New-York tribune., 1910-05-22

To 1e- an abfRse take its course seems to
be. sometimes, uhe best way 10 get no OF
:. In time II. becomes so intoerahie
that reaction becomes inevitable 1t has
been thus with gtle graduation gown ana
the atten6aut expenses, 10 those VINO
have the misfortune 10 be of the female
sex. of getting an official stamp placed
,1r,on ones learning For years the abuse
Of graduation expenses has cried 10 heaven
for q remedy, but, though educators ana
al rational persons deplored ii, few
serious attempts at reform were made
and those few were abortive for the
most part This year-perhaps be
cause of the increased cost of hv-
ine-the burden sseems to have reached
the point all Of "a sudden where It can
no longer be borne.t and from all over the
country during the last week have come
1idines of revolt sometimes on the part
OF school authorities. but more often
among the students themselves
In the women's colleges, 10 whicn the
.ublic has come tol look for superior wis
dom. the movement us well under way. In
Radcliffe. the sister of Harvard, the idea
xhat plain living and high thinking ought
To &c together began 10 express itself carly
against puffs. rats rolls. braids ana false
hair of all kinds. Now q still more radical
reform has been decreed. Commencement
gowns at Radcliffe have heretofore been
the cause Of much hearttrlrning and Jeal-
ousv but this year there viii be no room
for rivalry. A committee appointed for the
rorrpose has drawn up, rules Of Puritan
severity The hair is to be dressed without
ornament. the skirts are 10 clear the
ground by a good distance, jewelryeis to be
absent, and even jewelled hatpins will not
be allowed The only consolation in the
graduating costume for those whoflove fri
volities will be in its color, white But there
will be no short sleeves or Dutch neeks,
and not even row of buttons or bit OF
embroidery will be permitted on the skirt
.tof course as one senior said, there Is
10 possible way OF making the girls obey
the rules Any girl could come out in
most elaborate gown. and nothing could De
done about il. But I wouldn't want TO be
the one to go against the rules. Girls can
make one another extremely uncomfortable
without seeming TO dc anything.
At Vassar il has been felt for some time
that commencement expenses were too
heavy. The graduating class has not at
terrpted TO legisla1e against elaborate COM
r.enoement dresses, but il has been ruled
that class day gowns shall be Of "clear
white muslin or linen not silk or satin.
and that they shall have no trains. The
i6ea of having class day flowers all alike
and Of some simple variety like Marguerites
failed Of adoption.
wellesley College has been so much
taken up this season with the reorganiza-
ton Of its societies and the raising OF
money for q students building that the
sentiment against commencement expenses
though smouldering among the under
graduates, is not likely to take definite
shane this year. So strong is the feeling
in favor Of simplicity, however, that many
Individual members Of the graduating clas:
will act with the courage Of their convic-
tions and wear exceedingly simple gowns
for commencement ceremonies. Plain white
shirtwaists. with linen collars, and un
trimmed skirts. preferably Of linen, which
clear the ground by two or three inches
will be worn on baCcalaureate Sunday.
when all the class appear in white, without
the cap and gown. and also on commence
day day itself. when the black academic
gown has in recent years only partly coy
cred the most elaborate Of lingerie gowns
For the class garden party. TO be held out
OF doors on the Saturday June 80 preced
ing commencement day. handsome white