New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-11
Sweet Girl Graduates
VIII Be Simply Gowned

own manufacture That couldn't IL done
th's term because the course Of study was
changed so late IN the year. and many
girls had had no instruction in sowing after
tho sixth grade
For weeks now th. girl who are gong
10 mako their own dresses have been con
sultirg with thcl- teachers about materials
and patterns" said Mrs. Anne J.. Jcssup,
director Of sewing IN the schools or Man
haitian, The BronN and Richmond. Most
people labor under the deluSion that the
girls make their dresses all after one pat
tern and one woman once said To me-. 'Th"y
must look Ike an orphan asylum. Eut ihat
would 10 I'm absolute contradiction 20 OUr
principles W teach tho stout girl that
The same pattern that uay exactly srt
tho thin little girl Is not AT all I'll" thlng
for hoy We try TO SHOW them tho u-
ro-tauc. Of line, and Impress upon the stout
girl that a plaid pattern, Il" matter no"
pretty m itself, viii only make her look
e;,uto- Above ell. SO r." {" teach The
vast superiority Of simPlicty Of lin" over
an abundance OF meaningless decoration.
And ,ou can imagine how dlfficult TINS Is.
Why. sometimes tho children appear III
y FL
absolutely overloaded with cheap lace. II is
i,tiable I'm u way because the childs moth
or wants 10 do the rest she can ior her
little daughter, and this IF the best she
knows. But We are getting at the mothers
through the children. and teaching them
ali that simple. washable and durable 1T
tie dresses are not only more appropriate
but prcttlcr
"One Of tn" greatest things about me
idea 81 having tie girls make their own
dresses Is that # transforms the rivaIry
that has been shown in the cost of dresses
into Il contest OF skill IN making them
And every one who knows the great sacri-
nces that poor PARENTS make, that the
daughter who Is 30 dear 10 them may nov
bo embarrassed by not beins dressed az
well as the other members Of tho CLASS
must realize at once what prdlse"ottny
step the schools have taken Ia recon'neh''
ing chat the girls make their own dresses
and that they bc az single and Inexpensive
a possible.
I'm some Of the schools the sirls them
solves vote a limit 10 the amount "a'h
shall spend for her dress. Sometimes II Is
81 and the girls ere very proud II they
car. mako II, for less The teacher gets
sauples Of materials that viii come within
the price limit and assists the Sif'S ;"
choosing from the varieties o. lawn and
diInity.
"The enthusiasm OF the girls themselves
about this innovation is cquaned oniE d!
that OF the principals. They seem TO feel
that in teaching the girls to use raw ma
terial. so 10 speak, In a thrifty manner we
are preparing them not only to Keep 'hen'-
selves. but TO keep house more wisely LOT
the men many OF them marry men VINO
earn only Sl5 or even 81 week ana 10
tighten materially that wretched burdeh'
the high cost OF living.
The same plan Is being tried In the
schools Of Brooklyn and Queens. and MISS
NJ. Louie Hutchinson, their director Oh
sey,np agrees absolutely with Mrs. Jessup
about its advantages.
1T makes for democracy. too she saio'
an one OF the classes the other day
small girl Of well-to-do parents came BACK
after a short absence to find that the rest
of the class had finished cutting out their
dresses. She was brokenhearted' peeaus aus,
she had SO counted on making her own
dress: The teacher promised 10 help her
inst as soon as she could, and when sne
turned In few moments 70 Keep Hel
promise she found poor little ltaIldh
member OF the class had spread mamie
paper on the floor and was busiiy engage
In showing her grateful and more fortu-
M IA Sclassrnate how to cut out her gradua-
ton dress. A.. alan ~
having all the girls wear dresses OF the,s
own make has como from some OF tno
Jicher mothers, who complain to the prln-
r;nais that they like 10 see their children
better dressed, and since they can AFFORD
a. thew don't see why they shouldn't ouy
thsm more elaborate dresses. But even
thsse mothers sometimes give In. one
Utti. eirl confessed to her teacher:
Inv mother didn't like tho idea OF my
n.lfinS my own dress at first. but she
anssn3 mind now, because IL Is only going
to- cost 81 So. and sister Rebeccas last
wear cost SIS. . IA
vhv shouldn't II be7 Such q great num-
h.r of parents have to make saerihces 10
t their girls finish school at all. and ~
80 r;tisble that they should feel that their
h.ppchters must be dressed as elaborately
Ss ethers in the class, no matter what
ssc,Stics Il may entail: The resulting
est.ntstjon is after all, decidedly out
~ niscs in an elementary school gradua-
81 Simplicity ought TO be the keynote.
uotr o,,r Simple little white dresses are
ssIpins to bring this about