New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-21
Training.SchOOls for Women.

A few days ago attention was directed in
these columns to the remarkable success
that had attended an experiment in aid OF
working women in New York. The system
| of the free training schools, conducted by
| the Women's Industrial Aid Society, was
| explained, and the history of the establish
ment traced from its inception, with view
of suggesting to the benevolent women OF
this city more feasible plan for doing good
among the unfortunate of their sex than
any that had been adopted here. This
plan is simple, practical and intelligent,
entirely free from objection, and should be
in practical operation in every large cities
in this country.
The discreditable failure of recent
movement in this city in behalf of poor
women affords an opportunity for initiatin G
referred to. There is now sad blank in
this community in this respect. There are
plenty of charitable resorts, where, at the
sacrifice of all self-respect, q poor girl or
woman may find means of sustenance. But
there is no establishment in the city where
girl or woman, however industrious she
may be, can learn the arts which she is
obliged to understand in order to earn
living. We suffer from dearth of good
laundresses and cooks, yet no means
have been taken to provide for this want
which every housekeeper feels. There is
demand for intelligent artisans in all de-
partments of female labor, and especially
in household labor, at the same time there
are hundreds of young girls who would be
glad OF the opportunity to fit themselves for
these vacant places. The situation is such
that no charitable movement that could be
devised would promise SO much in material
good results as the establishment of an in.
stltuflOn which would afford to girls and
women the opportunity to learn how to
earn an honest and comfortable livelihood
The experience of the New York training
schools is the most important matter to
be considered in this connection. The plan
Is simple, and it is scarcely necessary to
say more than that they are based on the
hypothesis that the best and easiest way to
provide for girl is to teach her to provide
for herself. Since the opening of the schools,
about two years ago, practical instruction
has been given to, and situations provided
tor, seamstresses, phoEographers,c cooks, book
keepers, prOOfreaders, gOvernessee, house
keepers, etc. What was regarded as a du-
bious experiment has become an established
success. The large building now occupied
by the institution is too limited, although
1t has been in use Only about year. 1t is
stated that the resources of the schools are
too limited to allow 0ne-tenth of the appli- |
cants to be received. Larger kitchens are |
needed in order that the practical cooking
classes may be increased in number. The |
managers are greatly pleased with the re-
suit, and are now making strenuous efforts |
to increase the facilities of the schools. |
Persons who have received instruction in |
this institution not only obtain employment |
readily, but receive higher wages than the |
ruling market figure. There are twenty |
places open where one person is found COM
petent to fill them. Without disparapinp
my other charity, it is safe to say that the
of training schools would do |
more to protect and aid poor girls and
women than any other effort that could be
levised.-Chicago Times.