Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-10-24
Hints for Girls Who Want Employ
ment.

A writer in the Chicago Inter- Ocean
gives this advice to girls who are called
on to support themselves: "What field
of labor would you choose to enter :?
Our cities are full Of milliners, dress.
makers, teachers and clerks. You have
not experience or ability to fill places OF
responsibility. You would shrink from
the toll, the ceaseless, patient, laborious
study and the care and anxiety of liter.
airy labor, or if you would choose this
in preference to other employment, you
may not have the ability or talent it de-
mands or the years of study it takes to
begin in this department of labor. But,
girls. there is field OF labor in the city
and country that needs hearts, sympathy
and determination to do their duties
cheerfully and we'll, they would soon
win the appreciation and respect of their
mistress, and If in true goodness and
nobleness of character they are her
equals, they will be treated as such, and
find themselves esteemed members of
happy families. By doing their work
systematically they would have many
leisure hours for culture and self-im
provement. But they must learn to ap-
preciate the fact that nothing can be
won without hard labor, and to do
cheerfully what necessity compels them
to do. Our American girls have not
been Taught the dignity of labor, but
they are the girls best adapted to elevate
the work that must be done in our
homes.
If girls would go to these homes
with kind, willing, competent hands.
The overworked wives and mothers of
our country are begging for efficient
help, and ignorant foreigners cannot
supply this need. There is demand for
intelligent, competent girls who can
take a little of the responsibility and
care upon themselves, and thus relieve
our women of one of the greatest trials.
Many Of you will look upon this work
as beneath you, and some of you will
read this with a feeling of scorn, and
yet this work is far easier, better and
pleasanter than many of the employ
ments that you are engaged upon, with
your experience, as elegant, easy and
refined. With a months experience
you could become good cooks or house
keepers, and you could take with you
to your labor all the dignity, sweetness
and graces of your womanhood, and
thus dignity the work you look upon as
beneath you.
",There are thousands of women who
would give intelligent, faithful girls
almost the love and consideration they
would their own daughters if they
found them worthy of their regard, and
would willingly assist them in their
effoa,s at self.improvement. Let our
girls see the plain, unvarnished truth
of this matter. Let their ambitions be
to become useful, industrious. womanly
women, and if they find they are too
poor to dress and move in fashionable
best society, leave such society. There
are plenty Of worthy, intelligent poor
who are quite as good, and often better
company for our girls. That girls are
not we'll paid we admit, but they would
be better paid if they would give m ore
study and care to their work. 1t is not
the work we do, but the spirit in which
we do it, that elevates or degrades us,
and the girl who sweeps a room cheer
fully and thoroughly, makes as royal an
instrument of the broom she holds as
the golden sceptre of queen"