Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Sept. 10, 1992, edition 1 / Page 20
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Iplothing: sign language of our lifestyles I Clothing speaks. It com muni- in diverse ways by different individ uates nonverbally something about uals goes back to our own personal oiirselves ? our way of life. A ities. First impressions cannot be famous French philosopher, noting divorced from our frame of refer S Some economics [By Joanne j. falls ^Jome Economic Extension Agent V s *IJbe close relationship between ?*$lothing and lifestyles stated, "If I ;*jiere allowed to choose one book Sifiom the pile which will be pub ?llfched 100 years after my death, do know which one I would take? ;*?would simply take a fashion mag I~3ttine . . . and its rags would tell me . , more about humanity of the future ; than could all the philosophers, '^novelists, prophets, and scholars of the time." * v The dress of an individual is a - kind of "sign language" that relates a complex set of information. For example, how many of us indulge in people watching when we are waiting for someone. It's a great pastime. In people watching, don't we observe how people walk and their mannerisms in addition to how they dress? From this brief visual con tact, we tend to size up the person. In less than 30 seconds, we judge the sex, nationality, ethnic group, profession, and social status of the stranger. In addition, this glimpse may give us an estimate of his tem perament, friendliness, neatness, and even his integrity. In essence, we form our first impression of the person. The fact that a person is viewed ence ? our personal experiences, likes and dislikes, environmental and cultural influences. Every viewer has a particular set of standards and a particular pat tern of past experiences. These stan dards and experiences condition his impression of other people. One person may stress cleanliness, neat ness, simplicity, and constraint in dress. Another individual may scru tinize a person against such cate gories as smartness, sophistication, becomingness, and suitability. A person who is first perceived to be slovenly and poorly dressed is often thought to have little concern for his own appearance and little regard for the opinion of others. Sometimes this appraisal is extend ed to associations of unfriendliness and rudeness. Studies in perception have shown that we tend to see things in the way we want or need to see them. For example, a person who wears glasses probably suffers from eye strain, often caused by too much reading. A person who reads a lot is apt to be very intelligent. Consequently, it is logical to assume that people who wear glass es are intelligent. The average person is well award that he is likely to be judged on the basis of his appearance, especially by people who do not know him intimately. There is usu ally less compulsion, however, to be on "best dress behavior" with friends. There is one exception ? the value we place on our friends' s or acquaintance's opinion affects, our mode of dress. Let's develop this hypothesis one step further. When do you care the most about your appearance? ? when you are with friends? ? when you are with strangers or acquaintances? ? when you are with your own family? ? when you are alone? According to one study that used these same questions, 56% indicated concern for their appear ance greatest when among friends, 43% said it mattered most with strangers and acquaintances, only 1% thought it important with one's own family, and none thought cloth ing to be important when alone. Our families and most of our intimate friends know us too well to judge us solely on our clothes. Friends and acquaintances who know us less well are still forming opinions about us. The opinion of strangers, on the other hand, may or may not be valued. Let's do a little soul searching. In what instances do you care most about your personal appearance? ? grocery shopping at a local supermarket? ? grocery shopping at a 24-hour convenience store? ? shopping in a local depart ment store downtown? ? shopping in a shopping center ? shopping in a distant city? Is there any difference in the way you dress? Why? Many of us pay greater atten tion to our personal appearance when we go to a different city than if we were in our hometown. Cases have supported the theory that our personal appearance does affect the service we obtain from sales clerks. On the other hand, sometimes peo ple experience a sense of anonymity in being far away from home. Sometimes, we relax our standards of dress when we know that no one will recognize us. This extremely casual dress, worn by many Americans away from home has resulted in a rather unflattering stereotype of the typical American tourist. The consequences of first impression judgments correlate to our liking or disliking other people. It is noted that an individual is inclined to like persons whom then judge to be similar to themselves and dislike persons whom they see a very different. March of Dimes grants total $99,360 TU<? /-?_ nn ! i /-? ' ? ? The Greater Triad Chapter of the March of Dimes Defects Foundation has awarded thirteen grants, totaling $99,360, for the program year. Projects approved for local March of Dimes grants must meet one of the three criteria adopted by the eleven-county Chapter: Projects must be aimed at 1) pre venting premature births, 2) improving prenatal care access, or 3) reducing unwanted pregnancies in adolescents. Funds for National March of Dimes research grants, as well as local grants, advocacy, and health education, are raised by volun teers through such year-round events as TeamWalk Piedmont, the North Carolina Chili Champi onship, Mission Possible, and Chefs Auction. On Sept. 14, Executive Com mittee Chairman Ward Miller, along with Maida Dundon, Chair person of Health Professionals Advisory Committee, announced these chapter grants to Forsyth County agencies: The Young Women's Chris tian Association of Winston Salem and Forsyth County has been awarded $2,500 for "Straight from the Parent." Project director Courtney Saunders, director of the YWCA's new Empowerment Center, will lead ongoing group sessions in which parents and children addresses issues of sexuality and decision-making. Independence High School has been awarded $860. School Nurse Carolyn Jones, who teaches classes for pregnant teens, will secure specialized teaching aids and equipment needed for practi cal learning. Other community services offered by the Greater Triad Chapter include worksite prenatal health education classes, a video lending library for schools, and collaborative efforts involving