New-York tribune., 1902-12-09
THE SPIRIT OF CLOTHES.
Household Economic Association Symposium
on It and Kindred Subjects.

There seems to be some mstiness about what Is
meant by the spirit Of clothes said Mrs Fred
erick Nathan yesterday. when introducing the sub
ject Of the New-York State Household Economic
Association symposium, held at her home. No 162
West Eighty-sixth-st. When the speakers OF the
afternoon Mrs. Florence Kelley. secretary OF the
Consumers League: Mrs. a l. Jessup. superin-
tendent of domestic in the public schools. and
Professor Mary Schenck Woolnan. Of Teachers
College had finished. there illumination. and
the close connection between clothes their makers
and their wearers became evident to all
THE other day." said Mrs. Kelley. 'in the search
for site for a Settlement house we came
across where the woman was making fine
ties for one Of most admirable stores. store
that stands on white list as far as the health
and comfort CT its clerks concerned Yet in that
room crawling over the floor. the verrnin were so
thick that visitors actually could not Sit down
Such conditions, or worse constantly In evil
dence in the homes when shopwork is going on for
the mother busted from morning until night has
no time 10 look after house or children.
'Often a consumptive confined TO the bed is able
tn do the fine careful work almost to the very last
and then things infected of necessity are sold. not
70 the poor, but to the very best trade.
.Tn most other cities there is a demand for
clothes made under good conditions. In Rhode
IsIand for instance the mill girls, obliged to buy
cheap things, still insist upon their having been
made under sanitary conditions. In New-fork the
women want the finest and incest things made but
don't care who makes them. nor under What dreao-
full conditions"
Are the fine French goods mace IN tnlS country
asked one of the audience
yes in prisons. many Of Them" was the reply
..But why such tremendous prices, S5 $50. and
even $40, for nightdress?"
Because they can get il J.. ,o,, 4- +ba
4 plea for the present to look Ior lAe
Consumers Leagues label in buying onerea, a
guarantee of safety to the buyer and protecuoh
for the totler.
BENDING THE TWIG.
1.-THE other day in a street far downtown on the
lower East Side" said Mrs Jessup, Il counted
six women on one doorstep at 1880 in the morn
ing shiftless unkempt, the very antithesls or
how wife and mother should look. 1t Is to pre-
vent the rising generation from following IN the
stems of these ignorant, unframed motherS tnat
banned la the public schools the children nave
one hour a week given TO teacninS then now 70 70
sew with special attention paid to economy IN
rse of material and to harmony OF color: Ihey
begin their work when seven years olu FIRST comes
the teaching of stitch and seam; then as s0oh dS
oossibie the child receives something to make >,
I'm the evening school dressrlaaklng a!lu @ eiII -
1inerv classes we take up the work from more OF
an Industrial and utilitarian STANDPOINT as we
deal with class OF girls or grown women, an an
eager to learn Many of the shop girls are SO
1baf they hurry from their work to the class
t.jthout even stopping to rest or eat
Mrs Woolman spoke OF the WoIk IA IN . ti.e ne"
trade school for girls at No 2S3 west tourteentn, @
~ starting with eighty children. OF whom not
handful could add up a column, when II came
to fractIons which they would have to use con
1e1v foundation Superintendents of factories who
80 berefofore been obliged to import their s1lled
Iabo-1usllally French or German gtrls-haVe stated
that IL girls could learn to sketch desgns 'eS au
a gvnnastic class has recently been started 10
Five the girls the exercise needed.