The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-07-25
The "Girl" Question.

yet important questions of the day is the
girl question; the problem of how the
work of the household is to be done, and
how more efficient help is to be procured
and kept. The decay of the home spirit
is decay that is to be greatly deplored.
Whatever saps that foundation is work
ing ruin in the moral, social, political,
educational, and religious foundations of
the world. There ought to be hands,
and heads, and hearts enough on our
great continent to save us from this ruin,
and to secure for our people the privileges
of home life.
But the trouble is, most of us wish to
be freed from all cares, and responsible
ties, and perplexities on the subject. We
do not wish to eight and run away" in
order that we may live to renew the
eight another day." but to run away and
abandon the fight altogether. The plan
of having cooperative kitchens seems to
be quite seriously mooted, so that we may
have our cooking "done OUT" then with
the laundrying "done out" the educating
of the children "done out" the sewing
"done out" etc., there really will not
seem to be very much left to be "done
in," nor, indeed, much individuality left
in the home.
Women are not convinced, often and
eloquently as they are told it, that their
true mission, their right divine and I'M
questionable" is to create good, true,
pure, beautiful homes. Yet the woman
who can create home that her husband
will carry in his heart all day and return
to gladly at night; home in which her
children grow into all beautiful right
living and right-thinking; to which a
friend can come, and feel rested and
strengthened, and the wayfarer recall as
blessed oasis, is a woman who has per-
formed the highest mission on earth.
Her influence is not confined and cir
cumscribed.
1t is essential that each home should
have its own distinct individuality; and
that it should be we'll and comfortably
except" The art of /" keeping house" is
only part of the necessary means to an
end, but it is an important, even though
subordinate part. The cooking of food,
the washing of dishes, and the setting of
tables, the sweeping, busting, bed-making,
ETC., must be done; and there appears to
be great dearth of means to have them
comfortably well done.
A revolution in a certain household
after an uneasy reign of servants seems
to suggest possible solution of the prob
lem. A tall and slender young girl, with
quiet, lady-like ways, entered the family
to do the "general housework," and she
does it quietly and faithfully. She al
ways speaks promptly and pleasantly
| when it Is necessary or when she is ad-
| dressed, but she never intrudes herself or
her remarks. She is self-respecting and
| dignitied; and she is respected, and, ah !
how heartily approved and appreciated.
| She has her faults; but who of us has
not ?
That this happy adjustment of house
hold labor is not oftener seen is due to
two evils. The most evident one is that
our American girls lose sight of what is
due to others in their determination to as
sert their own position and dignity; that
they seem rude and forward when they
attempt any such occupation. They fail
to realize that their very self-assertion is
their own humiliation, and that the posi-
ton, whatever it may be, does not honor
or dignity the person, but that it is the
individual that dignifies the position.
If it were not considered disgrace to
perform the essential labor in home, to
do homework if it were instead, thought
to be not only respectable but COM
mendable occupation, one of the greatest
objections to accepting such positions
would be removed. Then, undoubtedly,
our own American girls-than whom
none are capable of being more apt and
adaptive-would help us in the solution
of one of our greatest national difficulties
Our homes must be saved to us; their do.
mesticity, their individuality, their sane
tity, must be rescued from the evils that
threaten them and our girls, too, must
be saved from the exposure and the
temptation, from the want, despair, and
sin which are now an appalling evil.
But the second trouble is to find mis-
tresses capable of taking the charge and
" oversight" of their own household
arrangements, and willing to do it. They
must be prepared to take young girls and
give them necessary instructions. They
must remember that they have human
souls to deal with, not mere machines
and must deal with them with the faith
fulness and justice they desire to receive
in return.
There is deep social problem under
meath this difficulty. 1t cannot be solvec
by TRADE against poor servants or pool
mistresses. Cooking-schools for ladies Oh
cooks will not relieve us. Editorials di
rected to woman's incapacity and extrava
gance will hardly touch the matter. Mer
must be DESTROYS to have homes; they
must leave competition when they leave
their store, and be content to breakfast
and dine, and sup in homely way
High seasoning must be taken from oul
tables, and the spice of variety must be
like other spices, more sparingly used
Meals la Russo drawing-rooms, parlors
reception-rooms, boudoirs, ETC., filled with
bric-a-brac; gowns of delicate fabric put
together with countless stitches-cannot
be the daily food, SHELTER and raiment fol
a family conducted in "homely way
We must curtail these things or give uT
sweet, quiet, restful, wholesome, loving
homes.
Tha Iaot Eira 10 nrakI StooI,