The Washington herald., 1909-05-16


answer any question OF a social ma
tl1re that may be submitted Such
questions should be addressed 70 The
Arbiter, sare The Washington Herald.
These are the days sacred to the sweet
Efri graduate. and from all over the
country letters have come 10 The Arbi-
ter asking for hints regarding the mo-
nentous ts-hints as 20
conduct dress, entertainments. subjects
for essays even. Now, for the past ten
years these commencement have been so
much alike that one wonders why hints
should be necessary. but anything TO
please the young. though those who have
signed the letters that have come 70 The
Arbiter's desk viii probably never again
feel so old and so important as they VIII
when they receive their diplomas n June
Happily. the oId-fashioned commence
ment. the commandments that were the
style IN the days OF our grandmothers,
when long, meaningless essays from tie
unbaked brains OF the schooIboys and
girls and musical numbers from impOs-
sible prOdigies made up a long programme
have been done away with.
Nowadays the principal OF the school
secures the most noted speaker he can
find 10 talk to his graduating class and
his address is supplemented by SONS ex-
cellent music given by professionals The
giving OF. the diplomas. and the farewell
address OF the principal completes the
programme which rarely requires moro
than an hour 10 carry out and the au-
dience leaves with the sense Of having !
been diverted and entertained instead Of
a -z-zz
were when the commandments began al
o'clock and ended at II o'clock
Another sensible innovation Is the hold /
ing Of the graduating exercises IN the I
afternoon instead Of at night, but Il the /
fashions governing commandments have !
changed in the past fifty years the girls /
are Unaltered.
They are just as pretty. Just as sweet 1
Just as important as their gTandmOthers /
were when they spoke their words OF wis 4
dom from the stage TO an adoring and I
sdmiring, II rather bored. audience. and I
they dress just as vel. Indeed, If we I
turn back 10 the fashion books Of the I
SIS, with those enormous hoop skirts /
and poke bonnets. we VIII maintain they 4
dress better, certainly more becOn ingly, !
although a pink. smiling. and di1pled 1
face peering out from one Of these same /
p0kes was an enchanting sight.
Please tell ne. dear BIr Arbiter''
writes a puzzled little girl. lust what /
70 wear. Our school cOIOrs are pink and /
white. Do you think rose pink satin 4
with q sash and trimmings Of white I
would be nice2 Mamma has some beau
1iful lace. Il Is point GAlencon, think. I
and she says I may use that II I want /
L would look Just lovely round the neck 4
and On the fiOunce; but you tel me. for 4
] think your advice IS Just TOO sweet 4
Papa read that advice to a young man 4
cut az the dinner table on Sunday, and 4
he said he just wished my big brothers /
would take II 10 heart and follow f." And 4
so she goes on. the aTtless child, and al 4
though The Arbiter IS much fiattered by 7
her pleasant comments, e would grieve {
him 10 see his little adnlirer decked out 4
n pink satin and point d'AlencOn for q /
school commencement Time enough 20 {
wear such rich materials when you make I
your debut, though ] would prefer 70 !
have my little sister wait until she was :
a matron before DOMINIC such rich fab I
rics.
Youth IS 50 beautiful IN itself that II 4
needs no adornment, and the simpler a z
girl is dressed for school commence
Tnent the better. A dainty muslin frocE, 4
trimmed with lace If one likes, with nib 4
bon sashes Of pink blue. or green, but 4
never lavender or yellow, for these colors 4
belong TO married women OF aged spin
ste-s. would be perfect costume for
commencement 1 know a little girl who /
viii graduate in a week or 50. whose /
father is many times a millionaire: yet
she VIII wear fer her graduation a frock
rs simple and severe. yet as dainty as Il
could be made she was kind enough 10
show Il me the other day, and as Il
seemed TO be the ideal dress for a girl
10 wear for her commencement, shah
set down a description Of e.
Il was Of the sheeresJ and finest white
muslin The skirt was made plain and
rather fun, with deep hem stitched By
hand, and above this there were three
or four punches OF small tUcks-I think
you call them-and beyond these there
was no trimming. The waist. too, was
tucked and between the tucks there were
graceful vines OF embroidery. The neck
vas cut bit low. the sleeves were short.
with many little fine frills. and around
the wsist was big. broad sash Of hcav-
enly blue
I know this does not sound stylish,
6ut this same frOck came from the very
srartest house in Paris. and c0st-but I /
wiz ret tell the cost, for Il was far be-
t-l The pocke-boOks Of we ordinary folk,
AID eet en- sure any clever needleWOm2n 1
ce-li make il. though I must admit that
thee Is a cachet about that little gown
t,a, il would be very hard 10 get When /
Et,le friend put Il on. as she was
iahle enough 70 do. she was simply
c57-eble for she so adorned il To my
n md. therefore. a simple muslin dress is
tie only costume to be considered for
-a@encemeuL
mother correspondent says that her
ae- Is going TO give her any entertain
sat she wants for a graduating present,
SKIS The ATbiter for some sugges-
There are so many SORTS OF enter
-Hts that II is difficult 10 choose,
were one Of The fortunate SWANS
.c 20 Re invited. I would prefer 20
sd 30 a good old-fashioned dance
- anything else, for there is nothing
and 50 enlivening as dancing, and
ne bCys-pard0n me. men-COme
+lou college and the girls get back
saool, they want gayety and en-
-7'--nE-
It- your entertainment be a dancing
-. vi;h some Of the good old dances
-r ..-e programme, ana end X all with
mia Reel. which was President
favorite. and which he
rci whenever he had the opportunity
Characteristic vim and enthusiasm.
however the entertainment your
IS scins 20 give IS intended only
Ee1r Schco.nates. and you do not pro-
- invite any 'hOTTid men. lunch
-.o would be most appropriate
tlv TIE latter. for one can invite
E G0re people, and / am sure you