Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-21
VALUE OF MATERIALS.
Sewing Course at Horace Mann School
Includes Several Branches.

From the New York Tribune.
When the girls al the Horace Mann
School grow up, they are not likely to be
patrons of sweatshop labor, for two rea-
sons. They know when a thing is we'll
DONE and sweatshop labor Is rarely even.
passably good; and they have some appre-
citation Of the value of labor.
One class Of girls has just finished the
making of some corset covers which were
placed on exhibition last week. They are
dainty garments, made Of two embroidered
handkerchiefs Joined with lace insertion,
and it has taken a long time to make
them. The girls bought the materials them
selves, and priced similar articles in the
shops and when they had possessed them
selves of more information about the busi-
ness Of garment making than the majority
of adult women are ever likely to acquire
their teacher, Miss Anthony, gave them
talk on the Consumers League and the
work it is trying to do. Some Of them had
never heard of the organization before and
some had but all were greatly interested.
They wanted to know what shops were on
the white list what We're the require
ments for admission to the list, and how
they were to know what things were not
made in SweatShops.
1T made a great impression on them"
said Mrs. Anthony, "and one which 1 knew
it would have been impossible to create If
they had never made those corset covers.
This, think, is of the greatest advan-
tages of educational sewing Many of these
girls will never have any occasion to make
their own clothes, but they have learned to
want good work, and they will be willing to
pay for 1t, because they know it's value.''
The present sewing course at the Horace
Mann School was begun only this year, and
most of the girls are much interested in it.
~ . Now, ipIn cvnt 50 ,r-tll III
about it that they are not satisfied with
school hours and want to take work home
The course begins with the making of set
of underwear, and hone of the pupils have
yet got beyond the corset cover and shirt
waist. The next step will be the making
of skirts, gowns and hats. The millinery
work has already begun with the making
of bows and renovation of materials, and
each pupil has been asked to bring her la
years hat to be made over. When this Is
done brand-new chapeau will be Great
ed" even to the making of the frame.
The work always begins with the seec-
ton of styles and samples, and this gives
opportunity for talks on the value of ma
terials and the suitability of garments for
the occasions on which they are to be
worn. The exact cost of everything is also
reckoned. large number of samples were
examined for the spring gown which is
to be made, and each pupil fastened her
chosen samples upon a card, to which was
also attached the pattern which she wished
to use, while the purpose for which the
gown was intended, whether for afternoon
morning, home. or school, was written at
the foot
IT want to teach them" said Miss Anthony
always to get the best materials and those
which are in good taste and suitable to the
purpose for which they are used, and
find that they soon learn to see the differ
ence between good and bad. If there were
time I would like to go to the stores with
them. but as it is, the best we can do is to
have the samples sent here"