The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1894-05-17
Let Good Sense Prevail.

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We are aware what thankless task
it ls to undertake to combat old and
deep rooted customs. and yet we feel
inclined to disclaim against custom
which we believe to be,not alone, fool
ish but unkind and wrong.
Let the "Sweet Girl Graduate" or
prospective graduate hold her face be-
hind her essay, or the copy of her or
alton for we are going to discuss the
all-a5sorbing subject of graduation
dresses.
We will say in the discussion of the
subject what the fathers, and perhaps
the mothers, will not dare to say, but
we will give voice to the thoughts Of
many of them, and we will not discuss
the subject like fashion book either.
Our eyes are open to the fact that
the graduation of young lady, from
school, marks sn epoch in her life,
which like her sixteenth birthday will
never occur again, but the occasion is
not such one as should cause her to
forget all the associations of school life,
and, if she be blessed with wealthy
parents, to strive to out-shine all her
associates in the gorgeousness of her
attire.
If those, who possess sufficient of the
world, permit themselves to seize upon
this occasion to make display, not of
their mental attainmeuts, but of their
volumn of wealth and the skill of their
dress maker, they do violence to their
better and kinder nature, and commit
wrong on those of their classmates
who do not feel themselves financially
able to follow them in their course of
folly and bad taste.
There is no reason why gradua-
ton costume should be at all different
from the one you expect to attend
church in the following Sunday.
Candidates for graduation should be
as we'll dressed as good taste would die
tate and at the same time not more ex-
pensively than each member of the
class can reasonably afford.
The fact that you have presented
yourself for the honors of graduation
proclaims to the world that you have
mastered the curricumlum of the school
and have mind well trained in all
branches of useful knowledge and
should be above the gross and selfish
desire to outshine your companions for
one brief hour.
Such a victory is too poor and epeh-
ermal to cause substantial joy for like
the fabled apple of the Dead Sea, no
matter how fair the outside, it contains
only the dry ashes of disappointment
and discomfort.
Honor your parents who have CIV
en- you this opportunity through many
weary days of toll and hardship, per-
haps by denying themselves of the
luxuries, if not some Of the comforts
Of life, and have so done with JOY in
the hope that their daughter would be
a pride and joy to their lives: honor
them and their denials of SELF by dress
ing at the time of your graduation
tastefully and sensibly, and avoid
gaudy show which can only win the
plaudits Of ignorance or vitiateui tastes.
There is no denying the fact that
these are hard times, and that the
strictest economy is and should be
practiced by every one, not alone in
one but in all directions.
Your parents may say nothing to
you of these matters and most especially
of economy in this consideration
for fear of marring the pleasure of the
occasion, but newspaper dares to tell
the truth.
| Neither parents, nor graduates will
/ gain plaudits from sensible people be.
cause of elaborate costume and vain
show.
We are glad that our School Board
have shown good judgment in the mat
ter Of requiring that floral and other
| gifts from friends be sent to the home
of the recipient instead Of being show
cred on graduates during the evening
and in the presence of the audience.
Pride and ambition are hardy plants
and have asufficiently vigorous growth
without special nursing.
Let our School Board follow tn
dictates Of good sense and reason ant
adopt such regulations as will dives
our graduating excerises of all useless
display and gaudy show and, as far as
. possible, make them an exhibition O
the mental dicipline ard attainments O.
the chief actors