El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-19
Y HE movement for greater simpIf- !
city in graduation exercises. es-

SAA1luS 10 Dear ITulI. ELABORATE cOIu-
mencement gowns, flowers, carriages
and other e~xtravagances are now
frowned upon by the boards of edu-
cation in many towns, as well as by
faculties Of colleges. In n gradu-
ating class in a New York city high
school, each of the girls will wear a
dress made by herself, as a part on
her instruction in sewing. More than
this, the cost of each dress has been
limited to 81 by a special agreement
of the class members. The gradua-
ton dresses are of simple cotton ma
terials of various designs and textures.
They are trimmed with a little hand
embroidery. some fine tucking and
gathering, showing the skilful machine
work done in the school. or some other
equally simple decoration. The sue
cess Of these dollar commencement
gowns will doubtless have a very strong
Influence upon the future commence
ment in this school.
Encouraged to Make Own Dresses.
In Philadelphia. girls have been en-
couraged for several years to make
their commencement dresses, al
though no limit of cost has ever beer
set. At one of the class day exercises
this year, each girl wore a pretty lin
gerie dress made by herself. In Chi
cago one girls graduating class has
limited the cost of their commence
ment frocks to IS each.
The board Of education in Washing
ton has been especially interested in
securing simplicity in connection with
all conditions attending the public
school commandments. The gradual
ing girls will each have two simple
froeks, most of them made by them
selves. For graduation. the dresses
will be of some thin white material.
simply made For the class day re-
ception. the girls will have gowns in
colors. but of equally simple and in
expensive design. No flowers will be
permitted and few, if any, will have
carriages.
High Schools High Dresses.
In striking contrast TO these sensi-
BILE measures. are the preparations for
commencement in the high SCHOOLS of
some of the smaller cities. One small
county seat in a central state has a high
school with a graduating class Of less
han so, but for these u people
the commencement is treated as a
brilliant social function. No less than
six elaborate gowns are required by a
girl in this class to enable her salts
factorfly to meet her commencement
obligations. The graduation dress, n
creation Of white silk or satin and
costly lace, is quite elaborate enough
for a wedding gown, except that 1t
lacks a train. Last year. even that
adjunct was furnished one of the grad
yates to add to her dignity as she read
her final essay. For class day, each
of these girls requires an elaborate
reception gown and to wear to the
church for the b-aecalaureate sermon a
handsome street suit. The senior dance
calls for a special frock as does also
80 - --14-, - %hA
class luncheon. To accompany all these
dresses, must be a suitable provision
of gloves, slippers, hats and lingerie,
so that each Of these girl graduates
receives a trousseau sufficient for a
bride. Elaborate clothes call for extra
expenses in the way of carriage hire
and flowers.
Many families represented among
these graduates are severely taxed by
the commencement expenses OF a
daughter in the public schools, where
her education has been practically
free. The fact that in many cities it
has been noticed that some of the best
students in the class drop out in the
senior year because they cannot afford
to Igraduate, is responsible for the
crusade in favor of commencement sim
plicity. which this year is stronger
than ever before.
Where commencement exercises are
held in the day time instead of at
night. there is usually less tendency
to extravaganza. For that reason a
graduated their public school classes
at night this year are holding their
commandments in the day with much
simpler accomplishments.
Simplicity Is Urzed.
Simplicity in commencement clothes
is not, however, being confined to the
public schools. One o. the largest and
most exclusive Of girls finishing
in the vicinity of New York,
this year issued orders that the grad
yates may haye but one new dress for
commencement This one is to be a
simple lingerie frock. which could be
worn for graduation and also for the
other commencement festivities. Most
OF the students OF this school are mil
lionaires' daughters, who have no rea-
son to consider expense The faculty
issued this rule, because they ave de-
that an elaborate wardrobe dis
the minds of the girls from
their studies just at a critical time,
and it will be rigidly enforced. On
account of the high standing of this
among the educational i%nstitu-
lions of the country its action will
SdNC q AA0NOA OtA0
in which pupils cannot afford
The colleges and private schools be-
gan holding elaborate commencement
exercises and the public schools adopt
ed them by degrees, increasing their
elaboration as they added to the school
curriculum Many public high schools
provide a higher course of study
did the small colleges a few years
and the longer the course of study
the more important became the COM
mencement. In most colleges the cap
and gown obtains in favor for gradua-
ton. In some respects this is an ad-
vantage, as it is simple and dignified
In appearance and. by it's uniformity, |
heightens the effect of the graduation
exercises. From an economic and
point Il is also desirable. The classes.
by ordering in quantity, obtain the
low est prices possible for each grad
uate. and 1t obviates the necessity of
a. graduation dress. Caps and gowns
may be purchased by the students from
SIS to $50 apiece.
In the largest colleges they are usu-
ally purchased some time during the
senior year, and are frequently worn
several months before the commence