The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-11-10
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The irrepressible servant question
comes again to the front. Theories ano
speculaions do little good. when the
stubborn fact remains that female heir
is becoming scarcer and more diffcult
to obtain year by year. The independent
American girl who formerly ''went ont
to help" in families on a social and intel.
lectual equality with herself, now wends
her way to the shop and factory. The
Irish, Norwegian and Swedish maidens
have taken her place, but the brightest
and most capable, of the last especially,
are rapidly learning sewing and dress
making. Ask them why. and they inva-
riably say that the work is SO hard they
cannot stand 1t. They break down re-.
peatedly; and it must be granted that
the kind of housework which, in few
months breaks down the hardy young
Swedish women. who in their own coun-
try were accustomed to heavy field labor,
must certainly be very arduous. It
should be remembered that homework
is not now what it was thirty or even ten
years ago. Some kinds of work have
generally gone out of the household, like
butter and cheese making; but into their
places are endless complication in
methods of cooking, serving ,laundrying.
etc., has come. In small and innocent
looking house containing small family,
there is work enough to occupy the time
of two servants if the establishment is
kept up in style" as most of them aim
to be. The first and greatest reason why
there is so much trouble about the ser.
want question is that the work is too
hard for any woman to perform long
without giving out. This is what has
driven American girls ont of the kitchen.
They are neat, handy and intelligent,
but they could not stand il; and, for
tunately for themselves, they have had
sense and independence to get out of it.
There has been great deal of senseless
talk, emanating principally from men
who know little about the practical
aspects OF the subject, bsmoan1ng the
fact that American girls desert their
rlghtful sphere of pleasant and profitable
household labor TO exhaust themselves
IN factories and shops, while pleasant
places are waiting for them and gentle
mlstresses are holding out welcoming
hands. Now<all this sounds very plausi-
BILE, but there is no truth in it. Each
department of shop or factory work is
simply In itself, and is immensely easier
than housework in its present compli.
Gated condition. The factory girl works
hard or 10 hours day, but she rest of
her time is her own to rest. walk. read
or amuse herself as she will, and SO with
the shop girl; while the servant girl
usually rises at or 5 o'clock in the
morning and is at the call of the mistress
and other members of the family until
. or 10 at night, having only such leisure
even IN the evening. as is granted by the
mistress upon earnest application. Her
work is not distinctly laid out for her, as
1t Is In any other vocation; but she must
be at the personal beck and nod OF half
dozen people every day. besides sub
mlttlng, as rule, to unjust criticism
and fault finding.
Women are worse served than men.
also, because, in their heretofore
and unbusinesslike life, they
have failed to learn the common busi-
ness principles on which man EMPLOYS
another to do his work for him. If the
work is well done. that is enough; if
poorly, the workman is discharged
is not retained, followed about, naeoed
and scolded from morning till night. |
The American girl would werk in the
kitchen. il she were required to do the |
work OF only one woman, and that with |
in reasonable hours, and if she were
treated as well in the household as in
the shop.
This is not to be construed as pointing
10 the other extreme which has occasion
ally appeared in print of late-that of |
placing the servant on social equality |
with the lady of the house. 4 writer in
Ihe Woman's Journal went so far the |
other day as to declare that she would |
have no girl in her house whom she /
oould not introduce to her company. seat |
st her table, and treat as social eoual |
in every respect. This kind of talk |
quickly becomes the catchword OF the |
ignorant, and easily obscures the truth. |
The Declaration of Independence SAYS /
that all men are created free and equal. |
SO they are In respect to the personal |
rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness; but in a social and intellect
nal sense no law or declaration under the
sun can make some people equal or COM
panlonable. The ordinary servant girl
s not socially or intellectually the equal
ot the educated and refined lady. It is
possible, IN this country, for one who
has been servant girl to go to school.
sducate herself. use the means of culture
y rapidly as she can attain them. and
use to plane higher than her mistress
sver occupied; but by that time she |
would have found other and more con-
genial and remunerative employment
han is to be found in the kitchen. There
8 no objection to any ones rising as high
- she can, but as long az girl is q SER
7ant it plays mischief with both her and
ler mistress to pirate about an impossible
social equality between them. What an
dea that lady must take for compan-
on girl simply because she paws her
or doing her work! Men do not do so.
u man hires a gardener, coachman.
'r salesman, he does not necessarily
invite him to his dinners, balls or par-
les. The wages, with courteous treat
nent, are supposed to lie fair eouiya-
emit for the work done.
So it should be with women. But
citing the question of social eoualitv /,
side, there is another grave reason why
aides do not wish servants to sit at their
able or be always in the family circle.
servant is not O natural member of the
amiIy. At table and by the fireside
amily matters are discussed and plans
To have another party pres.
mt throws restraint over the family cir
lie, or il they talk freely they may be
ure that all they say will be reported at !