The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-19

feminine industry that by
this time should have afforded con-
siderable income to thousands of fam
ilies-namely, the rearing of silkworms-
The display of American grown cocoons
was very creditable, and it seemed that
silkworm raising was about to boom.
But it dropped out, never has been
heard of since and may not be again
till 2076 unless some rich women who
have time take hold of the work and
show their sisters how to make it prof.
liable.
In 1898 there was a separate exhibit
of womans work and also a board of
woman managers that distinguished 1t
self for worthy labor and for the ami
nation displayed at it's meetings. By
the time the Pan-American came on
the stage women had learned wisdom in
one particular-that it is better to have
no especial show of woman's achieve
ments as such, but to let her work take
it's chances on it's merits along with
her brothers. The work of the Sepa-
rate board of woman managers at the
Pan-American was mainly in the line
of social functions, providing a head
quarters where all feminine visitors
might enter and rest or write, also
planning receptions to ladies who have
distinguished themselves by happening
to be the wives of famous men.
One small exhibit of what was called
woman'S work was indeed prepared
such very little one that it was hard
to find-in an alcove of an inner court.
What did it comprise? Well, the usual
thing, the same old thing-some mod
est, timid little china painting, badly
drawn; some darned up embroidery
and lacework, and everybody dying to
sell something alleged to be for the
benefit of some benevolent scheme.
The same, the same yesterday, today
and forever. needlework and embroid-
cry, needlework and embroidery, which
the Malay woman of the Philippines
and the Eskimo squaw of the Yukon
make better than any white woman
ever did. There, too, 1 saw the self
same little old pillow and cushion lace
that has greeted my tired eye every
where in America from a back county
fair to a worlds exposition. I could
not take my oath that it was the same
tiny, birdlike Frenchwoman had seen
everywhere else, but certainly very like
that one was she who advanced as she
saw me pass the familiar cushion with
the pins sticking in it and say:
Has madam ever seen de lacemak-
ing?"
MANY, many times" replies madam
sadly and solemnly.
In the general exhibits, while the
work of women at the Pan-American
was scarce, remarkably so, what was
there was creditable. We are to re-
member that much of the interior dec
Grafton scheme of the exhibition build
ings was by a woman, Miss Adelaide J
Thorpe of New York, and that it quite
eclipses the external decorations, so
far as color goes. The Pan-American
New England building was out and
out designed by a woman, Josephine
Wright Chapman of Boston. To me
this New England house was interiorly
the most attractive of any of the state
structures. It's plan was simple, all
the better so. 1t was proof unmistaka-
BILE of what a woman can do in the de-
partment of home architecture. City
f1athouses in particular are in dire need
of the brain of woman to plan them.
When it comes to modelling, there are
almost no sculptors or sculptresses in
America worth naming. The very few
who do good work get out of the coun-
try so soon as they can and stay out,
mostly in Paris But Enid YandeI of