LADIES AT THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 150, 17 March 1876, Page 13

LADIES AT THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITION.

At last the ladies of Great Britain are enlightened as to what is expected of them at the great Centennial of Philadelphia. It is scarcely six months ago since a decision was taken by the Centennial Committee of erecting a separate building for the exhibition of women's work and the establishment of women's rights in a manner worthy of the cause, and already by the subscription of the women alone and tLe enthusiasm of their partisans has the building not only been erected, but a surplus fund for interior decoration been pledged*. And, moreover, it is stated that three times as many applications for space have been made as the building will admit. The committee have therefore declined to receive the unlimitedjdisplay of bed quilts and carpet work which have formed such a conspicuous feature in former exhibitions Oi.e single specimen of patch-york quilt will be admitted, and unless that one be of such magnificence that the like of it has never been seen before there shall be none at all. The exhibition is to be confined to the higher class of women's work, such as sculpture, painting, literature engraving, telegraphy, new inventions, &c, &c. Women's clothing is to be avoided, in order to leave the larger portion of the building free for the exhibition of useful nrts. Herein the women of Ohio stand first. They are renowned all over the States for their skill in painting and house decoration. In sculpture surely no female hand can surpiss that of Miss Hosmer, who sends a magnificent piece of statuary, the largest she has ever executed. It is entitled " Emancipation ; or,' the African Sibyl foreshadowing the Freedom of her Kace." Miss Hosmer's works ore but little known in England, as they are always bespoken by America. Her studio at Rome is the great rendezvous of American artists, who spread her fame far and wide throughout the Union. With a spirit of enterprise which few women of artistic genius possess, Miss Hosmer has taken charge of the contributions from the School of Art needlework, of which our Queen is the patroness and Princess Louise president. The exquisite embroidery executed for Windsor Castle is already packed up for despatch to "Philadelphia. A loom in full operation, and a machine worked by women in the manufacturing of dress braid, are among the Lowell exhibits. Print shawls and Oriental carpets entirely made by women, and the mobt perfect specimens of painting on porcelain, are also contributed by Lowell. The great pride of the place consists, however, of the many thousand yards of bunting with which the who'e buildim* is decorated, made entirely by women, the manufacture of the article°havincr been for .Tears past entrusted wholly to the "young ladies" of Lowelf Not liss important than nil this will be the representation of a New England kitchen, the farmer's house of a hundred years ago, where will be displayed a test of the old time cookery. The buildni" in which this specimen is situated stands separated from the rest ; but the idea bf ing conceived and being executed by a woman, warrants its taking the position assigned to it within the enclosure. Biographical sketches of eminent American women will be read aloud in the Pavilion by women, as well as the history of all charitable institutions founded by women. Then comes the great American cookery book, which is to contain twenty prize recipes from each State and' territory. Then the building devoted to educational purposes, where the system of Kinder garten, object teaching, and other methods will be exhibited in practical operation. The address of the Lady Commissioners is throughout filled with practical good sense, and concludes with the r. commendation to all women to search out every specimen of genii's in women's hand and brain as may redound not alone to the credit of the Centennial Exhibition, but also to the glory of the sex. The liberal spirit in which the whole affair has been organised -always by women —augurs well for the success throughout the world of tins their first untrammelled effort at independence, and female industry will receive its just appreciation in every country through t lrs noble decision on the part of the women of America. — ' Weekly Freeman.'