TECHNICAL SCHOOLS AT SANDRINGHAM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 86, 4 January 1908, Page 11

TECHNICAL SCHOOLS AT SANDRINGHAM.

The . Sandrin'ghani needlework ■ school;, ill' which the Queen takes the greatest; interest, is most alily conducted -'by two very original and artistic sisters. It is housed'.in a pretty little building,, and,- as' most buildings at Sandringham are, is endowed with a pretty garden;, and a wealth of greenery .and (lowers.. Here you may see the pupils being taught to spin and to weave cloths of: all kinds,'colours, and designs; these are used for dresses,- for . shooting suits, upholstering, and many other purposes. Here also is woven, and most magnificently embroidered, bed and personal linen for trousseaus, etc. Here shall one,also'see the most dainty little model drosses for children, perfect marvels of silk-thread . embroidery and smocking; among specially dainty exhibits which one sees is a model white enamel bedstead, with all its drapery and linen'woven with Her Majesty's crest and monogram. A' great 1 deal 'of work has been done in this school.for the' Queen personally nnr] -her sister, ,!tbe Dowager Empress of . Russia, the customers also numbering some of, t he rrost distinguished people in Europe. The school makes all its own original , de-signs,-and turns out some'charming things in portieres, curtains, and tapestry. There are at present engaged.somo fifteen girl workers, but there is aleo an evening school for boys,- conducted by the samo capable I ladies, .where woodcarving and metal 1 work airo taught. This to a largo ex- | tent. makes these youngsters . selfsupporting, and oven if they do rot! eventually take to the work as a business In life, it toaches them that practically invaluable combination of hand and eye which is useful in e'jrfcry trade and in every part of the world, and which is certainly not sufficiently taught to most children' in these islands. .'Returning to the needlework portion of the 'schools, one notices a remarkably, handy loom fliade in Finland, which seems to weave anything, and can he taken to pieces or put. together in a very^few minutes, the mistresses aforesaid being as good mechanics as they are d".si<7iers and embroiderers. Of

late attention has been paid to lace work, and-at the present moment pupils,are learning. Honiton,. Torchon, and other varieties. Her Majesty is also very fond of Danish embroidery, Some spneiments .of 'which, both quaint and beautiful, are to'be seen in the school showrooms. Attention ought also to be drawn, to the original' designs in embroid-' ored .fancy waistcoats for; gentlemen. Many of the pupils get, good situations,';either as workers in Warehouses or as ladies' maids; for ' which latter calling their training particularly fits them, i

The furniture school, known officially 'asHer Majesty Queen Alexandra's' Technical School of Woodwork,-'is conducted by a practical and talented woodcarver i and

cabinetmaker. ■. The boys, hero trained axe. taken direct from tho estate schools at-the age of fifteen, and kept, at, the technical school until' they 'are twenty,one. They are taught- every , branch of the cabinetmalier.s nrt, and., on leaving can alwoys-earn the highest rate of cabinetmakers' wages when .they go to London, where they mostly gravitato. Iri tho orderbook one may see a wonderful list of.' customers for .furniture" made iri the school. It .may be mentioned that not any of the schools are established for proflt or with a- view to. competing with trades of any kind; but,>so good are,the designs, and so'well exocuted the work,-that, visitors to the estate are only too pleased to buy anything ivhioh* they are allowed to purchase. One may. seo at present ;in the school a very fine carved oak bookcase being made from the wood of old Dnrsingham Mill., about two hundred years of age, for tho Prince of Wales; some'satin wood music stands of a charming design'for tho Queen; some so-called throe.-doc.ker tables, invented bv and .made for .the Prince of Wales, and tli© drawings of'a satin wood .writing-table specially made for tlie German Emperor, who personally'signed tlie"'bTd(>r for tho some in the order book 1 . ' The King invariably, goes to the woodwork school soon after his arrival at Sandringham, and wants to see the'nowest things' that are : being made, com-' menting freely tliereori, and giving occasionally very shrewd advice. In marguoterie work t'no school is particularly good, some signatures of the King and Queen reproduced in various coloured woods being perfect mar-, .vels of dexterity. '