The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-03
ADVOCATES SIMPLICITY
IN GRADUATION GOWNS.

Mr. Lee Byrne, principal of the Bar
ton Academy High School, is adyocat-
ing simplicity in the gowns worn by
the sweet girl graduates of Mobile.
The Register of Saturday has the
following on this subject:
] Dissenters to the simplicity plan
suggested by Principal Lee Byrne of
the Barton Academy High School
came forward Thursday, flying colors
of independence and with eloquent ex-
pressions against the proposed $40
limit for graduation dress expense.
isn't it just too horrid for anything,
Alice?" spoke out one blue-eyed beauty
Thursday to her chum in the gradual
ing class, ito think they want us to
wear the plainest sort of dress for
commencement? Why don't they make
US wear uniforms and be done with
it? Oh, it's wicked.''
The chief executive of Mobile is no
dissenter to the dress reform scheme
however. No, indeed. Mayor Lac
Schwartz pondered over the problem
seriously in his office, for the mayor
is the father of girls himself and he
has fellow-feeling for other parents.
IT'S no easy question, this dress
problem" he unused. Now, how would
a standard pattern do? It seems to me
/ as if some sort of distinctive dress
could be designed. Something neat
and girlish and stylish. No. 1t would
not do. of course, to have all the
dresses alike That would be too much
like an orphanage. Let the lines Of
the garment be agreed upon, then let
the girls and the mothers arrange the
trimmings TO suit themselves. The in
dividuality could be express In the rib
bons, for instance, or in the embroid-
cry. Embroidery is inexpensive. Then,
=, -
ing dress let the hat be of standard
shape. The graduation costume could
be worn on the streets, in fact it would
be the distinctive mark of the grad
yates.
The expense? Well this occasion is
considerable of a strain upon a great
number of the parents so let the limit
be moderate sum, say So"
Rebelling against the proposed ban
on graduation day dresses costing over
SO, Mrs. S. Rosen of $50 Monroe street
came forward with her views on the
tuition fee.
They did not ask the advice of the
parents on the tuition fee," said Mrs
Rosen to a Register man. They did
not inquire if the parents could pay
the fees amounting to SIS. but now
the proposition is brought up to limit
the expense of the girls dresses
While I do not believe in extrava-
CANT display for this day. do not be-
lieve in the simplicity plan. The most
expensive dress can be made very
plain. very simple. Each one con-
cerned should use her own judgmen:
in the matter. The material for q
dress can be bought for about 81 or
IS; that would be about right. The
girls stay on the stage for only a short
time. and at that distance no one could
tell If they are wearing lace costing
cents or $25 a yard. A new dress
always looks pretty. no matter how
much it costs. 1t should be made SO
it can be used more than for just this
one occasion. Otherwise it's extrav-
agance.
Now / suppose the ones than can
least afford it will have the most ex-
pensive dresses. That's usually the
way"
Mrs E H. Shaffer of 50 George
street said that she did not advocate
extreme simplicity as suggested for
some of the mothers in the Register
Thursday.
Il believe it is very doubtful il a
suitable dress could be made for So"
said Mrs. Shaffer, land anyway, the
outlay should not be limited to any
certain sum. / would not favor a
dress that is too elaborate. however.
Let it be something in white. dainty
and girlish. of some simple material