Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-18
SCHOOL YEAR COST
SEEN At HIGH PEAK
$3.50, 1000, 900 Estimated Ex-
penditure in Quitting Youths
for Ensuing Terms.
BY j. c. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, August 1S.-More than
$3.50 ,00O, 900 will be spent between now
and September 10 in Quitting boys
and girls and young men and young
women for school and college. This
estimate is regarded as most conserv-
alive. The shoe item alone will ac-
count for many millions. 1t is esti-
mated that $4,000 900 pairs of so-called
school shoes are worn out each school
year.
Some of the buying of apparel rep
resents the regular seasonal change
from Summer to Fall clothing, but
nearly every young person OF school
age will have some article which the
starting of school specially imposes.
There will be few, from Alaska TO Ma
nila whose new outfits will represent
cost of less than $3.50.
Merchants Plan for Season.
This school buying is a regular af-
fair, and manufacturers, distributors
and retailers prepare for it as such,
but there are Indications that the buy
ing will be on a slightly broader scale
than usual this season. Prosperity ex'
lists in most Of the sections of the
country, and even in those where con-
ditions have not been specially good
the buying power has not been i'm
paired.
Conditions have shown marked and
rapid Improvement in the shoe indus
try. Factories in New England and
the Middle West and other sections OF
the country are working at full speed.
Stocks in the hands of retailers are
not high and the demand is brisk. The
hide and leather markets have ad.
vanced and the position of those COM
modities is very firm. Prices of shoes
also are firm.
The hosiery manufacturers fully are
prepared for the demand for silk and
wool stockings. The knit goods trades
expect to do very well in the next month
owing to the demand for sweaters and
Jersey cloth dresses. Cotton has adj
vanced and rayon is firm, but wool has
shown only moderate rises in price re-
Gently. Prices of shirts and collars
have not shown any marked changes,
although there have been some price
cuts in the latter articles. Silk hosiery
is a factor in the clothing of all fe-
male inhabitants, even the children, at
present.
Rubber Footwear Outlook.
The new STYLES of rubber footwear
promise to advance sales Of rubbers
raincoats and waterproofed fabrics will
come in for wide attention. cap
manufacturers have put themselves In
a position to supply heavy demand
for boys head coverings. The wooden
goods manufacturers are still unsatls'
fed with the situation, but prices for
the. cloth have failed to show advances.
The vogue for foot ball has resulted
in the stocking up Of large quantities
of foot ball equipment by the depart
ment stores and sporting goods
| houses in the boys sizes.
The opening Of the school year also
means the expenditure of millions of
dollars for books. In some cases the
| school authorities are the buyers and
some cases the parents, but the sales
are registered none the less. 1t is the
| best season of the year for sales or
writing paper and this industry has
| been none too we'll situated for some
| time and needs all the encouragement
| it can find this Fall.
Furniture Sales Already Made.
| The school furniture companies are
| now through with the big part Of their
year. but there will continue to be
| large recorders until the number OF
pupils is thoroughly determined in
each section and seating arrangements
are made advantageously.
The bus manufacturers anticipate
| big volume Of sales as result Of the
trend toward the use OF busses to carry
| children to and from school in various
localities. There were 32,778 school
| buses in operation in this country