The Detroit times., 1911-12-16
SIMPLICITY WILL Be
FEATURE OF SAGINAW
GIRLS GRADUATION
Sixty-four Have Agreed That
Dresses Shall Not Cost More
Than $40 Each.
PUTS ALL ON LEVEL.
All Pupils Are To Make Their
Apparel in Manual Train
ing Department.
SAGINAW. Mich.

SAGINAW. Mich. Dec 15.-"No
silk stockings or picture hats or
long kid gloves; none OF that finery
which has made the graduation sea-
sons as much of a nightmare 10 some
families as Christmas was the state
ment made by an 1S-year-old girl who
Is going 10 graduate from the Saginaw
high school this year. She will be
one OF the "a girls in the senior class
who expects TO receive a diploma and
who has taken a solemn oath with the
others not TO spend more than $40
On her graduation clothes.
This agreement was made by the
girls a few days ago and now they
look Forward TO stepping out OF high
school with ordinary muslin frocks--
no hats and white canvas pumps and
cotton stockings,
Last year the girls tried IL on
small scale and the plan worked to
perfection. The price set on com
mencement day toys was SIS, which
included the making. This year the
cost has been cut TO $40. This will
include the material and the making
The salient principle is 10 overcome
the class feeling which has gradually
risen between the poor and the rich
girls and place a girl of humble par
entage and limited finances on the
same footing as one whose papa will
90 the limit 10 give her a grand finale
in dress parade at the various CON-
mencement day functions.
Miss Mary Kitchen and Nancy Gin
giles, two members OF the manual
trlining school faculty of the Saginaw
high school, are responsible for the
re orm movement. They have been
in The school several years and have
seen the class feeling rise to such
point that IL had TO be stopped Many
girls who could not import a dress
pattern from Paris or buy hat for
$50 or a pair OF silk hose at 81 were
Icing taken from the high school
when the eleventh grade was reached.
Parents said that their girls had at
tanned all of the knowledge that was
10 be disseminated and that the COM
mencement week was only a show
Mics Gingles and Miss Kitchen talk
ed the matter over. Finally they
adopted the plan for simple dress.
There are many functions connect
ed with graduating week. First there
has been previously the baccalaureate
sermon, at which the wealthy girl has
a simple yet costly white frock, hat
and gloves and dress from head to
foot that has meant a check for $50
10 $l00. Then has come the class
banquet, the reception dance. various
parties and commencement night.
Some girls have had five and six
gowns. different hats, gloves and
corresponding array Of apparel.
The girl whose mother toiled over
a neat dress OF white muslin and then
went TO the commencement. exercises
TO see her daughter receive her diplo-
ma sometimes went away with Bit
ter heart and mind filed with the in
equality of this world
Next June the baccalaureate SER
mon will see 81 girls simply, but neat
ly attired in plain white muslin. or
codrse. it will seem odd for the girl
who has been paying $50 and SIS Tor
dresses and wearing a $50 tailored
suit to school TO be up there before
her folks and chums in creation of
muslin which cost few dollars for