The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-07-12
WOMEN IN ENGLAND.
Pal Mall Budget.

Std4a Duokct.f
 "Of all the benefits that could be con- fered upon England" said Lord Shaftes- bury the other day, none would be so great as the emigration of from 200 900 to 500, 900 women." Even after 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 helds of industry hitherto monopolized by men. Among others. they are daily making their way as clerks and bookkeepers. The market for clerical labor is cverstocked, but wo- mans work is cheaper than mans, and she makes her way. As bookkeepers in hotels. restaurants and boarding houses, as we'll as in many shops, women are pre- ferred to male clerks. Properly to quail fly herself for the post i; is necessary hist that girl should have sound middle-class education : and then tha. 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 to enable almos, any gir, to at- tend. After an attendance for four or five months a, any of these classes girl has generally acquired the principles of bookkeeping. On entering a situation the payment begins mostly at 10 shillings per week, and rises to 5 and 70 shillings. Higher salaries are paid to bookkeepers with some knowledge of French, German or shorthand. the maximum payment be- ing 100. Residen. situations vary from the above in several respects. The sal- ay is, of course, lower, and as a rule there are no fixed hours. The Sundays have also partly to be spent in the house. Situations in business are therefore pref erable. In such the hours are on an av- craze from g till :. In trades. especially with butchers. grocers, fishmongers, etc. |. the hours are later, the booking often be- ing done after the rest of the work is oyer. 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 by lady who has kep, books for half a century in the fact that women are more trustworthy than men, and that embezzle- ments have never to her knowledge oc- cured where woman kept the books. |" Besides adds the old lady, women work for less money than men. How ever they are much better paid than they were years ago. Yes. yes; bookkeepers arc getting on, and will ge, on better" And with a cheerful nod and a bright smile the veteran bookkeeper turns to her life's work and begins to write.
 As yei, however, the experiment Of employing men and women together as clerks. as they are employed together in shops and in the telegraph service, is re- garded as rather hazaidous one. Why this should be we do not exactly know, but that it is so is indubitable It can hardly be more dangerous to be in counting house together than in shop, but the rule is very strict. Take, for in- stance. one of the best places of the kind, that of the Prudential Insurance company in Holbon, where ISo female clerks are constantly employed. There is no com munication between the clerks of differ ent sexes the hours of work are arranged in such way as to prevent them from meeting when coming or leaving there is separate entrance for each. and the wo- mems apartments are in different par. of the building. lfsuch severe restrictions are necessary, the field of female industry will aslo be much restricted. The experience of the telegraph department is that they are unnecessary. and that morality gains rather than loses when men and women work together.