Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-04-18

pl work. OF course they
Af q simple nature, but in
vyne language OF one of the members
of the class though they will be
simple they will be neat and sweet"
Each gown-or "frock;" excuse me
will be made of white material,
and will be practically in the same
style as the others. They are now
being cut out, sewed and fitted by
these enterprising and thrifty young
ladies In the sewing department of
the schooI~ under the direction of the
sewing instructor, Miss Helen Sea-
man.
So quietly was this unprecedented
action on the part of the June grad
yates taken and so successfully did
they conceal their actions that even
the searching eyes of Superintend-
ent S. &. Shull did not at first know
Of their carefully concealed inten-
tions of reserving for themselves the
honor of beginning precedent TO
hand down to future graduates, a
precedent which will make each
member of their body, whether of
wealthy family or of poor parents,
feel as if she looks as nice as any
other of her classmates when she has
accomplished as much in her studies.
The Board of Education was even
, forestalled in any action on the mat
ter, for since the matter of simple
gowns for graduates has been crowd
ing the minds of such commissioners
all over the state they did not in
tend that the Perth Amboy high
school should fall short in measuring
up to the plan to prevent enmity,
hatred, a%arice, preference or jeal-
ousy so often caused by elaborate
gowns worn at graduation, which
many in the same class cannot af-
ford Yes, the young bright, thrifty,
practical young ladies of the '13 gra-
dAting class even outwitted the
EVENING NEWS-we reluctantly
acknowledgement had laid or per-
Fected plans for this simple attire on
graduating night, 1t is said, even be-
fore the South Amboy Board of Edu-
cation, about two months ago, took
action on the matter
1t is said, that superintendent
shull, who is alert to all such ideas
of progressiveness in the school, even
went so far as to call conference of
the teachers to ascertain their opin-
ions on the matter of simple gowns
for the graduating class In June, but
that to his SURPRISE he found the
young ladies had already forestalled
his actions, so he decided since he
had such level headed class of gra-
uating young ladies that he would
let them be their own mentors In the
matter and leave 1t to their discre-
tion. This, it is said, was communi-
Gated to the Board of Education, and
that the members of that body de-
termined not to do anything on the
matter; for then 1t would clearly be
pointed out that the young ladies had
forestalled them. The members, it
was learned, were greatly pleased
with the insight, foresight and laud-
ible position taken on the question
by the near-graduates themselves.
Following the trend of the times
the Elizabeth Board of Education has
Just passed resolution providing
that the graduation gowns of the
high school pupils shall not cost
more than s5, and that the dresses
must be made by the pupils own lit
tie fingers. 1t is said, there are low
murmurs of grumbling among the
'13 class of girls which might break
forth into torrent of protest from |
the young savants. But in Perth |
Amboy the high school has class of !
sensible, practical girls, who can |
work with their hands as we'll as with |
their heads, and who are satisfied to
wear two dollar crooks" to prevent |
any discrimination, injustice, jeal- |
ousy and malice being engendered |
on graduation night by the outrivalry
of fancy gowns. They believe that |
no matter what the financial standing |
of the parents of the young lady that |
grad uates, that, that classmate is en- |
titled to the same respect considera-
tion, praise and honor for the accom- /
pliments in her school work as any |
whose parents happen to be
wealthy enough to provide their
daughter with handsome finery.
By there actions the young ladies |
of the senior class of the high school |
have made scholastic history, which
will no doubt fill several pages of the
High School Annual for 1913, and
they will go down In the archives of !
the Perth Amboy schools as the
sponsors of the Reformation in
Dress of 1913" originated and pro-
and practiced by the fe-
male lovers of justice of the Perth |
Amboy high school '13 class.