The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-13
SHOPPING FOR THE CHILDREN.
4 III 81 TINE JUST BEFORE THE
SCHOOLS REOPEN.
There Has Been Run Especially on Boys
shoes and knlckerDOckers In the Last
Week-The Quick Destruction FIX.
plaineti-RibbOns for the Girls. Too.

Whatever wailing there may be over
| the opening tomorrow of the public
schools-apd there is bound to be wailing
| In some quarters-it is certain that none
| of it comes from the proprietors OF shops
that deal in children's belongings and in
school supplies. On the contrary most Of
them are openly rejoicing.
There was something like boom, in fact 4,
last week in childrens shoes, boys knicker-
bockers, girls long aprons and hair ribbons.
| Shoes, especially boys shoes. were in the
| lead
A strictly enforced rule Of the Board Of
Education is that children must present
| themselves at school looking clean and
neat. Rags are not tolerated nor are bare
| feet. This circumstance makes the re-
| opening OF the public schools the occasion
for the replenishing Of the wardrobes Of
| many boys and girls.
1t is Just about then that anxious mothers
| are apt to discover that farewell vacation
kicks have hopeessly parted the sole and
upper of Johnny's only remaining pair OF
| shoes and put his trousers completely out
of commission, and that Susie's gown will
| never in the world pass muster before the
eyes of principal and teacher. Something
| must be done, they realize, and done at
once. There ensues rush to the shops,
Last Wednesday, in the childrens de-
partment Of big shoe store. sat relays
of youngsters trying on shoes and almost
as many adults buying shoes by size and
number The manager said that, with
| the exception of the week before Christmas
81 L,FN 1,tA hA aAk nj
mediately preceding the opening of the
| public schools WAS the busiest OF the year
| in the childrens shoe depart ment.
A noticeable feature of our shoe trade
| Just now he went, on is the Willingness
mothers show to buy better shoes for their
children than they. get for themselves
| A woman will cheerfully pay 81 for pair
| of boys or girls shoes and then take pair
| at 81 so for herself, or ask if there are any
| marked-down goods in stock her size.
AT a rough estimate our sales this week
! in children's footwear will jump up almost
100 per cent
At a big store that deals principally in
| boys clothing, one Of the staff was Of the
opinion that more knickerbockers were
| sold the week before the schools opened
| than in any other one week OF the year
Blouse waists and jackets are a close
| second.
mo one knows better than a clot hier
| during vacation lime he confded, with
| an amused chuckle that he fastened to
| explain by telling of an interview he had
had that very morning with an irate
mother.
"She brought in boy Of 10 TO get him a
suit" he said THE clothes he had on
were in unusually bad shape, literally 60
ing to pieces, l noticed.
"His mother explained tho reason. Ii
seems that only few days before she had
found out that favorite game Of her son
and his companions was fat man., which
was played by tying up the end OF jacket
sleeves and trousers legs and then stuffing
legs and arms to the bursting point with
sand.
During her agit ated recital the young
hopeful sat looking az demura as kitten.
"The other night ! myself saw a game
that is splendid for our trade, but pretty
hard on the family exchequer. I happened
10 be downtown, near one Of the East Side
piers, when came across dozen or more
small urchins playing At first thought
they were fighting
Every boy had his jacket rolled up like
it right and left like a young savage. They
We're all laughing, so knew it was a game,
though l couldn't tell for the life Of me
what the rules We're One thing / was sure
Of, that those jackets would he in shrecs
in mighty short order.
This week we Will probably make a
record selling single garments, and next
week we shall do rushing business in suits
for boys who are going away to private
schools"
son, can't begin to tell you how many
yards of ribbon we have sold at this counter
in the last few days. said a saleswoman
in big Sixth avenue store" but do know
was never more tired measuring than I
am right now, But we always have a rush
for hair ribbons lust before the public
schools open"
Probably there is not department store
in this city that for the last week has not
made a specially of school supplies loading
them upon counters occupying a command
ing position on the main floor.