NEEDLEWORK.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1294, 13 May 1878, Page 3

NEEDLEWORK.

Upon the subject of female education, an opinion emanating from the Baroness Burdett Coutts cannot fail to carry great aud doserved weight, her ladyship being a strenuous and consistent advocate of the practical element not being lost sight of in female education. At a recent meeting of the Westminster Teachers' Association, Lady Burdett Coutts spoke eloquently on the subject of needlework, not merely viewing it either as an accomplishment or a mechanical duty, but claiming for it a special merit as assisting in the formation of character. Her ladyship said that: —"She was a little doubtful whether needlework yet held the place it ought to hold in the work of the schools. A reeent minute had placed it with science and domestic economy ; but it was so important to every girl to learn it early that something more ought to be done to make needlework an essential part of school teaching. For girls aud women it was the one thing which they could really learn thoroughly during the years they wore at school, and it was the one thing which tended, if learnt, to make them comfortable in life, whatever their condition might be. She thought she might be excused in saying that gentlemen had a dense comprehensien of the virtue of needlework, and she did not think they had the slightest idea of the qualities which were required to make a good needlewoman. Needlework had not at all taken its proper place among the things which constituted the formation of character, as it ought to do; and she would still hope and persevere, acoording to her means, to try and make it hold a yet more important position than it at present held. The value ot neeillework has been well illustrated in connection with the war in the East. Mrs? Layar>', who was an admirable needlewoman, ami her maid in their respective positions at Constantinople, had done an immense amount of good i'l making clothing for the refugees. A portion of a letter from that lady was read by the Baroness, in whi -h it w;n stated by the* writer 'hat herself and maid had cut out out from 1 ;K) to 200 garments, and, with the aid of other ladies, in one w<. ok 976 garments had bi.en made for the poor stiff .-re; s. But for the valuable aid thus given, a great portion of the popu atiou of Turkey must have >emamel unclothed Her ladyship then insisted upon the great value of a know'edge of cutting out; and said that, although sewing midlines were d'-übMe s of grett value, they could not supersede handwork where discrimination aud judgment wee re o,n ; re<l. wished ramoularlv to in-i t upon the value of learning needlework as a moral ase it. ihe Baroue 9 al*o advocated Scriptural teaching. A cordial vote of than I '-* io h« i niv!ship wis carrid by thmeeting, on the motion of the Rev. Cation Birry. Thauks wer<i ul o given to Lord Hafcherley for presiding. -" Qu-en,"