The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-12
IN THE WOMEN'S COLLEGES.
PROGRESS TOWARD DRESS REFORM
AT MICHIGAS UNITERSITT
Students There Determine to Adopt n
Distinctive Costum, That VIII lie
Both Comfortable and Becoming.

Students There DETERMINE to Adopt a
Distinctive Costume That VIII lie
both Comfortable and becoming.
Some OF the girls Of the University Of Michigan
are contemplating a radical step In dress reform.
They desire costume, hygienic comfortable
aud becoming but the particular ideas they have
In mind they are not ready 10 disclose as yet
They will begin their campaign, however. with
change in head gear Various samples OF
hats re now on exhibition and the curious stu
dents who not in the secret are hoping that
their suspense will be relieved before long. All
they know is that in tho front of tho hat
will lie sewed the class numbers Of its owner in
white felt When this occurs and each student
Is thus consI lcuously labelled and classified.
the provcrbial confusion Of the newcomer when
she finds her supposed ClnssmGto a member Of
the faculty will have To be stricken from the roll
| Of honor among college Jokes
! The group OF girls Interested in this movement
| arc ambitious. and wish 10 include tho whole
feminine population Of the college in their plan
for hcalthful dressing. They wish the costume
! to be distinctive of the college and they certainly
| deserve encouragement, for the necessity Of drag
! ging the long skirts, Just now in fashion, over
| dirty pavcmonts, TO Rotations and back again
! up town and down town. becomes very irksomc
! 10 any sensible girl She cant help realizing
! that she is not an object of beauty and joy for
! ever CARRYING pile uf books under her arm
! bag Of crackers with one hand, holding her skirt
! clear OF the dust with the other. anxious and
concerned over the angle Of her hat that the
| riotous Michigan wind tits every which way,
! and expecting that each fierce gust will carry
of her glasses and leave her stranded in the mid.
die OF the street After one or two experiences
Of this kind, the student will be quite willing TO
adopt the plan Of her wise sisters, and put on
whatever garb they please, so long as it is short
enough to take care Of itself
In womcn's colleges the problem is practically
settled by the free use OF short skirts first, even
by tire most advanced, they were brought out
simply on rainy days, and were only bicycle skirts
put ~ another Use. but the custom grew. More
! womnn's college on n rainy day with the girls in
short skirts carrying their umbrellas looked as II
it Ind a constantly shifting crop Of human musl-
rooHS. The short skirts were so infinitely com
frta e that they began 10 appear II the day looked
simply cloudy, then even when the sun was shin
ing bright. Afterward, special skirts came 10 be
made for the purpose: a trine longer than bicycle
skirts but still short enough TO give all the com
fort Of free unimpeded motion.
sty, could not be the same The presence Of men
complicatedit However, the girls were much more
IN m ssd many an q o"dSG ws T
10 permitted. But students who work hard feel
the absolute need of unhampcred activity, aud this
desire TO find an approximate uniform for the girls
Of the university is tho legitimate expression Of IT,
Another interesting phase Of girl student life
there Just al present is the effort 10 extend 10 all
the young women Of the university the pleasures
of social life This Is 10 be accomplished by the
Woman's League the strongest Of the girls or
CARNATIONS. Il IL new application OF the club
Idea TO the needs OF college girls and has not been
tried elsewhere. The League is organized by
groups. Each group is made up Of ten girls led
by senior or Junior and a patroness from the fac
uty Tho group then forms itself into little
society, with anything for its object that all the
members can agree upon II may be the gentle art
of tea drinking, novel reading, researches in
Hebrew. or whatever they please. Last year the
groups held epon some other social function
In different places, and sometimes small groups
Joined forces Tor some larger social undertaking
given in the " oman's Building. This year the
improved facilities for entertaining will be much
appreciated by the girls. barbour Gymnasium
will be thrown open for their Use whenever they
need it, and they revel in afternoon teas oyster
suppers and receptions TO their hearts content.
The League has an official importance also,
aside from Its social interest II belongs to the
State Federation of Women's Clubs which held
meeting AT jackson this week Two delegates
were sent from the university and soon after their
return the first general social meeting will be held
The two delegates will make their reports Pres
Angel as usual will probably, speak at this meet
ing for the faculty Is warmly interested in tho or
Eanizaton. and realizes fully i1 helpful influence