Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-08-08
,tl.srrllaneons.
Women In England.
THEIR EMPLOYMENT AS CLERKS AND
BoOKKEEPERs-SALA PAID.

..Of all the benefits that could be con-
ferred upon England" said Lord Shaft
esburv the other dav. ''none would De so
great as the emigration of from 2OO.OO
to SOC. 900 women Even alter that
drastic operation there would still remain
a surplus of nearly half million women
over men in the United Kingdom. This
naturally leads to the encroachment OF
women upon many fields of industry hltn-
| erto monopolized bv men. Among others
they are daily making their way as clerks
and bookkeepers The market for elerl-
| cal labor is overstocked, but woman 5
work is cheaper than man :, and she makes
her way. As bookkeepers 10 hotels, res
taurants and boarding houses. as well as
in many shops. women are preferred 10
male clerks Properly to qualify herself
| for the post it is necessary hrst that glrl
shouId have a sound. middle-class educa-
| ton and then that, after leaving school,
she should attend a bookkeeping class, OF
which several are held in different parts
| Of London, The classes are generally
| held after the usual working hours, so as
not to interfere with other employment,
and The fees are low enough 10 enable
almost any girl to attend. After an atten-
dance of four or five months at any OF
these classes a girl has generally acquired
the principles of bookkeeping. On enter
! ing "a situation the payment begins mostly
at 10 shillings per week and rises to 10
and 20 shillings. Higher salaries are paid
to nookkeepers with some knowledge OF
French, German or shorthand, the maxi
mum payment being flOO. Resident sit
uations vary from the above in several re-
spects The salary Is, OF course. lower,
and. "a a rule, there are no liked hours.
| The SUNDAYS have also partly 10 be
spent in the house. Situations in bus
mess are therefore preferable, In
such the hours are on an aver
age from 9 till Z. In trades, especially
with butchers, grocers, fish mongers, etc,
the hours are later, the booking OF ten
being done after the rest of the work is
over. Bookkeepers employed in all the
different branches OF the work have told
me that the work is easy, and that they
are without exception treated with kind
ness and consideration. The reason for
preferring women bookkeepers is given
bv lady who has kept books for halt a
century in the fact that women are more
Trustworthy than men, and that embeZzle-
lleHtS NAVE never " HCl huo"lOuSO w
cured where "A woman kept the books.
"Besides," adds the old lady, women
work for less money than men. However,
they are much better paid than they were
years ago. Yes, yes; bookkeepers are
getting on, and will get on better And
with a cheerful nod aud bright smile the
veteran bOokkeeper turns TO her lite's
work and begins to write.
As yet, however, the experiment of en-
ploying men and women together as clerks
as they are employed together in shops
and in the telegraph service, is regarded
as rather hazardous one. Why this
should be we do not exactly know, but
that it is so is indubitable. 1t can hardly
be more dangerous to be in a counting
house together than to be in shop, but
the rule is very strict. Take for instance,
one OF the best places of the kind. that of
the Prudential insurance company in Hol-
born. where $50 female clerks are con-
stantly employed. There is no communi-
cation between the clerks of different
SEXES; the hours of work are arranged in
such a way as to prevent them from meet
ing when coming or leaving; there is
separate entrance for each, and the wOm-
ems apartments are in a different part of
the building. If such severe restrictions
are necessary. the field of female industry
will also be much restricted. The expe
rience of the telegraph department is that
they are unnecessary, and that morality
gains rather than loses when men and
women work together.-PaU Nal Budget.