The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-04-27
WOMAN AND A TRADE.
oReSSMAKERS' SCHOOLS AND MIL
LtNERY INSTITUTES" FOR GIRLS.


For Poor Girls-Timc and Money Thrown
Away.
Trade schools for women are one of
the crying needs of the day-places
where poor girls may learn some handi-
craft by means of which they may earn
living. So evident is this necessity
that not only have a number of prac-
teal schools of various trades been start
ed. but a large crop of so called 'insti-
tutes" has sprung up like lot of mush-
rooms and with no firmer basis. This
is the more unfortunate in that to the av-
erage young woman who wishes TO learn
a trade the money for tuition comes
with difficulty, and if the expenditure
goes for nothing it is a serious matter
TO her. She naturally expects that if
she works diligently the course of lessons
will give her a degree of knowledge and
practice that will at least fit her to oc-
cupy place among the lowest wage
earners of her trade. But it is too often
the case that she ends by knowing very
little more than she did when she began
The writer has had experience of two
such establishments in New York city.
The first was that of dressmaker. She
was a handsome old lady, to whom her
pupils were of much less Importance
than her customers. She cut TO measure
and taught system" which she pro-
fesSed to have invented herself. The
system was a good one, but as its in
vention must have involved a consider
able aptitude for mathematics, and the
old lady was very ignorant, there is
loom for doubt as to its authorship.
At any rate, she understood it thorough
ly, and when she had time she impaired
its general principles TO some Of her
pupils. She was 50 eager to work tQT
customers that she usually kept the
girls busy as mere seamstreSseS. In
other words, instead Of paying her SOW
ing women she was paid by them. The
whole establishment was a scene of
chaos, with no method except that by
which the garments were cut. No ma
teIial was ever IN the same place twice.
Flatirons, the great aid to neat dress
making, were seldom hot when needed,
and if hot they were dirty. There was
a dearth of pins and a paucity of in
struction. and to a young woman lack
ing the deftness of home experience, as
50 many poor and i'll educated girls do,
the outlook must have been discourag-
ing. There was this much in favor Of
the place-that there was something tan
gible to learn if one could only get hold
of IT a girl with no previous pIac- /.
tice, however, wants something besides j
general principles-she wants thorough !
personal instruction, and if she pays
for it she ought TO have it.
The second establishment was a mil
linery institute, one of the many which
have been extensively advertised lately. /
4 shop was in connection with the
school, and orders were also taken, and {
the proprietor Of the triple alliance
spent so much time in the shop and
with the Grder customers that she had
almost no leisure 10 give to her pupils.
They were penned upsin ii small,
skylighted back room without ven
tilation, half of them with nothing
TO do, while the milliner sat in the store
down stairs. Girls eager to lcaIn would
remain two and three hours at time
utterly idle because no orders nor shop
hats, the only work with which the
school was supplied, were given thep
to make-or mar. Most Of the pupils
were poor, aad many of them came
from out Of the city, and their tuition
money and car fare were utterly wasted
day after day. Occasionally the MILL
ner would tell girl 10 take piece Of
muslin and practice making bow, bnt
IS she did not tell the girl t1,g 10 90 to
work the latter might as well have tried
to learn By herself at home for nothing.
Zach pupil was supposed to bring her
own scissors and thimble, but unless she
also brought milliDer's needles, pinch
ers, thread and pins she soon found
herself at q standstill in what little
work she was given 10 do.
The writer was early targht b make
and sew on velvet folds-it took perhaps
an hour 10 leaIn-and being rapid at it
always had II 10 DO when she had any
work al all. That was almost the only
thing Ehe learned during the four OF six
weeks spent in that crowded and stuffy
room where the girls ale their lunch
con On the workable heaped with nib
bons, velyets and flowers in destructive
confusion, and where all the phases OF
domestic life went On beyond a parti-
ton 8 feet high. There were not hooks
enough for the girls own hats and coats
nor sound chairs enough for all to sit
upon. All knife plating had q Be done
b. hand becaEss the platter vas lost
OF broken long ago, and there was SCI
dom an iron and never board % press
il when il Was done. In fact, the mis-
iress Of the institate" fulfilled hardly
any poTtIon Of her contract except the
Of the money. She guarantees
% find positions for pupils when COM
peteut," but how long would it take
girl 70 become competent under such
lack If Instruction.
IL l. fbe same with Iuauy Lyersisfently