National Republican., 1877-04-20
A NEW DEPARTURE IN OUR DoMES-
TIC HELP.

An English lady has inaugurated sys-
tom of introducing into domestic service
poor gentlewomen to take the place of the
ignorant and unapprecative servants who
now perform household duties so uusatis-
factorily, and do so much to destroy the
beneflcent influences Of home life. Her
name is Mrs ROSE MARY CRAwsHAY. and
the fruit of her labors is already felt and
highly appreciated in the houses Of Great
BIiiain, where hitherto the ignorant SER
wants have destroyed the comforts and hap
piness of domestic life by causing families
to break up housekeeping and 60 to board
ing, fairly driving them away from their
own hearthstones by their worthless and
cxasperatipg manners. Hdrper's Bazaar.
in speaking of the system which this emf
rent lady has SO successfully established,
says:
A lady superintendent ION q salary Of $1,000 a
ycar) receives the lady helps thoy arrive at the
ofnce In London In search Of employment, and
enters their names and addresses in her ledger.
Such ladies are required to furnish references as
to their moral character from persons Of stand
ing either In London or the country, and enthu.
s!astic indorsement Of these poor Eentlewomen is
something they are almost all rich in. II Is only
money they lack. No charge for entering their
names 10 made to the lady helps, but families
seeking them are required to pay fec Of ive
sbillings. The demand for these lady helps has
gone on steadily increasing, and the plan has
already proved . boon and . blessing TO many q
sad heart and hungry stomach. In very few
months altar the once was opened one hundred
ladies had been provided with homes at good
wages In return Tor domestic service; and out oi
all this hundred only six proved unsatisfactory-
three Of them II is sad to state, from the curse Of
drink. Ladies' who offered themselves to care fol
children were eagerly accepted by parents who
desire, above oil things. that the FIRST rudiments
Of nursery knowledge should be attained from
refined and Intellectual sources. The cook In
| terest Jagged, but simply because few OF thest
| lady helps had the requisite knowledge for suct
positions. To meet this emergency, Mrs. CRAw
SHAY has come into the breach with furthel
| charity, and has offered to pay for the instruc
| tion of lady helps at the school Of cooking :,
| enable them to obtain situations rs cooks. Mrs
| CRAwsHAr thinks the prejudice against bein,
| "eook" is very absurd, and holds that cooking
| is o pretty art, as well as useful one; and ii
this sensible opinion she will ind many support
trs among thoughtful people in America.
| 1t can be seen by a glance that the sys
TEN Is fraught with many blessings, and,
| DIOptIlt huituiSu IL Jul oWh luhuB Woul
be the means of securing happiness I
many homes now made disagreeable b.
the wretched condition and character of
great deal of our domestic help. Day bt
fore yesterday large number of worth
women were discharged in an almost helF
less condition from the Treasury Depar
mcnt. Many Of them are educated an
thoroughly acquainted with all the hous'
hold duties. Unemployed as domestics
our city homes they would not only brin
sunshine and certain measure Of rein,
ment with them, but also q thoroug
knowledge Of everything pertaining
home employment. Mrs. CRAwsHAr
right when she says that the prelude
against being cook, or attending to hous
, hold duties, Is an absurd and ridiculo,
one, for there is a 'pretty art" as well ,
, useful one, in cooking, as well as q
other work relating to home duties.
THIS will be a new departure in Il
matter of domestic help. and If entert
, into with the proper spirit by those wi
, are anxions to elevate and better regula
! domestic affairs 1t will be great blessir
to the households of America