The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-06

pd,es for style In G0wns-Convention
M, AT All Sure why Exhibitors Can't
Judge Their Own Exhibits-1hey won't.
Tho members of the Dressmakers' Pro-
,o,,ive Association-most OF whom belong,
~ snite Of contrary assertions. to the softer
10 NJ the race-had several occasions
,,as,erday to get into futter. 1t was al
49,, "a exciting as II they had come to-
..,ber 10 discuss woman suffrage or the
'S,nrovernent of the servant girl instead
OF fashions.
First. there arose the question OF how
- select the jury TO Judge the entries In
,bs prize competition now going on at the
Masonic Hall That question came up
a, the morning meeting and 1t proved
hard nut 70 crack. Somebody pointed out
a, the outset that It would not do to have
exhibitors on the jury
.Wby?" demanded a dozen voices.
Because, hesitated the woman who had
raised the point. -because-- well. be-
cause il would be so difficult for them to
award prizes to their own exhibits, you
know
Il can't see the dificulty.- piped a very
shrill voice from corner.
Rnt there we're others who did see II and
among them Miss Elizabeth White. the
nresident and founder Of the association.
So il was agreed that the jurors must be
non-exhibitors and that barred all the
officers and most Of the members OF the
association. Then it was proposed to
ask prominent dressmakers in this city
who we're not members to act as jurors.
k,,l n,tt nf II
A strong alto voice which said:
And just think Of all the strings they'd
be pulling. And they might award the
prizes Just so as to make us ridiculous.
object
So did others, and confusion reigned
Till finally somebody suggested asking
buyers connected with the prominent
dry goods houses to undertake the job. A
hush fell on the assembly. Everybody
smiled The idea seemed almost too
good.
And most OF those houses import their
gowns very largely now suggested .
member in the front row. This might
lead to q change
An improvement chimed In another.
Justice might come to be DONE sighed
a third,
There was a murmur OF approval. A
motion was made, and almost carried
that the jury consist OF eight men chosen
from the class mentioned. But a small
determined woman got up:
And all them men to come around here
and tell us what's good and what's badf
she said And we women Not a single
woman to have anything to say about it2'
Silence followed. broken AT last by mutt
teringe Of; We never thought of that. '
shes right. -Thatll never do
The situation was saved by one Of the
officers, who moved that seven women,
concerns, be added TO the eight male MEM
hers Of the jury. The motion was carried
with enthusiasm and the Committee on
Jurors was ordered to report their selec-
tons this morning.
Flutter No. . was caused by the dis
covery that a number Of new gowns had
appeared on the floor. all Of them exhibited
booking provokingly stylish. Even some
members from Colorado admitted that.
4 NO. said another Western member
n wouldn't call tt mean trick. That "a
TOO strong Language. But really, think
US. Just think Of I'll To let ali US out of
towners put in our exhibits on time and
then when We think we have seen the best
there IL to be seen here, come trottinR out
those swell thing. Well. ] wonder
how she's managed to get that side effect
And the speaker darted to one Of the new
New York gowns, over which she bent In
facinated inspection.
Il knew it, she remarked when she
straightened up again. Il knew II wasn't
right. Well. l guess they amt so warm
after all
The third nutter attended the lecture
delivered by Miss White in the afternoon,
but had nothing TO 90 with it's contents
Tho lecture dealt with The Construction
Of Gowns and was largely devoted TO an
account OF the advantages which accrue
TO members OF the association by the fact
that the president goes to Europe every
year and brings back news Of the next
convention. For while gowns should not
be imported from Paris fashions must.
There Is limit even TO the desire for national
independence nursed by the Dresemakers'
Protective Association.
The fuss was caused by a photographer
who took fashlight picture OF the lecturer
s-en from tho front and the audience seen
from behind II was a great surprise to
all but the lecturer. She bore the ordeal
like a man. She didn't even wink. But
the sudden noise and glare threw the au-
dlence into q fever Of excitement. Cries
were heard and several women sprang TO
their feet
The noise also cut on the tail end Of one
~ Mis- Whites finest sentences. Misc
White promptly picked up the lost tail
end and redelivened II.
Ike organization she said.
That saved the situation. Nothing but
smell and smoke remained to remind OF the
Interruption
To-day the corset demonstration which
formed such a conspicuous feature OF last
years convention is TO be repeated, The
question whom 20 admit 70 Il caused some
DISCUSSION
We can't let in the reporters one nam
neI deolsred. They made such fun Of W
Asi wear
AL men should h. erciuded.' announosd
another woman sisrnly.
'Aso dr..smakers'' meekly inquired
q male member.
ALSO dnss-mak -ers,' repeated tbs
sl.n NomAn. They have no business 70
u Va the business anyhow
was finally asreed that 'the pnl,iic'
should 10 admitted 10 the dsnonsfrs,ion,
bS' feI'ortsrs should 40, The CONSTRUCTION
" H. plao.d upon the word .psblics Was
pc l'a'"d for settlement I'll this morning
ss~s ~ v1sp saa ess,se.
Gao tisoTss aud l.sF uolnlany ia spostfk