South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-03-25
Fancy Dressing Causes Many
To Leave School; 'Sirnplify''
Say South Bend Teachers
Principals and instructors
Admit Clothes Problem is
teriouS-AttaCk "BarbarlC
display" of Jewelry.

apropos of the proposal made by Mrs.
A. II. Rice in an address before the
Studebaker Civic club Tuesday eve
ming.
Several of the school authorities,
particularly those in the higher
grades, indicated that over-dressing
is a very grave menace 10 school etti-
cheney and said that in several cases
pupils have been known 10 stop school
because they could not afford TO keep
Here is what the school people
say:
SUPERINTENDENT T. J. MONT
GOMERY-"I think it would be
good plan and would meet with my
approval, but uniforms are too sug-
gestive of the private boarding school,
1 fear. TO be practical"
FREDERICK l.. SIMS, principal
high school, heartily endorses any
plan to simplify and regulate the style
OF dress worn by high school girls.
He says that it has been his desire
ever since coming to the school to re-
duce all kinds of useless expense. In
the matter of books and entertain
ments this has already been done TO
a great extent THE girls who could
least afford to wear elaborate dresses
would be the ones who would prob
ably object the most" he said, but
1t would be a fine idea and I am
heartily in favor OF it,"
MRS. ESSIE BTSSEIL DAKTN,
head OF the department Of mathe-
MATES in high school am thor
oughly in sympathy with such a
movement especially in the matter of
regulating the wearing of jewelry and
articles of adornment A string of
beads or a simple pin are appropriate,
but collections of bracelets and Vari-
Gus other forms of fads are out of
place in the school room"
Would End Barbaric Display.
MISS MARION GOODMAN, girls
physical culture director i'm high
school-She endorses the idea espe-
cially in regard To the barbaric- dis
play OF color in hair ribbons. If such
thing could be done it would be
good, she thinks but the possibility
Of carrying il into effect is doubtful.
"It might spoil the originality of the
girl" she said. They are at the age
when they are just beginning TO dis
play originality and initiative in dress
and TO limit them might be more of a
detriment than a guide in matters OF
taste in dress.
JOHN A. BEYERS, Principal Eighth
Grade:-"Uniform dress for the chill
dren of the high school impresses me
as a very desirable thing And it
would be just as practicable for the
Eighth grade as for the high school,
as we have found many cases in which
children entering the Eighth grade at
just the time when they become SenSi-
tive in matters OF dress, leave school
because they are shabby. OF course
} that is not universally true. but we
have found many such cases. The
uniform should be very simple and
planned to meet the needs Of all
pupils"
MISS MANDA ROMIG. principal
Lafayette sChOOl:-"The question of
dress does not affect the lower grades
to any extent. Not infrequently the
children of the poorer classes whose
mothers are handy with the needle and
are able TO make over the little frOcks.
come dressed quite as nicely as the
children from better homes. SO there
is very little cause for self-cOnscious-
ness on that score. As for the high
school. 1 think it might be good
thing"
Not Vital i'm Lower Grades.
MISS WINONA DODD, principal of
Madison schoOl:-"We have very little
cause to complain at the way our chill
dren are dressed. That is a thing we
leave to the common sense Of the
mothers and. in the majority of cases
and clean The main thing is 10 keep
for unifOrms-Our children aren't or
phans"
MISS EVELYN STAFFORD prin-
| cipal Kaley sChoOl:-"As rule, the
children of this district are not over
dressed. Many. however, are not
sufficiently clad and it is my belief
that the added expense which a uni
D fTnr-r ,frrI a no
families would cause more withdraw
ais than present conditions. More
over children OF the grades do not
consider Clothes. In some districts
they have no Oportunity 10 do so. An
agitation for cleanliness would do
more good in the grades.
In high school and the Eighth grade
however uniforms or at least dress
censorship would. I think. be a very
good thing. Fashion rather than
common sense seems inclined 10 play
the larger part in the dress of the high
school girl"
MISS ELLA RIEMAN. principal
River Park school, do not believe
in uniforms. The dress of the child
should express individuality as much
as that of the grOwnup. In the grades
dress is more a matter Of taste than
OF expense. 1t is not the children
OF the wealthy who over-dTess. Or
dinarily they are dressed very simply"
MISS FERN PARKER. high school
director Of the department of music.
would favor the plan. but doubted
whether or not a medium OF style and
expense could be figured which would
be within the reach OF every student.
Mrs. Rice held that the dress OF
the school child is closely allied with
the problem OF school delinquency.
Il believe IL is one OF the real causes
Of school desertion." she said.
She explained this situation due in
part 10 a difference in the financial
plane OF many OF the parents OF
school children.
Want to Keep Pace.
Some parents. she said. are not
able 10 clothe their children as elab-
Orately as others. Children being OF
an initiative natu"H and also sensitive
in matters Of drese are prone 10 grow
weary OF school life II not able to
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