the religious community in issues of maternal and infant health. More women taking construction jobs LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) ? Twenty-one-year-old Rhonda Gal liher used to be a cocktail wait ress. But she says being a carpen ter's apprentice pays better and gets her closer to her ultimate goal of being an architect And Galliher says her boyfriend, a college student majoring in physical education, enjoys telling friends he is engaged to a construction worker. There are more women in construction work than there used to be, but figures from the past few years indicate that their num bers, after rising for a decade, have started falling again nation wide. Galliher, employed by New burg Construction Co., has been working on the Watterson Expressway reconstruction pro ject in Louisville. She's not the only woman on the project. Debbie Eurton, a 5-foot-2, 105-pound mother of four, has about a year to go in her four-year Carpenters union apprenticeship. She said her mother and friends often tell her to "get a real job." Her three daughters are sup portive, but her 12-year-old son tells her "no woman can do what a man can." Sara McCracken, a carpenter who is foreman of a crew doing work at the E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. {Aant, said her father, a carpenter4 himself, tried to block her application for a car penter's apprenticeship in 1980. Now he's proud. "He had four boys and two " girls, 0 she Said. Tm the only one who followed in his footsteps." The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics counted about 602,000 women working in construction last year, 8.5 percent of total employment in the industry. That was up from 290,000 ? 5.5 per cent in 1972, but down from 614,000, or 8.8 percent, at the peak in 1985. Those figures include women -in traditional jobs such as secre taries and bookkeepers, but the bureau can't break out those who actually drive the nails and the bulldozers. Figures show, though, that there were about 1 million carpen ters in the country in 1972; about 5,200 of them ? 0.5 percent ? were female. The number peaked at about 18,000 in 1980 and was about 16,601 in 1991. The University of Louisville's Kentucky State Data Center has no state figures for women in con struction as a whole. But its records say there were 210 female carpenters in the state in 1980 and 319 in 1990. The memory of a day when there were no women working in construction outside the office is still so fresh to Jerry Hammond executive secretary treasurer of the Kentucky State Building and Construction Trades Council ? that he con tinues to marvel at least a little that women operate cranes, weld, do plumbing and pipefit ting and even have invaded his own trade, ironworking. "I still think it's brutal work for a man," he said. His impression may be borne out in national numbers, which say mat mere are fewer women in the locals now than four or five years ago. He said that that's despite an improvement in the way women are treated, and despite efforts to make women union officers. '1 would have to declare that access to the trades is no longer a problem for women," he said. He guessed that a bit of success has caused organizations that pressed for admission of women in^he 1970s and '80s to back off. Betsy Jacobus, who, as direc tor of the Louisville YWCA's Creative Employment Project, fought to put women in non- tradi tional jobs, disagrees in part. She contends that Republican presi dents have failed to enforce equal opportunity laws for 12 years, resulting in fewer women working in construction. But, she said, 'It probably is true about attitudes in the trades having changed a little for the bet ter." She believes some women are still harassed, though. A female Louisville carpenter interviewed 15 years ago reported sexual remarks, grabbing and other mistreatment from men, including bosses. But Tairiera Kirby says she has experienced no sexual harass ment or other abuse from co workers. Kirby has been working inside the Commonwealth Life Insurance Co. building in down town Louisville, hauling conduit, wire and tools to fellow employ ees of Arrow Electric Co. Inc. '1 know how to talk to men," Kirby said. "I have three broth ers." MAKE A DIFFERENCE If you're looking for a way to make a difference, then consider becoming a Professional Parent. The Professional Parenting Program is looking for couples or single adults who like kick, and are willing to ^ take a needy child into '' their home for that im portant second chance. As Professional Parents you'll receive top-notch training, 24 t hour staff support, and ifflsc^rofessional 5550 a month. And P" you'll have the satisfac ? tion of knowing you've given a child a second chance. ? CaU Dianne at 919-595-2348 between 9 - 5, Monday through Friday Appalachian State University JOHN A. WALKER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS EVENING MBA PROGRAM IN WINSTON-SALEM NEW CLASS BEGINNING AUGUST 1993 A program designed for persons working full time who wish to pursue graduate education in business administration ? Three-year program begins August 1993 and runs through December 1996. ? Application deadline for the class beginning in August 1993 is June 1, 1993 (GMAT must be taken prior to this date). ? GMA T test scores are required. Application deadline for: October 17, 1992 GMAT test is September 18, 1992; January 16, 1993 GMAT test is December 18, 1992; March 20, 1993 GMAT test is February 19, 1993. Appalachfan JL 1 STATE UNIVERSITY BOONE. NORTH CAROLINA 28608 ? Curriculum is designed for both business and non-business undergraduates. ? Courses are taught by graduate faculty from the Walker College of Business at Appalachian. ? MBA degree is granted by Appalachian. ? Classes are held on the campus of Winston-Salem Slate University. FOR INFORMATION: CALL: (Boone) 704-262 2922 or 704 262 2057 or (Winston-Salem) 910-750-2687 and ask for Jessic a Bailey WRITE: Robert L. Cherry, Jr., Director of Graduate Studies Walker College of Business, Appalachian State University Boone, North Carolina 28608 JEWELERS " I X/NG OF DIAMONDS': ftuuttyeKMWSt ike > ishriae TmAWUHQ The Gteal WaS&wdM ?&U (Ken wtioi Celiiem, IVuutM Salem Sunday Advance tickets . . . $6 $8 at the door (Children . . . $6) Tickets available participating Food Lion stores Hayes Jewelers of Lexington, LJV Memorial Coliseum, or from a. Shriner Call today ! 1-800-62 7-251 0 Proceeds are for the benefit of Oasis Temple. Payments are not deductible^ fts charitable contributions.
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Sept. 10, 1992, edition 1
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