The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-19
SOME PROMISED ENTERTAINMENT.

If our information is on straight there Is likely to be something doing
 in the little town of Woodland, Cal,
 and all on account of shirt-waists. AS
 most readers are doubtless aware, this article of attire has been pretty well
 monopolixed by the female part Of our population, just as they have taken control of certain other apparel, and while the male folks have made some tentative moves toward breaking down the monopoly 1t Is but fair to admit | that the effort has met with indiffer-
 ent success, if success we can call the few trials that have been made. The
 attempted innovation has not succeed
 ed because the women themselves frown on 1t, and anything that meets
 their disapprobation must go to the wall.
 But to get back to Woodland, the in- dications are that the matter is about to get into the courts, and then there's likely to be high jinks in Cali fornia- The trouble started with some of the boys of the High School. who asked themselves why they should suf- fer and swelter In coats and vests while girl pupils were enjoying life In shirt-waists. The girls are comfort4 able in shirt-waists." the boys argued. and we've as much right under the Constitution to enjoy life as they have. Why shouldn't we wear the things" The and they proceeded to carry 1t out in a practical manner. Fifteen of them procured the coveted article and marched into the schoolroom in body, no doubt expecting to create a sensa- tion-and they did. The principal of the school. Professor Hyman, seems to be something of an old fogy, or else | he had the fear of the women folks be- | fore his eyes At any rate he order- ed the dress innovators to go home and get their coats, and not return with out them They stood not on the order
 of their going. but went-and stayed. They refused to return until they should be allowed to wear their new
 shirt waists and the principal as ob-
 stinately refuses to receive them in | that style of apparel.
 That ends the first act but in the
 second the scene promises to shift to
 the solemn precincts of the law. A To-
 cal attorney has taken the matter up
 for the boys and proposes to take 1t
 before the Board of Education. and
 up higher, if need be. He proposes to
 ascertain if there is anything In the Constitution and Bylaws of the great
 State of California to prevent a school
 boy wearing comfortable clothing, and W, anticipate some interesting argu-
 ments if the matter gets into the courts, and may expect to learn just how much judges and attorneys do not
 know about dress, male and female, if dress has sex.
 After all. is 1t not largely a matter Of taste, habit and opinion? All of us recall the criticisms made when shirt waists first came into use. Some of the criticisms heard were harsh and intolerant, but they did no good. The women of the country soon learned that they were nice. appropriate and comfortable, and that settled it. If some old fogy of teacher had forbid den a beautiful and popular young lady to come to the school-room wearing a
 shirt waist his time would have been
 short and his end predestined. And it may be that this Professor Hyman LI | the ceiling while the boys enjoy them
 selves in gauzy shirt-waists. Fashion
 is hard to down. and if this becomes
 the fashion the educators must give in | or 20 out of business