San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-10
Listen, World!
School MarnS
BY Elsie Robinson

Should teachers be allowed to wear
pink garters?
No, am not asking this in jest.
If "A Mother of Three Little Ones"
has her way, we'll shortly have a con
stitutional amendment on this sub
ject and it's time you considered it.
Here's her letter
Dear Miss Elsie:
feel it my duty to call your atten-
ton to the modern school teacher. /
am the mother of three fine children,
and ] feel it my duty to call TO visit
the school at least twice a week. i
find condition that should not exist.
Now, Miss Elsie, / do not want
you TO think | am a crank, but really
The way the teachers dress is beyond
decency. | believe that a public Of
ficer should look neat and clean, and
can easily do so if she wears a nice
shirtwaist and skirt or even a little
plain serge dress. but. Miss Elsie,
would you believe it if | told You that
one teacher that l saw with my own
eyes had a Crepe dc Chine smock-I
know it was at least twelve inches
from the ground
MY own little child came home to
me the other day anu said that which
made my eyes stand out of my head.
If any other child said it would not
have believed it. but when Donald said
it / knew it was the truth. This is it
you'll be surprised, too. Any decent
woman would be. Mother, my
teacher was wearing pink garters to-
day." Elsie, my husband went right
over and found it TO be true.
I don't want you to get me wrong.
Miss Elsie, but / knew one was wear
ing rouge on her face the other day
when was visiting her. / was going
TO speak TO her about il, but thought
j would take it up with you first. as
| have been informed that you. being
an old fashioned girl, do not believe
in cosmetics.
And isn't this bobbed hair some
thing terrible? Indeed there was moth
ing lovelier than the teacher of a few
years ago who was an inspiration TO
her pupils. Ny first grade teacher
will stand out in my mind always
dear woman of maidenly loneliness
with her little white shirt waist and
pleated alpaca skirt that always looked
so neat and tidy. Also. Miss Elsie, 40
you believe they go to dances with
men? It's the truth, my husband
says so.
/ believe that the public should have
an insight in this matter which con-
Germs every true father and mother.
A Mother of Three Little Ones.
So you're appealing to me to uphold
the Old Fashioned Girl, are you, lady ?
Well, get over it
l am not an old fashioned girl.
do not admire old fashioned girls.
/ think their styles were disgusting
and their mental condition deplOrable.
And as for your Ideal Picture OF
something in plcated alpaca skirt
and white shirt waist, unadorned save
by her natural hide and pelt, il gives
me a pain in the neck!
Those alpaca skirts were heavy, I'M
sanitary, unhealthy things. They were
the worst possible garments to wear in
room filled with chalk dust and the
natural griminess Of young humanity.
The shirt waists were equally bad. To
wear a shirt waist properly one must
wear q corset. And the corset was an
abomination.
Now as to those garters-
What is wrong about bit OF elias
tic covered with pink silk? How is it
any more vicious than a hunk of bale
rope or roll of tar paper?
But it calls attention TO her
knees "
Well, doesn't your darling little
Dopald-who, by the way, seems to
me a most enterprising child and a
credit to his training-doesn't dear
little Donald know that ladies have
knees?
IL not, why not?
And how in heck are they going to
get around If they haven't any knees?
And since they have knees and must
wear stockings, how do you propose
10 hold said stockings up? Glue!
Tacks?
The Crepe de Chine smock to which
you object seems TO me n most adj
mirablc and attractive garment for
school. Crepe de Chine wears well,
cleans easily and comes in lovely col,
ors. And smock is an artistic ana
sensible working garb.
There still remains the lady's hair
cut and complexion and you're betting
On lnc 10 give lne N. ". vi thUSN'
You're betting wrong, dearie. At TINS
moment i am wearing a perfectly
good, synthetic blush on my own
check. No, it doesn't fool anyone.
Everyone on this editorial staff knows
that bought it with my own hard
earned kale. But they also know that
it's a lot easier to look at than my
own durable linoleum finish.
Likewise my hair A month ago
cut off yard of blonde tow which L
had lugged around for. To-, these many
years. And believe me, sister. every
time | feel the wind on my neck /
want to 90 and kiss that barber.
So as far as / can see, Me and the
Ritzy School marin are right in the
same class. What are you going to
do about it?
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