The Dickinson press., 1894-04-14

- |2r.xr-.-..ss.- :.
"goat's hair'' and velvet, vest of the
terra ctota cloth embroidered.
cess and imbibing lessons Of grace and
beauty. In the first place, the teacher
was a slender delicate little woman,
with q Madonna face, meek blue eyes,
an excellent complexion and soft brown
hair. The average woman OF that type
would have had black silk, trimmed
with passementerie, which would have
ADDED ten years. to he: age, or stone
gray mOhair, whose trying tones would
have made her look faded and worn.
Instead Of these orthodox robes for
teachers, the lady had selected russell
velveteen almost the exact shade Of her
pretty brown hair. Fans of a soft
ashes of roses bengaline were introduc-
ed In the skirt. Each pupil was required
to study her figure and give an opinion
as to the proportion of those decora-
tiOns to the form before them. Thus
they received an object lesson Of color
and form.
About the room were photographs Of
Rubens' and Van Dykes beauties and
colOred plates representing costumes Of
different centuries. These plates md
pictures are constantly studied, with
view to some detail of sleeve or run or
gir1le. Art again, you see.
-Four years ago this clever woman
went to Paris after new ideas. She
found that in the schools there which
correspond to our high schools drawing
was taught long before sewing or dress
making. Knowing the superiority Of
French dressmaking to any other ON
the globe, she came to the conclusion,
after thorough inspection of the ques.
tiOn, that the secret lay here. With gen.
uine Yankee enterprise she borrowed
the idea and transferred it.
Now q course in free hand drawing
is obligatory with the pupils in the
dressmakins and millinery classes. This
decision that careful study of form
and color is indispensable TO q thor.
ough course In domestic art is in con-
sequence with the accepted principle
that all industrial training is based on
study Of freehand drawing.
In this drawing clAss The rDD:ls srs
taught with higher kindergarten meth
ods. II they know the typical forms,
the cylinder, sphere and ovoid, they can
recognize all forms. A nude statue of q
woman is ever before them, and they
are required to study the spheres,
ovoids and cylinders of the feminine
frame. Then come the water color
sketches Of costumes, of knots Of rib
bon and bows, of graceful draperies
and sleeves. Although the pupils are
not required to design, they are encour-
aged to do so. At the same time they
study the language Of texture and IA
brio. the story Of glistening satin, the
tale of lustrious velvet; 1or fabrics have
language all their own. Then, too.
they are raught experiments in colors,
being given first, the three primitive
pigments, red, yellow and blue, and by
mingling and mixing these to secure
various tints.
When the preliminary course of plain
sewing Is taken there are lectures on
the tools of the trade. The pupils are
taught how and where needles are
| made, and how sewing cotton and silk
are manufactured. Science here, you
| see. In the plainest sewing the pupils
are taught the beauty of coloring. II
the garment in hand is a COTTON frock,
harmonious tints are selected. It Is
much easier to make dainty, pretty
gown Of pleasing color than one Of ugly
somber hues. If an undergarment is
the bit Of work, the lace must be Of
| c0bweb texture, and not too mach In
quantity to be frivolous.
When the preliminary course Is fin
ished then comes the dressmaking
course proper, the fashioning Of plain
stun walking gowns, tailor-lnade gowns
house, dinner and evening dresses.
Certainly never did see more poeti
cal dream of a gown than one, the
h0ndicraft of the class 6f sewing SIN,