Catholic Central High School - Banner Yearbook (Fort Madison, IA)

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SONG OF THE SEAM fApogolies to Thomas Hoodj With fingers rebellious and cramped VVith eyes on vacation days fled, The sewing-class met-'twas the first We had tried with a needle and thread. Stitch, stitch, stitch. A sound, mocking low, it did seem, And then with a voice of dolorous pitch In our ears came the 'Song of a Seam.' Sew, sew, sew. How slow moved that unfeeling time 'And rip, rip, rip Till it seems most barbarous crime. It's oh, such a wondrous feeling To finish that first piece of work The rapture that fills one is healing To the times you wanted to shirk. Sew, Sew, Sew Till the hem seemed a monstrous rim Sew, Sew, Sew Till our eyes grew sleepy and dim. Seam, basting andg hem, Hem, basting and seam Till over the buttons we'd wish to sleep And sew them on in a dream. Oh, but not many weeks over Till the sound of the hurrying feet. The story required a new telling, We were anxious in class-time to meet. For only one short hour VVith nimble fingers we ply The shining, industrious needle And the end we greet with a sigh. Oh, but only one short hour We have learned to love it too, For 'tis a wondrous thing in a woman Such tasks to be able to do. That sewing hour has won our hearts And theory has crammed our heads. Oh! but 'tis a glorious art The art of the needle and thread. With fingers, nimble and fleet That would stay the time that has fled The sewing class met and has learned What to do with a needle and thread. Stitch, Stitch, Stitch A sound joyous and sweet it did seem And with a voice triumphant in pitch To our ears came the 'Song of the Seam. -MARY IDA THORN 30 FIFTY-SEVEN

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L Marcella: Well, that depends on the profession you intend to follow, or what vocation may be yours, fand here's hoping it's a hard one.D But although sewing may be of use, I think cooking is a real necessity in our later life. You know the saying, Man cannot live without cooks,' Cthat means good onesb but Man can live without seamstresses! Lavina: But, my dear, I beg to differ, and I after having taken Domestic Science one year and Domestic Art the next, still insist that the latter is the better of the two. Why, any uneducated person who has studied nothing more than reading during all her days, can read the recipes from the cook-books, follow directions, light the fire, and hokus pokusl place some very tempting foods, whose delicious odors are permeating the air, before a hungry person. Ask him whether he does not appreciate it. Well I guess so. Marcella : B-but Lavina: But what? And tell me what person without any education whatso- ever, can sit down, take material, get to work, and mould that piece of ma- terial into a good-looking garment? i Marcella: But as to the results obtained- Iavina: You would bring that in. Marcella: Yes, there I got the best of you, Ah, hal How about it? After each lesson to have a tempting dish is not at all displeasing, and then we can smack our lips while you poor Sophs stand in the door-way, your mouths watering, your eyes casting longing glances in the direction from whence come the delicious odors. Lavinzt: Sure, but at the end of the year what have yon to show for it? But look at us. At the close of school at the exhibition we display all the results of the past year's work: nice dresses, dainty little aprons, etc. and when we wear them, we can always think of the happy hours spent in that sunlit room, with the continual buzzing of the machine, and the snap, snap of the scissors mingling with the occasional murmur of happy voices. Marcella: O well, let's quit and have it my way. Lavina: But I insist. Marcella: Yes, there goes the second bell already. Here we've stood and ar- gued for at least fifteen minutes. Now get rid of yourself before we find something else to debate. So long. Lavina: G'bye Marcella and next year by this time I hope you'll have the same point of view I have now. It was very foolish indeed, of me to argue about such a trival matter with an insignificant Freshmen. But here I go again. Well, if I hurry, I might make class yet. So long again! As they vanished, I stood for another five minutes pondering over the lengthy discussion. It dawned on me, that it asked which course I preferred, I could state no preference, but if my advice were asked, l would recommend both courses. -VIRGINIA KESSLER, ,30.,., ' ' -ff FIFTY-SIX

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THE VALUE OF THE HOME ECONOMICS COURSE IN REAL LIFE We may live without poetry, music and art, We may live without conscience, and live without heartg We may live without friendsg we may live without books, But civilized man cannot live without cooks l -OWEN MEREDITH. In our modern civilization, cooking is both a science and an art-a science in the careful study of the real food-needs of the body and the accurate determ- ination of the composition of most foods-an art in our increasing ability to satisfy the requirements of the body in both an appetizing and an economical way. Hence, the study of foods and food cookery as taught in the high school of today is of paramount importance to the young girl now and later in life. The most recent work in science confirms the fact that health and ability to work are intimately linked with thc quantity and quality of food eaten by each indi- vidual. Consequently instruction is given in the art of buying food appropriate to every age and need and occasion. The pupil is taught the constituents of the various foods, in what proportion the body needs them, and how to include them in the diet. Directions for cooking each kind of food are accompanied with in- formation as to its food value and its proper place in a well-balanced nutritious ration. Attention is also called to variety in meals, to the appetizing manner of preparing and serving left-overs, to the use of inexpensive foods which will tempt the appetite and provide the vitamines so necessary for proper nourish- ment and growth. In close connection with food principles and their application the pupil is taught to be thrifty in regard to food and clothing and the other things she uses. She is taught to buy what she needs rather than what somebody else buys or what a passing fad or fashion calls for. Further she is taught that it is false economy to buy things she does not need just because they are bargains.' She is also told that it does not always pay to buy the thing that is cheapest, nor yet the highest priced. The mere fact that people ask high prices for things does not mean that those goods are necessarily high class. Nowhere does she find this truth more verified than in the matter of buying clothing. Consequently, the making and purchasing of clothing is given special stress in the Domestic Art course. Arnold Bennett says: To dress well is an art, and an extremely complicated and difficult art. What makes it all the more complicated is that the less money you have avail- able for the purpose, the more difficult it becomes. It comprises all manner of problems, and, above all the expression of one's individuality. The pupil is therefore taught to believe that individuality in dress, beautifully expressed, is a real asset-one well worth striving for. No matter how much or how little money she may have, no matter whether her dress-needs are few or many, she is taught to know her type, what colors, lines, and fabrics are becoming and then, with this knowledge at her command, to work to dress appropriately and attractively. She is made to realize the truth of Bennett's words that, every well-dressed woman is a public benefactor. -LUCILLE scHoTT, '31, FIFTY-EIGHT