Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

GOWN

Date Range From

1930

Date Range To

1940

Materials

LACE, SILK, STEEL

No. Pieces

2

Description

1. DRESS: 142CM (L) X 183CM (W). BLACK LACE DRESS HAS V-NECK AND IS SLEEVELESS. YOKE HAS BLACK SWIRL PATTERNED LACE TOP WHICH CROSSES IN MIDDLE AND IS SEWN IN PLACE AT YOKE SEAM AND TOP LINE. BELOW IS A CREAM SILK SLIP THAT FOLLOWS THE LINES OF THE DRESS, AND BECOMES BLACK WHERE THE "V" OF THE LACE IS. THE SLIP IS ATTACHED TO THE LACE TOP AT THE YOKE SEAM. ON LEFT OF DRESS THE SLIP IS OPEN FROM THE TOP TO SLIGHTLY BELOW THE YOKE SEAM. THIS FASTENS WITH THREE SNAPS AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM, AND FIVE HOOK AND EYES IN BETWEEN. A SMALLER SLIT OCCURS IN THE LACE ABOVE THE SLIP'S OPENING WHICH FASTENS WITH SIX SNAPS. THE LACE AND SLIP FALL WITH A TINY FLARE TO ABOUT MID-CALF AND END IN A SCALLOPED AND ZIG-ZAG PATTERN WHICH IS CONNECTED TO A LARGELY FLARED VELVET SKIRT BOTTOM. BACK IS IDENTICAL EXCEPT THE CREAM SILK TOP OF THE SLIP AND NECKLINE ARE LOWER. LACE IS TORN IN NUMEROUS SPOTS. APPEARS THAT THE SLIP STRAPS WERE ATTACHED TO THE LACE TOP STRAPS AT THE TOP OF THE SHOULDERS, BUT HAS SINCE COME UNDONE. HAS SOME FRAYING OF LACE AT THE EDGES. 2. TOP: 53CM (L) X 73CM (W). LACE COVER IS SAME PATTERN AS DRESS. HAS CAP SLEEVES AND AN OPEN FRONT WHICH TIES TOGETHER AT THE BOTTOM WITH TWO LACE STRAPS. BACK OF NECK IS ROUND AND HAS WIDE LACE PIECE WHICH ENDS IN ZIG-ZAGS TO A VELVET BACK. THE BACK OF THE SLEEVES ARE LACE, AND ALSO END IN ZIG-ZAGS TO VELVET. THE BOTTOM IS WAIST LENGTH AND THE VELVET COMES AROUND THE FRONT BOTTOM IN A SMALL NARROWING STRIP. LACE HAS SOME HOLES, AND SLEEVES ARE RIPPED ON ENDS.

Subjects

CLOTHING-OUTERWEAR

Historical Association

PERSONAL CARE

EDUCATION

History

SEE FILE P19940043001-GA. DRESS WORN AT DONOR'S GRADUATION. *UPDATE* IN 2016 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT RUTHANN LABLANCE CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF CLOTHING, INCLUDING A COAT AND DRESS DONATED BY LENA HERBST . THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION WAS COMPILED USING ARTICLES FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD AND “ETZIKOM: PRAIRIE & PEOPLE”. LENA HERBST (NEE WOLLERSHEIM) WAS BORN ON JANUARY 11, 1913, THE FIFTEENTH CHILD OF PHILIP AND THERESA WOLLERSHEIM. SHE ATTENDED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT SEXTON CREEK AND KNEW FROM A YOUNG AGE THAT SHE WANTED TO BE A TEACHER. SHE COMPLETED GRADE NINE AT ST. PATRICK’S IN LETHBRIDGE, TOOK GRADES TEN AND ELEVEN AT ST. MARY’S IN CALGARY, AND FOR GRADE TWELVE LENA RETURNED TO ST. PATRICK’S. SHE THEN ATTENDED CALGARY NORMAL SCHOOL FOR EIGHT MONTHS. LENA WAS HIRED TO TEACH AT EHNES SCHOOL ON JULY 6, 1933 AND SHE BEGAN TEACHING ON SEPTEMBER 5 OF THAT YEAR. SHE LOVED TEACHING AND CONTINUED TO DO SO AFTER HER MARRIAGE TO NICKODEMUS “NICK” HERBST. HER ANNUAL SALARY WAS $750.00 WHICH SHE CALLED “A REAL GOLDMINE IN THOSE DEPRESSION DAYS.” UNFORTUNATELY LENA’S TEACHING CAREER WAS ENDED WHEN PREMIER ABERHART DECLARED THAT NO WOMAN MARRIED TO AN ABLE BODIED MAN COULD BE A TEACHER. NICK AND LENA WERE MARRIED ON JULY 3, 1936 AND WELCOMED THEIR FIRST CHILD IN JANUARY 1942. THEY REMAINED ON THE FARM UNTIL 1968 WHEN THEY MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE. AFTER NEARLY 30 YEARS AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM, LENA WAS ABLE TO RESUME TEACHING AND DID SO UNTIL RETIREMENT AT AGE 65. LENA PASSED AWAY AT AGE 85 ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1998. NICK DIED AT 92 ON JANUARY 27, 2001. HE WAS BORN ON FEBRUARY 26, 1908 IN SEVASTOPOL, RUSSIA, TO MATHIAS AND MAGDELENA HERBST, AND THE FAMILY IMMIGRATED TO THE FAITH DISTRICT TO 1909. PHILIP WOLLERSHEIM PASSED AWAY IN MAY 1932 AND THERESA (MAIDEN NAME UNKNOWN) PASSED AWAY ON DECEMBER 12, 1949. SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR HARD COPIES OF THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES AND “ETZIKOM: PRAIRIE & PEOPLE”.

Catalogue Number

P19940043002

Acquisition Date

1994-06

Collection

Museum

Less detail