The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-02-03
A NOVEL SEWING SCHOOL.

Unique Methods Employed in Teaching
NeedlewOri TO Girls.
In the heart of the east side of New
York city is Il big. plain building, over
whose door is the sign, Wilson Indus
trial School for Girls" Here Miss Emily
HuntingtOn's famous kitchen garden,
the system of teaching homework by
means Of toys, was first put into opera
ton. But in II room up one flight from
where these alluring homework games
are played is an apartment where the
girls meet to learn to sew.
OF course sewing is not rs attractive
as playing with tiny dishpans and wash
tubs and dishes, but here, as below, the
work is made us pleasant as possible.
A class Of children from eight to ten
years is just entering. They rapidly seat
themselves IN low chairs around low,
broad tables. and monitors bring out
bundles Of work. Each bundle is marked
with tiny thimble bag pinned to it, on
which is the owners name. Thimbles,
needles, thread and material are fur
nished, and the children pay the penalty
for any loss Of their sewing apparatus.
How? By marks. to be sure. 1t would
not do to impose money fines on these
poorly dressed youngsters. whose braids
are often tied with rags.
But marks are serious things to them,
because their credits earn the clothing
they sew on, while dement's cancel cred
its. 1t takes good many credits to earn
4 dress, but it is often done. Next in
price is queer g ~ ent designed to
utilize the patchwork. calico with which
overhanding has been taught. A lot of
the blocks are sewed together to form a
double skirt, which is lined with cotton
wadding, quilted and given stout waist
or band. They are not pretty, of course,
but are very warm.
Miss Kirkwood, the head of the sew
ing classes, has devised a way to teach
sewing by copy. 1t is called the school
sewing practice cloth. and is intended
for this purpose as copybook is intend
ed to teach writing. About a yard Of
white cotton cloth is stamped with all
the plain stitches, hemming, running,
telling, even buttonhole work, and one
or two fancy stitches When a child
utto, iooSOu Wy icoSOll, boWcu ONeI IIleSo
copy stitches she is allowed to set them
without copy in plain garments. A
sewing primer, which lies on Miss Kirk
woods table, has lessons in question and
answer about their work and its mate
rails.
Occasionally between questions and
inspection of work the teacher breaks
out into some song Of which the primer
is full. Instantly all the childish voices
strike in, and how they enjoy it while
their fingers fly! One is inclined to be-
lieve that there never would have been
80 many rebellious hours spent in learn
ing to sew If the children of tho past had
known such jolly songs as these or had
sung those they knew. Could any one
sew slowly while rendering stitching
Robe for Babyp"
Oh, swift flying needle, stitching to song,
Through muslin and linen speed you along.
So much is to do quick must you be;
Work shall be well done by you and me.
The prime favorite is one sung to the
tune of "Oh, Susannah." always given
with great enthusiasm. It's chorus is:
oh, my scwing-that's the work for me.
just can have the incest time with sewing on
my knee.
ANNIE ISABEL WILLIS.