The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-08-05
for qMonnen.

question Of next years course. Wnere
they are to AXE this, and Of what It
must consist?
OF course. when a school year ends,
there are always a number Of mothers
more or less who are dissatisfied with the
progress made by their young people dur
ing that term, and who mediate a
change when the fall comes II the
course of study has not improved the
youthful intellects. as much as seems
reasonable and desirable, or II the
round of juvenise visiting, parties and
other distractions has interfered 100
much with scholarly progress. the mother
is. Of course. worried. and in many cases
puzzled as to what shall be done for her
daughters education. Often the scnooi.
the trial of which thus resulted in dissaf-
isfactfon. will be the second or third
which has proved itself unworthy, and
in this case the puzz9ing is greater than
ever.
After all these things have been tried
the thought Of boarding school enters
the mothers mind, with a relief when
makes it seem a real inspiration. Here.
thinks the anxious woman, Ethel VIII
be surrounded by young people OF ner
own age. all bent upon study and COM
petition in the acquisition of knowledge.
There will be no parties and dances to
distract her attention from history, geo
graphy and literature. There Will be no
late hours and no visiting.
The boarding school question has v
sides and for any mother who thinks
of seeking one for her young daughter,
the tins to begin discussing the idea
is at present. while the autumn IS stiil
months in the distance.
Many bitter essays upon the subject OF
sending girls TO boarding school have
been written, and but few in favor Of it,
but nevertheless, a school which is away
from home associations, has been the
making of many a young woman. While
in other eases, of course, many a girl
has learned but little and come away as
ignorant as she went.
Whether this species of school life is
coed for a girl can only be decided by
taking into constellation the character
of the young woman herself. And as
goes without saying. the character of
the school and the women in whose
charge it lies. together with considera-
tson Of the locality and climate.
1t cannot be said thai all boarding
schools are beneficial to girls or that all
girls wculd be suited to life in them, but
whether or not they would be suitable
for her girl, it is time for each woman
to consider if she is contemplating a
change of some kind.
First of all, is the child old enough?
The practice of sending off the little tots
of eleven and twelve to a school at a
distance from home. is in almost ali
cases, a mistake. The place for a child
of this tender age IS decidedly at home.
The family Circle and the family hearth.
In fact. those who know whereof they
speak, say that a girl IS always 100
young for boarding school before she is
seventeen. before her character lis more
or less developed and she has begun to
think a little for her sweet self and to
reason correctly.
Then before going away from home a
girl shoalds be old enough and sufficiently
well informed IN physiology to understand
her own system, as far as the require
ments Of health are concerned. If this
were always the case we would have far
less dyspeptic Constitutions and other
evils resulting from their methods Of
schooling.
Then the character and disposition Of
the little maid should be weighed and
measured. Boarding school life will
often impart to the most awkward girl
a grace and good bearing which would
be all that the world could ask in that
way. II is often known to give ease of
manner and to cure nerves." being in
its own way a small world.
The stories which captious critics of
boarding schools credit to them as con-
corning the petty cruelties and miseries
which girls thus brought together are
likely to heap upon each other, are great
" exaggerated. The worst which befalls
a Child in one Of the feminine com
slunities is frank criticism or dislike both
OF which, as In the great world outside.
are brought about by some action which
is contrary to the code of honor of the
establishment, and which is removed
when the Objectionable quality disappears.
But nevertheless, for sick, delicate or
morbid girls. a mother should think the
matter over most carefully before send
Ing them away from her wing.
&*
There is a charming. comparatively
new material. called ALPACA de sole, that
has jumped into great popularity and
promises to continue a fayorite. It is
at once firm and silky, of ideal texture
for the skirt of the moment. A form
of this fabric patterned In black and
white shepherds plaid, is popular in
Paris. tailor-made and trimmed with
black ribbon velvet in two widths, after
the fashion Of military braiding. A
skirt of the ALPACA, with a little coat
of very fine black cloth, with a batiste
vest is another form very new.
The tendency to revert to the custom
of our srandmothers IN knitting of vari-
Gus articles is growing with the girl of
the day and she might ind worse things
to do. For some years she has been con-
tent with the fine silken hose tina wealth
can buy and she did not mind if there
were seams in her underelothes which
were the work of a ewing machine.
But now not only do We find knitting
msuTpiug the place in nilady's atten-
ticn, so long occupied by lace and EN-
droidery, but what generally goes under
the name Of plain needle work is now
taking It's place alongside the fine arts.
Machine sewing is no longer TO be thought
OF in connection with ones lingerie. In
deed. it is quite Impossible for the silk
garments 50 much affected by the smarter
women Of today. No one in the least
appreeiatiye csn fail TO experience a dis
finct Joy in looking upon some snecjmene