Evening star., 1896-06-29
SEWING IN THE SCHOOLS
Nearly Seven Thousand Pupils Under In
struction Last Year.
Much of the Clothing Manufactured
Distributed Among Charitable In.
stituti0ns of the City.


schools of the District, has for it's object
more than merely instructing the girls to
ply the needle and to make tucks and hens
and ruff1es ard founces and to cut cores
and shape sleeves and fit dresses. The
lesson of cooperation Is also instilled into
the youthful minds. This year another les
son has been taught in connection with the
work of the sewing department., the lesson
of charity.
There is on exhibition in the Franklin
School building on 18th street display
Of dresses and waists, aprons, night
clothes, underwear and various other gar
ments, the handiwcrk of the pupils of the
third fourth, fifth and sixth grades of the
public school,, which are to be given to
various charitable Institutions for distribu-
ton among the poor. Already large box
of garments has keen sent to the Chill
dren's Home at Colonial Beach. and it is
proposed to send the remaining supply to
the Colored Orphans Home, the Associated
Charities, the Chidrens Hospital and the
Women's Christian Association and other
institutions for distribution to worthy fam
lies in need Of articles of clothing.
Character of the Exhibit
The clothes were made for children by
children. The exhibit includes lawn, cal
leo and gingbam dresses of various sizes
and styles; aprons. underwaists, drawers,
shirts, night gowns, dressing sacks. infants
sacks, shirt waists. etc. Some are heavy
for winter wear, others suitable for hot
weather; styles and cOlors are present in
profusion. Many of the dresses are daintily
trimmed with lace borders; the boys shirt
waists are made of strong material, with
buttons SO securely sewed on that it would
seem impossible for even vigorous Young
America to pull them off.
The Supply for Distribution.
The supply of garments on hand for
charitable distribution is the result of con-
siderable seif-denial on the part of the
pupils cf the schools. After the compile
tion of the regular sewing course there is
usually time before the closing of the year
for pupils to make ore garment. Hereto
fore these have been made by the girls for
their own use, but this year 1t was sus-
gested that the product be given to the
poor. Materials were bought from contri-
buttons made by the pupils themselves. vol
unfairly subscribed Most of the money
came i'll pennies; there were Only a few
nickels and one solitary quarter. In this
part OF the enterprise the boys shared, and
many a penny that would otherwise have
gone for taffy or pickles was cheerfully
given up for the purpose of helping others.
The materials bought, the girls set out
to do their best work on the clothes, and
the result is gratifying to their teachers.
1t is proposed to make this charitable
work a feature of each succeeding school
year. AID thus teach the children the
neral lesson of giving.
Cooperation is Emphasized.
The IDEA Of cooperation Is also empha-
sized in sewing work. One child does not
make an entire garment until she has
first learned tc cut out and neatly sew all
o. its parts separately. The necessity for
accuracy is taught, as each part must fit
precisely with the others. Habits of thor
oUghness, neatnes5 and accuracy are in
sisted upon No work that Is not fully up
to the requirements is passed by the in
structor.
This is the ninth year that sewing has
been taught in the public schools of Wash
ington. 1t was begun in a few schools as
an experiment III February, 1SSS, two teach
ers being placed III charge of the work
The results We're SO satisfactory that at
the beginning of the next school year ar
ranSeInents were Hlada for a general intro
ducuon Of the work into ali the schools
of the city and county -Four additional
teachers were appointed which number
has been increased each year, until at the
present time there are regularly employ ed
fifteen teachers in this branch of education
Nearly 1000 Pupils Under Instruction
Instruction il plain sewing is given to all
girls of the third, fourth and fifth grades
one nour per week. A course in cutting
and fitting by measurements is given to
the sixth grade. There were at the close
of the present school year nearly G4OO
girls receiving instruction in sewing. The
necessary expenses for materials, etc, are
paid from the regular school appropriations
for Industrial instruction, thus involving
nc additional outlay on the part of parents
Especial attention is given throughout the
course of work to the position of the body
for sewing, tie correct use Of the hands
and thimble, drill in threading the needle
Using the thimble and scissors, holding
the work and taking stitches. From bast-
ing and stitching, overcasting and hem
ming in the first years instruction, the
pupils are carried through the various
branches of sewing until they know about
telling, tucking. cloth darning, how to
make button holes and do fancy stitching
and can cut and fit waists and are in a
fair way to become expert dressmakers.