The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-11-14
The Girl Question.
From the Pittsburgh CONNER

From the Pittsburgh Commercial.
The difficulties of housekeeping have
been written about and talked about enough
to nave effected their removal if words could
do it. One of the most conspicuous of these
difficulties is embraced 10 what may be
called the girl question. 1t does not ap.
pear that the race of girls is extinct or even
declining Both the census and the streets
demonstrate the contrary. Yet housekeep-
ers have immense difficulty in securing
girls for the position of domestic service or,
at least, such as will meet their views Of
the requirements of the positions Since,
then. there is no lack as to number, there
is still encouragement to write and talk on
the girl question, with special reference to
the relation between employer and employed
in the department of housekeeping
For some reason or reasons our Ameri-
can girls even those who have to depend
on their own exertions for their support,
prefer other employments to those of do
mestic service. Sewing, teaching, factory
work, are chosen rather than kitchen and
chamber work. The pay can hardly be the
turning argument that leads to this decis-
ion for when the board Accommodations and
hours of work are taken into account, along
with the wages, domestic work will be
found to foot up, at the end of the year, as
large sum of profits as any other of the
usual employments of females.
There is probably an impression in the
minds of many that this kind of employ
ment is not SO much respected as some 9TH
ers. And this inpresson perhaps is con-
nected with the fact that it is SO largely in
the hands of distinct class of persons with
which American girls are not in sympathy
or habitual association. But it is still more
the comparatively solitary and secluded po-
sition inseparable from the employment
that makes it unattractive, cutting off the
employee, in great degree, from congenial
society with those of herown age and rank.
Added to this is the apprehension, too
strongly confirmed perhaps by experience,
Of unpleasant, if not positively disagreeable,
relations with employers, and, more than
AL, certain national repugnance to the
idea of occupying servie place in any
family.
Whether these or any of these ideas are
we'll founded We shall not attempt to de-
eide. Their existence and their effects can
not be disputed. The important practical
question is can they be obviated, so as to
diminish the difficulties of housekeeping, or
to make the position Of domestic service
more agreeable and more useful to both EN-
ployer and employee? The respectful treat
mert of domestics, and a discrimination |
between the good and the bad. will be con.
ducive to this end. The requirement of
characters, . in order to employment will
make this discrimination in the most effect |
i've way. A considerable reduction in the
amount of talk, among house keepers, about
the unreliable charac ter of 'help'' would be
an improvement in the same direction. And
it might greatly mitigate the troubles in
volved in the girl question, as practical
one, if housekeepers were to qualify them
selves, 10y some participation as well as
oversight for judging of what is reasonably
to be required of their ''help.' And this
would at the same time, render them suf |
fciently independent, for their own protec-
ton from the unreasonable demands and
the unfaithful conduct of Incompetent aud
assuming domestics.