adopts in their trade. During thu
year $50 pupils have been In this depart
ment Fifteen dollars Is charged for thrs,
months courte for day scholars and min,
dollars for th'h evening classes About tn,
! same tuition is charged for instruction II
dressmaking. There are also free classe
In both kinds OF instruction
!. Neither of the classes Is taught ever
day, as they ARE divided to accommodate
all the pupils In the paid classes are ricl
girls who lear these trades or arts through
: preference, girls of moderate means VIII
learn how to make stylish garments at
moderate rata, and poor girls who are sen
by some bene VIOLENT people to gain mean
of honest livelihood. There are women o
middle age and young girls who sit "a
gether nj the long tables each equally 4
earnest as TO the manufacture of "A bonne,
r There are so many visitors on vlsitin
4 days, and they ask many questions Q
r the pupils, that n printed notice is conspie
D uously placed To Inform strangers tina
such conversation IL not allowed The vi,
: itor here lear for the first time. perhAp.
. that a properly constructed. graceful bot
, net or round hat is designed from classi
, lines, begun ng with the form OF cylir
der.-E T. Dickinson in New York Cont
!, nent-