The Children’s Fair.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 942, 21 March 1890, Page 4

The Children’s Fair.

Of course I went to the Juvenile Industrial Exhibition held last week, and part of this one, in the city. What woman and mother worthy of the name who could possibly spare the time would stay away from such a show ? Like everyoue else I was thoroughly pleased with the well gofc-up display oE the fettle people’s handiwork, which far oxceeded general anticipation. Exemplifying aa it does the march of education, the exhibition was a credit alike to the rising generation and their teachers, whether in schools or homes, and should have a most encouraging effect, especially on the children, who, as a rule, require the stimulus of praise to induce them to do more than the usual routine of school work. Prizes in galore were distributed on Saturday, and it really was a treat to see tho beaming faces of the numberless prize.takers, as they eagerly pointed out to at least one sympathising friend their individual efforts at plain or fancy work, broad or oaka making; not to mention horticultural triumphs, and cabinet work. One of the most gratifying features of the exhibition was the quantity of plain needlework, a proof that sowing is not to become a lost art. It is what every girl should be taught, bub at the same time I think much of the work of the board schools is far too elaborate in character for the common requirements of the majority of children attending them. Under garments were made in the most fanciful fashion, with the finest of tucks, row upon row, frills sec on, embroidery let in, feather Btitohing lavishly employed. All this is well enough for a grande dame, but quite out of keeping for the working woman to spend time and labour on, for her own or for her children’s clothes. What the Board should insist on is, not the fine back.stitching upon drawn threads, the wee hems and tucks with almost imperceptible needle marks, the tiny gathers, all produced after vast expenditure of time and often, alas lof eyesight. But how to' hem, sew, and-stltch, firmly, neatly, aud rapidly; to out out garments for ordinary everyday wear, and put them together intelligently. •*.

Then the darning. True there was some real darning, but there were also darns made on’sound material, which is a very different thing, and does not at all answer the purpose of a test of capability. As with darning, so with patching. They are both most useful accomplishments, infinitely more so than hem-stitching, and I prefer to see a practical patch or dam on a genuine hole. Girls’ time is too short to waste on fine hand needlework, as they may never do in after life, and that can be, and generally IB done as well or better by a machine. A plain hem or seam finished well and cleanly (for that should bo a great point in the awarding of marks), with due regard to the shape, proportion, and suitability o£ size of stitch to the material worked upon, is really the class of work moat de irs-ble for elementary schools. Ornamentation and elaboration might with perfect fairness be left to home tuition or otherwise. What I should dearly like to see is the establishment of classes to teach girls the higher standards of plain dressmaking. Gowns are always wanted, frilled and embroidered chemises can be dispensed with in favour of the plain garment. Would it not be delightful to find that simply cub and neatly made frocks had come .to the front in the next Juvenile Industrial Exhibition ? The value of good cooking is even higher than that of good sewing, since so much more comfort, health, and happiness depend upon unimpaired digestion. I wonder how many of the dear little cooks who made all those nice things with which several tables were loaded, will be taught the chemistry of cooking? Children take a delight in cooking, and even hard- worked mother’s precious time is indeed well spent when she superin. tends the first slow and awkward attempts of her little maid to mould the homely scone, or mix the daintier cake. With what pride are the imperfeot results placed before father, who, if he be the right sort of one, will devour with gusto the heaviest cake and most undigestible looking pie-crust, if only his little girl has made them, and give encouraging words and kisses, and possibly something more substantial than these, as a reward for good intentions and promise of future excellence. By the way I should much like to know by what rule the judges of the cooking exhibits arrived at their decision. It certainly was not by the old-fashioned one of ‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating,’ for nearly all the articles were intact. Had those cakes and loaves been cut through, the interested observer might have had some better idea by sight, at least, of the justice of the awards. One could not even tell what kind 'of a product was beneath the brown outer crust of the cakes, for example. It would have been instructive to note how many sorts of cake were in favour, and whether defective baking had anything to do with their apparent heaviness, weight being the only available test to the beholder. Many people were heard to remark that it would have been much more satisfactory if there had been some visible evidence of quality other than the prize tickets. Next time perhaps this point will not be overlooked by the judges

However, aa I said before, the whole thing was highly creditable and a delightful success* ae a five days’ attraction abundantly proved. Advance ! Young New Zealand. Elise.