The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-04-28


issue of morning paper, stating that
the advertiser would like to employ
young woman as copyist, is said to have
been answered by more than 60O persons |
DESTROYS of obtaining such a position. /
Now, an incident of this kind shows in /
an unmistakable manner the immense |
surplusage of female labor, and also in |
dicates to some degree the barriers behind |
which it is confined. The number of those
who would be likely to see or hear of
single advertisement must be compar-
atively small proportion of those who
wish for such a position, and the appli-
cants may, therefore, be fairly taken as
representatives of a class which, in this
city alone, must be counted by thousands.
No doubt, the greater number of those
thus situated are the daughters of head
mechanics, clerks and small tradesmen,
who have received something better than
what is termed common school educa-
ton, and are not absolutely forced by
the straitened circumstances of their
natural protectors to go into the shops
or into domestic service. Still, the diff
Guilty, while keeping up certain social
appearances, of making both ends meet
is sufficient to bring to many OF these the
desirability, at least, of adding some
thing to the family income. Most of the
occupations by which women can earn
money either involve the complete break
inc up of home associations, or have
much in them that is distasteful to fine
feminine instinct, and thus, when posi-
ton like that of a copyist is vacant the
number of applicants is surprisingly
| large.
There can be no question that an en-
! largement of this class of occupations is
business reimbursement greatly to be de-
| sired; but if 1t is ever brought about, it
will have to be by certain amount of
special training on the part of the women
themselves. 1t requires something more
than the mere ability to write plain
hand to become even a good copyist,
The person SO employed should write
rapidly as well as distinctly, and, besides
this, spell words and punctuate sentences
with tOlerable amount of accuracy. All
this is in most cases specially acquired
skill, and only gained after months of
hard labor, yet, of the 800 who replied to
the notice we have given above, probably
not more than dozen had ever submit
ted to this training. We are willing to
hope that in most cases this does not
arise from idleness or indifference, but
from the want of some directing force,
and on this account we are DESTROYS of
suggesting one or two methods of en-
larging the sphere of woman's useful
ness, which can be followed out and per.
fon+oA NIrh npNa Ct,iHt- with ht1t littla If
any, preparatory instruction.
The first of these is the knowledge OF
practical telegraphy; that is, as far as a
perfect eye and ear acquaintance with
the Morse alphabet is concerned, ant
the ability to receive and send message.
on an ordinary instrument. The labor
of acquiring knowledge of the Morse
alphabet is by no means as difficult as
many suppose it to be. The length an(
division of the sounds representing the
various letters can be studied and learned
with knife and plate as a medium a:
readily as they could on a regular instru
ment, while six months careful atten
, ton should give to anyone with average
read messages by the ear at nf as sfspfd :;
rate as they are usually transmitted
The very little additional knowledge re
CURED Tor receiving and sending mes
sages would have to be gained at some
office or commercial school. Of course
the possession of this amount of prac
tlcal knowledge does not insure one
position, but it is certain that the use OF
the telegraph is constantly on the in
crease, and that in all but the main city
offices the companies are finding it tC
their advantage to employ female rather
than male assistants. Indeed, the work
seems to be one for which women are
specially adapted, as it has none of the
objectionable features which attach tc
many of the employments which demand
bodily or semi bodily exertion. There is
little reason for thinking that the tele-
phone will do away with the general use
OF the Morse alphabet; but, even should
this prove to be the case, another art
would come into requisition which is
also eminently adapted to be a mode of
female employment, that is, phonog-
raphy. 1t is singular that so few
women have made a study of this sub
Ject, as it is not only an advantage in it.
self, but is also medium of expeditinp
business that is growing every day into
more and more demand. In many of
the leading mercantile houses in this
city the entire correspondence is carried
on by dlctation, and others would will
ingly follow this example if it were not
for the fact that the supply of short, hand
writers is greatly restricted. Perfection
in this line can only be reached after
two or three years of close study, but
after the first few months the progress
is so apparent and certain as to be an
encouragement in itself. As in teleg-
raphy, the study can be carried on with
little expense or trouble.-N. Y Times.
EnIar DI;nJ,n..