p. 8 | Dress of Schoolchildren by Mrs. L. Hanley

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 6, 1911

Dress of Schoolchildren

By Mrs. L. Hanley

MRS. L. HANLEY

We should be an example to the world in our dress. “Simplicity of dress will make a sensible woman appear to the best advantage. We judge of a person’s character by the style of dress worn. Gaudy apparel betrays vanity and weakness. A modest, godly woman will dress modestly. A refined taste, a cultivated mind, will be revealed in the choice of simple and appropriate attire.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. IV, page 643.

“God would be pleased to see our sisters clad in neat, simple apparel.”—Id., page 630. “Our words, our actions, and our dress are daily, living preachers, gathering with Christ, or scattering abroad. This is no trivial matter, to be passed off with a jest.”—Id., page 641.

“Our faith, if carried out, will lead us to be so plain in dress, and zealous of good works, that we shall be marked as peculiar. But when we lose taste for order and neatness in dress, we virtually leave the truth; for the truth never degrades, but elevates.”—Id., Vol. I, pages 275, 276.

“Simple, plain, unpretending dress will be a recommendation to my youthful sisters. In no better way can you let your light shine to others than in your simplicity of dress and deportment.”—Id., Vol. III, page 376.

I refrain from quoting more from the pages of these grand books, but I trust those who read this have them, and will read for themselves the words of advice. As a public-school teacher I am in a position to observe many things in the matter of dress, particularly with children. Many children attend school in expensive clothing, trimmed and ruffled, but so soiled and untidy as to make them far from presentable.

It is not difficult to buy common-sense shoes for growing children, yet young girls often wear high-heeled shoes, run over in a slovenly manner. I recall one young girl who had over three dollars’ worth of wide black ribbon on her hair. How much neater she would have appeared with well-combed hair, plain, attractive gingham dress, good shoes, and stockings properly supported,—all of which could have been secured for the cost of her head adornment. And what a saving for the mother, if she must launder the school dresses, to have them plainly made!

“We should seek not to disgust unbelievers by carelessness and slackness in our apparel, but should dress modestly, with reference to health and neatness, that our dress may commend itself to the judgment of candid minds.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. II, page 66.

Thomas, Okla.