Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-07-18
MALE AND FEMALE CLERks,


The following, clipped from the New York
Sun, Is going the rounds, aud seems to be ac-
cepted as gospel:
THAT clever and kindly Old Bachelor who
discusses social questions with such genial
wisdom IN the pages Of Hd1per's Bdsar, tells the
following story to illustrate the reason why
women do not usually prosper so well as men
IN some Of the professions for which they
would seem to be quite IS well adapted:
- Ii seems TO me that women might especi-
one of the most experienced and successful en-.
eIayers in the city and consulted with HIM.
80 Don't you see the difaculty p he asked,
with gTeat kindness and interest.
80. NO, said J; "yeu must instruct me-"
well" answered he, Il have employed
women here very often- and wish could feel
more encouraged. But the truth is, that when
young man comes to me and begins his work
be feels that il is his life's business He Is TO
cut his future out Of the little blocks before
him. Wife, family, home, happiness, are all to
% carved by his hand, and be settles steadily
snd earnestly TO his labor, determined to master
n, and with every lncitement spurring him on
He cannot marry until he knows his trade II
Is exactly the other way with the girl. She
dependent upon her labor for her living. But
she feels that she will probably be married by.
and-oy, and then she must give up wood
engraving. So she goes on listlessly; she has
no smbition to Keel; she does not feel that her
happiness depends upon it. She will marry
snd then her husbands wages will support
s'but she thinks 80, and il spoils her work"
he same Is true with regard to many EN-.
ploy ments In which women have been en-
esged. We know that as clerks at Washing
ton they are Tar less useful than men. Their
habits of work are much less accurate, and
they do not give their minds to their
duties with the same eonscientiousness and
fidelity. The reason is the same as that given
ny our Old Bachelor. They do not feel that
these duties are the business of their life, and
that their W hole success or failure depends upon
the manner In which they are performed
Whatever they do, love, matrimony, and the
care OF house of their own, are always at the
bottom of their thoughts"
We are surprised 10 find this shallow stuff in
the intelligent columns Of the Sun. II is a
specimen however. of a great deal of the nom
sense written in regard to women and their
unfitness for any occupation or business in
life beyond that of hunting for husbands The
sun need go no farther than the Cooper Inst.
tute School of Design, of ITS own city, to learn
That females have the capacity for accurate,
conscientious work. We have before us speci-
mems OF the work of some of the female gradu-
ates OF that School, in the shape of illustra-
tons TO a New York book on Banks and Bank.
ing. that for spirit and truthfulness Of drawing
surpass anything We have lately seen from
any artist OF the male persuasion. II may pos-
sibly be that women may fail In certain quail
ties Of hrmness and steadiness of touch reoui.
site for engrayers, but we much doubt it,
As regards clerkly work the Suns lnforma.
tIon Is certainly at fault. We believe that il is
the testimony of all Heads Of Bureaus where
femsles have been employed, that they perform
their duties quite as satisfactorily as male
clerks; and IN certain work requiring neat.
ness and celebrity, as In handling postal cur.
rency. they are decidedly superior They
may be keeping up 8 tremendous thinking all
the while about matIimony aud the house.
keeping arrangements, but to all outward ap.
psaranees they are quite much in earnest in
their work as the male clerks, who accord
ing to the San, are bringing their masculine
powers OF concentration to bear upon the
problems Of success and failure IN life
Suppose the Sun writer puts the matter to
the rest Of experiment. Let him drop in at the
nearest plsce-the Custom House, CITY Hall.
or any private business establis b 10 ent where q
specimen OF the restless male animal eoufronts
an office desk Quite possibly he will fad
LIS superior article % male clerk giving his
mind TO his duties, and bringing the masculine
pressure to bear upon the business of life some.
tbsne a. follows. He (male clerk) works a few
minutes pretty sharply, then he winds his
watch, examines his watch to see how it tic rs,
ruos dim spot on the case, measures the tick
again, 10 diss atisned with the tick, shakes the
WINCH gcntiy, NerineS MS DISSATISFACTION with
the tick, takes il across the street TO the watch
maker, resumes his desk and the serious busi-
ness OF life, finds the serious business of life
rather wearing, collapses upon the small Of
his back and rests his weary lower limbs upon
the moulding Of his desk, discovers that his
feet are asleep, goes out 10 restore the c,rcula-
ton. resumes his desk and the serious business
Of life, yawns, wonders IL it Is lunch time,
goes out TO 'see q man." res umes his desk and
the serious business Of life, makes sundry rev.
ofutions on his Office chair to see IL the rotary
principle is all night, reverses the motion, dis
cussss baseball problems and the political sit
uation with superior arncls male clerk No 2,
snd so on, until the close Of once hours affords
an opportunity for billiard or baseball recu-
Peration for his overtasked energies
OF course II would not be fair TO say that this
Is the manner an which all male clerks always
spead their time, but the Sun writer will
doubtless ind, by personal inspection Of this
sort, that there are TWO sides to this question
Of the Infsriority Of female clerks in the way
CT close conscientious application to work.