CHAPTER I.

THE WOMAN'S BUILDING AND ITS PURPOSES.

New Methods of Usefulness Created — The Woman's Building an Additional Agency for the Exposition
of Woman's Work — This Conception Concerning Woman's Skill and Inventiveness Cleared
Away — Women the Originators of Most of the Industrial Arts — The Woman's Building an
Inspiration of Woman's Genius — Some of the Exhibits — Mrs. Palmer's Curious Office Room —
The Fish Women of New Jersey.

N no previous exposition has woman essayed so important and
conspicuous a part as she has been called upon to perform at
the great Columbian Exposition of 1893. At no time in her
history has she been accorded such a place as she now occu,
pies as an integral part of a mammoth display of the achieve-
ments of mankind. It seems fitting that contemporaneously
with her advanced position as part of the world's force she
should display the benefits which her emancipation has
worked, and that side by side with the products of man's
brain and energy, woman's should be placed for compari-
son. The Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and the
Cotton Centennial in New Orleans were greatly aided by the
participation of women, who created what they termed the woman's department,
wherein was installed a collective exhibit of all the interesting and meritorious
work by women that could be brought together. This woman's department proved
so useful and attractive that the co-operation of women in exposition work was
recognized as a valuable addition, and in consequence the original Act of Congress
providing for the celebration of the quadro-centennial created an official organiza-
tion known as the Board of Lady Managers.

When the board first assembled to organize its work for the Columbian Ex-
position it was found that, though the previous work had been most effective, the
impelling law of progress demanded a different plan of action for the Exposition of
1893. Established precedent had to be thrown aside and new methods of useful-
ness created. This proved to be necessary because of the strong sentiment among
those most interested against taking the exhibits of women from the general build-

163
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HISTORY UK THE WORLD'S FAIR.

ings and placing them apart in a "Woman's
Department." Women who were doing the
most creditable work in the arts and industries
strenuously opposed such a separation, and
insisted that their exhibits should be so placed
as to compete with the best and most success-
ful productions in all departments of classified
exhibits without regard to sex distinction. As
in some classes of work women are not cred-
ited with having arrived at a degree of excel-
lence equal to that of men, a competition
among women only would result in the award
of premiums to articles which would not nec-
essarily have been successful if entered in a
general competition. In an international com-
petitive exhibition the object is to honor the
highest grade of work only, and thereby give
it an international reputation and added com-
mercial value. This intention might there-
fore, be entirely defeated in case of a competition restricted to women only.

Women, therefore, have exhibits in every department of the fair in every line
of industrial, scientific and artistic work. One of their cherished ideals is to re-
move the impression that women are doing little skilled labor, or little steady and
valuable work, and that they consequently are not to be taken seriously into con-

CUPID FROM BORDER OF MURAL DECORA-
TION OF WOMAN'S BUILDING.

sideration when dealing with industrial problen
thing thoroughly well, and that, therefore, the
small compensation given them is a just and
proper equivalent for their services, because it
has no abstract commercial value. An effort
has, therefore, been made to demonstrate that
their labor is a fixed and permanent element
and an important factor in the industrial
world, and must be carefully studied in its re-
lations to che general whole. Upon a strong
presentation of the facts, it is hoped that a
healthy public sentiment may be created which
will condemn the disproportionate wages paid
men and women for equal services. The
Woman's Building is an additional agency for
the exposition of woman's work. It is the in-
spiration of woman's genius, and provides all
the comforts and conveniences for women dur-
ing the Exposition. ^The design was selected
from a number of competitive sketches sub-

that they never learn to do any-

FROM BORDER OF MURAL DECORA-
TION OF WOMAN'S BUILDING.

HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR. 165

mitted by women architects. It is 400 feet long by 200 wide and cost $200,000. It
has land and water approaches and a big rotunda, around which runs a gallery
which is devoted to an exhibition of the most distinguished works of women,

A roof garden is supported by caryatides, which was modeled by a woman;
the statuary above the roof line, relief compositions, mural decorations, structural
decorations, carved wainscoting and balustrades for the staircases, open carved
screens, ornamental iron and brass work, decorative tapestries and panels are all
the work of women, and illustrate the rank which they hold as artisans and de-
signers.

The building has social headquarters, parlors, reading, writing and committee
rooms, and a great congress hall. The building has many rooms, which are vari-
ously occupied — as a library of books by women, records and statistics of employ-
ments in which women are engaged, a kindergarden room, model kitchen, exhibits
of lace, embroideries, fans, jewels, silver, and other women's work, and a hospital
and training school for nurses in operation.

In the exhibits there is not a single thing made by the hand of man. Every-
thing is by women, and the hope is that they will clear away misconceptions as to
the originality and inventiveness of women, and will demonstrate that while they
have been largely occupied as home makers and not trained or educated for indus-
trial or artistic pursuits, their adaptability and talents have enabled them to sur-
mount the barriers and limitations which have hemmed them in.

Women, among all the primitive people, it is alleged, were the originators of
most of the industrial arts. While man the protector fought or hunted, woman con-
structed the home, ground the grain, dressed the skins and fashioned them into
garments. She invented the needle, thread, and the shuttle, and was the first
potter. She originated basket making and ornamental work, and all of this is
shown in the ethnological display.

Portraits of Sappho and Hypatia and other women of the classic and mediae-
val times are to be seen, and what remains of the textile fabrics, drawn work, rare
tapestries, and laces. The old Bayeux tapestry made by Matilda of Flanders, re-
productions of the statues made by Sabina von Steinbach for the Strasburg Cathe-
dral; the book of Abbess Herrad, which contains a compendium of all the know-
ledge of her day, and a long list of similar products by women are shown. Naturally
a field as extensive as this must bear much fruit, and the Woman's Building ranks
very close to the more pretentious expositions in the interest it will arouse.

Great Britain, America, and Germany make the best exhibits. The former
shows every kind of work in which the women of England, Scotland, Ireland, and
Wales are engaged. Notable are embroideries by Princess Louise, the Royal School
of Needlework, of which Queen Victoria is a patron, and the Countess of Tanker-
ville; sketches by Kate Greenaway and Gertrude Bradley; table napkins made
from flax spun by Queen Victoria; a table cloth embroidered by Princess Helena,
and a straw hat plaited by the Queen for Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein.
The English lace display is very fine, and its paintings are numerous.

One of the most interesting as well as one of the most unique rooms in the

166

HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.

Woman's Building is the private office of Mrs. Palmer. It is a room with a history,
and contains the exhibit of the New Jersey fish-women, arranged under the personal
supervision of Mrs. Charles W. Compton of Newark, one of the New Jersey lady
alternates. The work is one in which Mrs. Compton is greatly interested, and it
was to obtain some recognition of it that she visited Chicago some months before
the opening. When she applied for space the committee could find none for her,
and she sought out Mrs. Palmer. To her she told the story of the sad lives of the
women of the fishing districts, and of the benefit it would be to them if they could
in some way be recognized in the great Fair. Mrs. Palmer's heart was touched as
she listened to tales of privation at all times and of actual suffering when winter
lays his icy hand on sea and shore. "Room shall be found for them," she said,
"even if I have to have the exhibit in my own private office." Many of the lady
managers protested at the idea of having fishing nets and baskets put up in their
president's room, but the work went on. The decorations of the room are seines,
fishing nets, and baskets, while dolls are used in practical demonstration. The
seines are festooned from the ceilings, and a huge casting net is used as a dais over
Mrs. Palmer's desk. The women of Salem county, New Jersey, sent the furniture,
which is of the old colonial style.

SEAT OF STOOL IN LEATHER WORK— PRINCESS VICTORIA OF WALES, ENGLAND.

HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR. 167