No woman received an award in this group.
Among the useful and distinctive inventions shown were the garter supporters, well known to be the invention of a woman.
The underwear in general, corsets, and accessories are more useful and more healthful from a physical standpoint, especially the corsets of to-day. This is an advancement.
There was more ingenuity displayed in the installation and taste in artistic arrangement of the exhibits, making them of greater value as exposition attractions; whereas in former expositions Philadelphia was experimental, the World's Columbian Exposition educational, and the Louisiana Purchase Exposition exploitive.
There is no reason why women should not have a large representation, if not equal with men, in all expositions. While they may not be the real inventors of the machines, devices, etc., they many times are the suggestors. Being the spenders and buyers for the home and family makes them more competent as judges of merchandise of all kinds and quicker to note improvements.
In the work of the world, especially in anything pertaining to the home, educational matters, arts, and professions, women hold such a prominent place to-day, almost exclusively doing the work in the manufacture of articles and habiliments for creature comforts, that it is impossible to ignore them.
Summary of groups 53 and 61 (jury composed of 19 persons).—In previous world's fairs they were called judges, but at this one they were "jurors."
It would be well to dwell upon the vastness of the work accomplished by the petit jury within a brief period of time, for they were in constant work for twenty days, from morning till night, visiting the many exhibits. Upon examination, the value of the commodity or product was decided and the usefulness of the same and comparisons made with similar exhibits, consultation in jury meetings, where the many good points of the exhibits were presented and discussed, and a final decision was reached by vote of the jury as a whole.
The various machines were for the manufacture of women's habiliments, with the much-needed garment-drafting machine, which, if not invented by women, was at their suggestion and creation of the demand for supplies.
The up-to-date paper patterns, wax figures, papier-maché forms, milliners' findings, and sewing machines made the grand whole. The finished products were the marvelous creations of her hands, for, as truly said, man did invent these machines, but women work and bring forth the grand finale, therefore one is not complete without the other. In all things it takes the good work of men and women to complete the whole. And this applies to jury work as well.