The daily gazette., 1880-11-16
TWO SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

FROM tne bOhlOH 6lODe'
Now that the uproar of the politi-
cal campaign is over, the philanthro-
pists of Boston can hardly do better
than devote their attention to the
serious consideration OF two social
problems which affect the daily well
fare of more people in this city and
this State than are ever affected by
any political campaign. What shall
our girls do to earn an honest liv-
ing? Why do notmore ofour young
men get married? The special ar
ticle on the first question, published
in Mondays Globe, states very fully
the avenues of employment which
are open to women and shows the
difficulty of earning enough to live
upon by the most industrious appli-
cation to many ofthese employments
owing to the great number OF appli-
cants and the consequent smallness
of the pay but neither the Globe nor
anybody else can estimate with any
thing like exactness the actual nam-
Der of girls in Boston who need and
want work, and seemingly must have
it or starve. Doubtless an accurate
computation would show a total OF
thousands.
What shall these girls do. There
are the stores, the first Mecca of girl
graduates who have not prepared
themselves for teachers, but who
are well-educated, and step out
from their homes where rigid econo-
my alone has kept the little house
hold together, nobly resolved that
they will not be a burden to their
parents any longer but will support
themselves-but the stores are full,
and the chances are hundred to
one that the applicant comes home,
after day of searching, tired, dis
couraged, and without even having
found a hope of employment. And
If she chance to be successful what
a prospect unfolds itself as she dis
covers that in these stores, where
she was sure she could earn a COM
Portable and genteel living, new
girls must work for two to four dol
lars week, and old hands for five
and six. Thousands try to earn a
living by the needle. A few who
have earned reputation as dress
makers, or position as head of a
department, secure comfortable
living, bnt the great majority of
sewing women cannot earn 81
", elk. Then there is the occupation
of children's maids, which is con-
stantly presenting opportunities for
If our American girls
but knew it, few if any of the ordi-
nary avocations open to in
experienced girls will furnish SO
an existence with less
ANNOYANCE than this same avocation
of nursery maid. There is hard and
work, Of course, and
the pay is not great, but il furnishes
a home, and pays from $S to $40 a
month beside. 1t is hardly possible,
however, that this avocation wild be-
come popular with our girls. for IL is
A branch of that detested thing
known as service" And what of
his same "going out to ssrvice"
Would it furnish employment for
INV considerable number of our
,irls, and ought they to be expected
% engage in itp
The question is a very broad one,
Ind we do not intend TO discuss it here,
,ut merely to call attention to one or
wo facts which will bear considera-
ion and may provoke thought. In
he first place, can our educated girls
ret many positions at service We
auoy not SO many as is generally sup
posed. The mistress of to-dsv wants
. "ssrvant," not 'help." The old
Ityle, when the wife worked at the
lousewoik, hired neighbours daugh-
or to 'hslp" and worked with her,
las departed. Perhaps apartial solu-
ion OF the "servant-girl" problem
would be furnished if the old style
ould be restored. If our young wives
lid not set their hearts upon begin
ling married life with an establish
nent, but were willing to begin mod
,stly, and do a part even Of the druid
rery of housework themselves, We
ancy they would have ne difficulty in
'.help )" but this is not the
existing condition of things. The
modern mistress wants not help, but a
ervant, and she wants a servant who
will cook and wash dishes, and maybe
10 the washing and ironing and gene