The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-10-12

few women employed are generally un-
skilled, and therefore poorly paid Concerning
landscape gardening, Fred Law Allen is of the orin
ion that there is no physical difficulty in the way
none that would not stand in the way Of her prac-
tice of medicine, or of lawn tennis and would ap-
prehend but one dficulty-that Of excess Of atten-
tion to details working against comprehensive de
sign.
Embroidery recovering from the low state in /
which 1t has long lain, may again bs made the me-
dium OF production to rival the specimens preserv
cd in the art collections of Europe, but at present
In this country neither embroidery nor lace making
Is a lucrative calling. Woman attains pecuniary /
success the nearly she approaches the position
Of an independent producer. Her handiwork she
sell upon its merits her labor she is too often
forced to sell as a woman's. Woman's wages are |
lower than mems because 1st, they lack suifrage |
%, they are innovations; Sd, a rule they
poorer workers, and 4th, because the woman who
enters the labor market is presumably obliged to /
work at something. Very applicable to the first as
sertion is single sentence from letter just rsceiv
ed frem Gov. John W. Hoyt, who says: 80 far as
know, the women of Wyoming receive the same
wages as men for equal service There is abundant
evidence that the old-tme prejudice against en-
oloying women exists no longer One now wanting /
aep seldom stops to ask whether the quick brain
ana cunning hand belongs to or woman. The /
feeling is now spreading itself in theoretical dis
QUESTION, flooding newspapers and magazines From
various sections received assurances from man
ufacturers and many firms that they are in favor of
employing women in these industries if they will I
s-s @-----> thoronGhly airiliad in technique The
employer must nave the worth of his money, !,
The worlds business is conducted on the |
principle Of self-interest not of philanthropy
and no self-respecting desire
the wages of pity. The unskilled uneducated
woman. like the unskilled uueducated man, is at
disadvantage among workers. The mass of women |
are charged with the lack of originality, whether
natural or due to long continued lack of dove op-
ment time will decide. Again. the shortest answer
of all is. Doing Alreadyis there brighter side as
shown by the opinions of men eminent principals
of art schools heads of large manufacturing estab
lishments, etc., to the effect that espee-
tally adapted to excel in these industries The ply
steal incapacity of woman is imaginary hindrance
rather than reality. The first condition of success
is self discipline Social pleasures calculated to unfit
one for the real business of life be curiailed
Energy and perseverance, the qualities which help
on the boy, must be cultivated by tho girl, and
above ALL nothing must be expected where nothing
has been rendered. The need and utility of art
schools is recognized in those European coun-
tries, where art has long had home. In the United
States the facilities for education in the indus
trial arts are entirely inadequate Last year more
than seven hundred applicants were turned away
from the Womans Art School of the Cooper Union,
for want of room. There are schools of design in
many of the large cities but they all that they
should be? partial training says Miss Nc
Laren of Marlborough "has been the ruin of many
attempts to gain new employment for women"
Here is work for another class of women, the phil
ia.
in art establishing annual exposition to which
the art schools shall send their best work, and by
other similar measures, may do much for the ad-
vancement of their sex. In some of the arts it
would appear that the work of the schools must be
supplemented, in others superseded by apprentice
ship. A graduate of Cornell University, the only
girl who has taken their in architecture
declares that neither the of Cornell that
at the Institute of Technology in Boston, actually
prepares man (or woman) for the undertaking of
practical work in offices Of the finest class" In
the work of designing for silver, the words of Tiffa
ny & Co., explain themselves "We do not employ
women as designers, as to design iewelry success
fully requires some knowledge of its manufacture,
and we are not aware of any shop where such in
formation can be gained by women.' There is an
other difficulty for the consider alton Of energetic,
influential women. great change is necessary in
est possibilities of an industrial career. Among
the so-caled aristocracy, the men notwithstanding
their wealth arc generally working men, but upon
the women of this class, customs, the drifting de-
bris of older civilization still enforce dleness
In 1870, there were in the United States 500 900
women over sixteen years old who were not attend
ing school, not housekeepsrs, and not engaged in
any gainful occupation. The influence OF such
lives Sits down through all classes and is prolific
of untold evil in the lowest ranks. While expect
ing little from the unyielding habits of maturity
and age, but the girls hopeful and energetic what
may they not do? Let women OF competence take
up industrial pursuits and they at silence the
cry of unpopularity. The industrial arts offer to
such women fascinations manifold, while
the arts need them no less. Even pre-
cedent is not wanting. The names Of
Plantilla Brizio, of Anna Maria Schurmann, of
Mary Moses. Angelica Rauff and Felice de Fam
vean, stood high alike in society and art. These
are isolated examples but they prophetic o.
what womans' hand and brain should do in after
time. The paper concluded with quoting the poem
beginning, "What are we set ON earth for? Say to
toll, nor seek to leave thy tending of the vines.
The President announced that owing to the
lateness of the hour, there would not be oppor-
tunity for extended discussion of the subject
Rev. Antoinnette Brown Blackwell commented
ably, declaring that girls should consider it
disgraceful to be idlers, rather than to consid-
er, as is now the case. all industry 10 be de-
grading. Miss Sswall followed She was ac-
quainted with lady who took up wood carv-
ing and after years training, became able to
support herself at the business If instruction
were begun early in life in such work it would
be of much advantage often. The m Getting
was then adjourned until 10 a. m. to-day.
The following are additional arrivals:
Miss E. G. Lapham, Buffalo, guest of Mrs.
Geo. S. Hunt.
Miss E. G. Stewart of Hyde Park, Mass,
Miss Harriet A. Townsend, stopping at Fat
mouth Hotel.
Mrs. Lita Barney Sayles. Killingley, Conn,
(corrected). guest of Mrs j. P. Baxter.
Mrs. Caroline Severance, guest of Hon S.
E. Spring.
Mrs; General Lander, Washington, guest of
Mrs. j. 2. Baxter.
Mrs. Isabel G. Barrows (of the 'IChristian
Register, , at Mrs. Boyd's, Danforth street.
DIR. Maria Zaksyeuka of Boston and Miss
Sprague of Boston, both guests of Dr. Sarah
w. Devoll.
Mrs. Judge Dickerson of Belfast at DR.. De-
voll's.
Rev Lorenzo Haynes of Fairfield and Miss
A. Az Hicks of Belfast at Charlotte Thomss's.
The programme for to-day is as follows:
To-DAY's PROGRAMME.
80 P. M.-The Chinese Question from Wo-
mans Point OF View by Mrs Caroline NJ Severance
of California.
Records and results of preceding congress IS by
Mrs. Lita Barney Sayles of Connecticut.
8 P. M.-Regulations discriminating in favor of
single women against married women as teachers,
by Mrs. Mary E. Foster of Michigan.
Comparative effects health of professional,
fashionable and industrial life by DIR. Anna d.
French OF New York.
Henry p. Worcester.