Principals Favour New Lipstick Scheme

Press, Volume C, Issue 29680, 25 November 1961, Page 2

Principals Favour New Lipstick Scheme

The new rule that “sixth-form girls may wear lipstick in good taste” at Cashmere High School received favourable support from a random selection of Christchurch school principals and others yesterday.

Although several persons were not prepared to voice any opinion on the merits or drawbacks of the scheme, most questioned were basically in full agreement.

Objections raised were largely economic Some said import restrictions made any school uniform change rather difficult at present. Perhaps the greatest value of the changing attitude towards school uniform was the rapidly growing awareness of the real need for girls to “bridge the important gap between adolescence and adulthood.” said Mrs W. Grant, president of the Canterbury branch of the National Council of Women. "My first reaction was that this was a good idea. It encourages senior girls to stay on at school till they are 17 or 18. and yet makes them feel they are not missing out on being adult. In other words, by not making them wait too long, this new plan is preparing them for taking their place in the outside world with their contemporaries.” Just as it was important for girls to continue their education they should also learn how to gam a sense of taste in dress and makeup. With help from a teacher

within the school to guide them, this newly initiated scheme could be undoubtedly of great value. As it was most were wearing make-up on outside social occasions. Segregation Danger The headmistress of a private girls’ school, Miss J. P. Crosher, of St. Margaret’s College, said that although she was fully in favour of the Cashmere plan, there was, perhaps, a danger in segregating the sixth-form pupils from the younger girls in this respect. If there was going to be more freedom with the uniform it should apply for all girls. “But this is not. however, practicable at present with the problems of obtaining new materials from overseas. I do agree definitely that the gym tunic is now quite out of date.” she said. The principal of a co-edu-cational post-primary school. Mr W J. A. Brittenden, of the Aranui High School, said the move did not necessarily mean the moral or educational standards of senior girls would be affected by

the new freedom. "After all we must recognise that we are living in a changed age where standards of behaviour are different. But it does not therefore follow 7 that they are lower,” he said. From informal discussions with school staff members it did not appear that teachers felt the scheme would get “out of hand,” said Mr Brittenden. Girls of this age, choosing to continue their study, could surely be regarded as having a “great deal of common sense and a feeling of good taste” in the use of make-up. Some schools considering introducing the lipstick scheme were carefully observing the success of the Cashmere experiment. Eventually, however, he expected more schools, particularly the newer co-educa-tional type, would commit themselves to the scheme, said Mr Brittenden. One principal, Mr P. A. Hickling. of Linwood High School, said his school considered it w 7 as fairer to include all fourth-year girl pupils in the plan, which Linwood hoped to start next year. One headmaster. Mr T. R. Richards, of Christchurch West High School, said he believed girls of school age did not need embellishment to their natural complexions. They were attractive enough without employing artificial aids.