The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-05-21
STYLES FOR WOMEN
CONDEMNED BY THE EPISCOPAL
CLERGYN1EN.
Certain Popular Dances, Says the
Clergymen, Also Tend to Corrupt
the Young People.

The News and Courier says much
comment, especially among women,
has followed the Diocesan Councils
action in passing resolutions that
condemn the prevailing styles in
dress and in dancing as tending Ito
break down chastity and purity. The
Episcopal clergymen are directed by
the resolutions to preach on the sub
ject before the session Of the 124th
Council. The deputies to the Trien-
NAL General Convention in New York
are required to ask that body to take
suitable action expressing its opposi-
ton to modes that are not considered
modest. The resolutions were pre-
sented by the Rev. Walter Mitchell,
rector of the Porter Military Acad-
emy. Their text fol1ows:>
Whereas, the prevailing style Of
dress and some of the recent ways OF
dancing tend to break down chastity
and purity; therefore be it
Resolved, by the Council OF the
Diocese of South Carolina, That it Is
the sense Of this Council that our
church people generally, but parents
and the clergy in particular, ought to
do all in their power to improve these
conditions.
"And be it further Resolved, That
the clergy be requested to preach
against them once before the meet
ing of the next Council.
"And as these things are not pecul-
lar to our own State, but are making
their influence felt over all the ma
ton; therefore be it
"Resolved, That the Bishop and
delegates to the General Convention
be requested to secure suitable ac-
ton, if possible, by that body"
According to woman of fashion,
many Charleston women personally
endorse the spirit in which the Coun-
Gil has made its protest, but she said
that women were all but powerless
since the DEGREES of fashion are blind
ly followed. "The narrow-bottomed
skirt, the slinky petticoat, she con-
tinued, "is an abomination. Women
are not graceful in their movements
when they wear some Of the current
styles. My friends and I have often
discussed the matter, but we cannot
stick to the old ways unless we vol
unteer to retire. AS matter Of fact,
the women of Charleston and other
South Carolina towns have not adopt
ed the extremes. Some Of those who
want to appear up-to-the-minute In
affairs of dress have displayed ad-
vance costumes, but, taken enmasse,
the women of this section have not
gone the length Of their sisters OF the
Eastern and Western parts Of the
country.
"As everybody knows, designers
in Paris and Vienna dictate the
styles. The Balkan war furnished
them with an excuse for introducing
costumes that smack of the Near
East. These are not pretty. They
are all but shapeless. But, to my
mind, the Balkan vogue is preferable
to that which makes general the
wearing of hobbies and tubes and
other such costumes in which a wo-
man is not really comfortable. Many
women would like to get away from
the styles the Episcopal clergy are
condemning, but they can't.
Gas to the dances, it Is unfortu-
nately true that the craze for dances
that owe their origin to resorts OF a
more or less questionable nature has
spread in this section. The wretched
turkey trot in all it's variations has
invaded Charleston and many nice
girls profess to see no harm In the
dances. Society leaders have In va
rious places tried to place the ban on
dances Of this sort, but they have
been unable to gain headway. It is a
tendency of the times and slender
body Of women can't overcome the
ways of great majority"
The resolutions are of kind with
those passed by other religious or
CARNATIONS, the members Of which
believe that present day styles and
present day dances are corrupting
manners, the danger spreading. But
resolutions, addresses and editorial
articles have not had appreciable ef-
feet on the women who follow the
fashions.