Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-20
UNAMERICAN.

~ IN
I N a school not a hundred miles from
Los Angeles graduation exercises
II were marked by several novel fea-
lures. The fair girl graduates were
attired as if for a premiere at the Met
ropolitan opera house-all excepting
one. She was II years old, sweet H.
and sensitive. She wore cheap, plain
clothes, the best her hard working,
poorly paid parents could give her.
She did not look comfortable or at
ease among all the brilliantly attired
maidens who flashed and coruscated
on every side. How could she? A
woman is a woman for a. that, with
all a woman's sensitiveness about her
appearance on a critical occasion.
Would it not be far better to forbid
gay and expensive dressing at grad
uation exercises rather than have the
feelings of one little American girl in
jured beyond repair? Yes, beyond re-
pair, for she will never forget her
graduation day, when wealth assumed
superiority over her because 1t could
buy good" clothes. 1t Is probable she
was the best scholar in the school.
But since the attention of a fashion,
able audience was frivolously occupied
with observation and discussion of
what the graduates were WEARING,
mere scholarship did not count for
much. The girl had plodded and
worked earnestly and faithfully to
win a leading place in the scholarship
of the school, but some other girls had
papas with long pocketbooks, and from
the long pocketbooks came the where
withal to purchase fine graduation
gowns.
In one school-not a hundred miles
from Los Angeles-the graduates were
allowed to accept presents in honor of
their graduation. One girl received a
diamond ring from her fond parents.
Others received valuable gifts of va
rious kinds. Those who did not re-
Ceive gifts from their parents, because
their parents were too poor to buy
gifts, naturally felt lonesome-not en-
vious or jealous; just lonesome.
1t was saddening to realize all par
ents could not give splendid gifts to
their children. And since thisNis still
a democracy, and some parents are
to much better off than others they
can make it appear their children are
more deserving of honor and public
recognition than other children, boards
of education should make 1t a rule that
no graduation gifts must be given to
pupils in a public or semi-public man
ner on graduation day, and should try
to discountenance overdressing or spe-
cial gowning.
Children of the poor or of people Of
moderate means may not be discrim-
mated against in the matter of in
struction. But in many other ways
they are Disseminated against, and it
is time to call halt to this nonsense,
and it is the duty Of boards of educa-
tion to put an end to it.
Probably the boards cannot forbid
parents to overdress and bejewel their
offspring on graduation day, but at
any rate they can discourage the prac-
tice. and teachers can let it be known
there is not a dress line in the United
States, even if there is a color line.
When parents give post-graduation
receptions in honor Of their daughters
a display of dress may be in good
taste. Moreover it may be all right
to send gifts to teachers after gradua-
ton. If a graduated pupil wish to give
a little token of remembrance to a
teacher, no one can forbid, the quiet,
kindly courtesy.
But to make subscription presents
to teachers and pass the hat among
the pupils for contributions is all
WRONG, for reasons like those which
make it WRONG to "dress up for
graduation day. When subscriptions
are taken for teachers, children of rich
parents give large sums, and feel cor
respondingly important But children
of poor parents can afford to give little
or nothing, and again their poverty
results in their most unjust humilia-
tion.
Boards of education should veto sub
scription presents to teachers. If the
members of a graduating class should
write an expression of esteem, ana
sign it, the teacher could accept it
without embarrassment, and treasure
it with a clear conscience and happy
heart. An end should be made of
practices tending to embarrass, hu-
initiate or degrade students of grad
uating classes or their teachers. Soon
enough the pupils will realize what
social and financial inequality means.
Let us keep the injustice of daily life
out of the American schoolroom asI
much as we possibly can and as long,
as we possibly can.