Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-05
AS ONE WOMAN SEES 1T
Punctuality, Fees, Dress and the
Lack Of II, InformaIity and intelIl-
senee, the Little Red sehoolhouse,
cabbases and kinas
By SARAH d. LOWRIE

ENARbf in June I received an invitation
- to dinner given by the public school
teacneTs In town to celebrate the successful
round up of various legislative and
s,chool board measures for better school con :
ditlons and salaries. The invitation had
tucked to 1t somewhere a remark that the
junction was to be informal as to dress
mat is simple for man; for a woman 1t
gives variety of choice. and when there Is
variety of choice there is uncertainty.
solved my uncertainty by wearing what
was most becoming to me, and thus fortified
went forth to meet my hosts.
The dinner was scheduled to take place at
the Ritz Carlton at the hour Of 8 80.
thinking. teachers would be likely to be
prompt | was not more than a quarter of
an hour late, but when | was waved by the
elevator man to the dining room floor cloak
room not soul had turned up, not even the
lansuid person in black that checks your
outer garments. When she appeared and
took my wrap l remarked:
well, the teachers are late!'
"TNHEY are that, for once - said she.
u and by the lift in her voice l knew
that she was Irish, so while put on my
gIoves ! settled down on corner of the
sofa to have pleasant chat with her. She
sald lie was strenuous and not very lucra-
tive just that week on account of visiting
ladies', who. though on pleasure bent had
2 frugal mind when 1t came to courtroom
i'''' 'Oilltu cunning Wltn tnplr husbands
were not as mindful as you might expect;
IN tact they eerc plain stingy. In the
matter of feeling women, any way. were not
SO dependable as men. She could not say
why she herself. when on a holiday at
Atlantic or elsewhere never took lunch even
at Childs' without giving her fee.
Quite casually, SO as not to seem 10 be
curious or anything, l asked her what her
average intake of fees was week think
she was about to satisfy me when our heart
N ri tnll
OF another guest. Feeling like. an old
conner, 1 welcomed the newcomer with the
remark that l was glad to see teachers
could be late.
SHE glanced at me rather coldly and
~ seemed to avoid me as being too chatty.
She was n very handsome brunette and wore
n sort of sheath dress of spangles Cur low
even Tor this season; also cut short Ii
seemed to my pdmiring gaze a very cxpen-
Slve dress, and | wondered how her salary
stood it. l wondered. too, how one could
say Of her:
''She puts all her money on her back.'
One really could not say 1t. the way the
dress was cut l was just about concluding
that that well worn phrase would have to be-
sscrapped for good and all when more heavy
beauties in spangled decollete arrived In
fact, they might be said to pour in. So rich
and splendid was their upholstering. so solid
and careful was their make -up that 7 sot
transhxed II this is informal dress" I
thought and If these are teachers, heaye
help the taxpayers. Suddenly CLEAN of mis-
giving as to my own right as a guest in their
midst struck something like panic across nv
brain. | hurried out into the corridor. now
full of husbands to match the wvcs-hus-
bands opulent and glossy and well packed
into well-pressed sallowtals and we'll
braided trousers, creaking In portentous
shirt fronts. To one who held list in his
hand squeaked rather than asked:
us this the teachers dinner?"
Teachers nothing"' he raped out per.
emptorily. and then. looking me over.
dropped little of his haughtincss and waved
me TO hitA attendant. who also had list.
] put the question differently to that func
tionary
Whore is the teachers dnner?" said I.
1T amt anywhere yet" he replied after
a perceptible pause, in which he, too, looked
me over. Its next week.