Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-03-28

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Written for the SENTINEL.
SERVANT GIRL-ISM.


Mr.. Editor, why the wages now demand
ed by female domestic servants should be
nearly double what they were twenty
five or thirty years agol Their expenses
are certainly no greater, indeed they
should not be as great, clothing of all
kinds being cheaper now than ever be-
fore. Yet they not only demand higher
wages, but are unwilling to perform the
same amount or kind of work, and often
appear Indifferent as to whether they are
employed or not, seeming to consider it
favor to work for their employer even
on their own terms.
In the free States before the war
where Irish "help' was generally en-
ployed, servant of all work did not
dream of asking more than So or SO
per month for her services On this
sum she dressed not only comfortably,
but was oftener accused of copying too
closely the styles and patterns Of her
mistress milliner and dress-maker. She
WINS 'also able tslay by sufficient TO bring
over from the Old Country her parents
or other members Of her family
For several years there seems to be II
growing complaint in all sections of
difficulty in procuring good servants,
few white native American girls seek
such employment as n means of liveli-
hood, and most Of the foreign applicants
for such positions are unframed and Of
ten unreliable in other respects.
Since the war and the breaking up of
the domestic relations between servant
and mistress, the South has suffered in
similar manner to the North in respect
TO procuring good lomcstcs The race
Of well instructed colored "mammies"
of the olden time having grown scarce,
it is extremely difficult to procure even
third-rate servant of any kind The
young ones not having the opportunities
for instruction as they formerly had in
the well-appointed kitchens of their old
hsmes.
The colored "help" Of the present
day, in this city at all events, is gener-
ally the embodiment Of ignorance. inso-
lcnce and apeishncss. Dressed in rich
secondhand garments, adorned with
dollar, jewelry, her feet crowded into
high heeled shoes much too small for her,
she applies for situation with non
chalance that appear to be Indifference,
OF course she prefers Il place where there
are other servants, and does not expect
to remain in the house after dark. No
Washington "colorcd LADY, would feel
herself free did she not occupy at least u
room apart from her place Of work No
matter how filthy tho surrounding, how
distant or unhealthy the locality. all the
persuasion and presents that can be Of
forcd will seldom tempt one to deprive
herself Of cher ROOM" from which she ,
Gun set forth nights, dressed in her best.
to visit her fayorite "si'oty," or 10 attend
dance or cake walk, making her ap-
pearancc next morning untitled for the
duties of the day. To this room she
often conveys D goodly portion Of the
contents of her employers larder and
linen closet, and, il she is nurse, prob
ably takes her young charges thither 10
breathe the polluted air, ard perhaps fall
victims to some contagious disease.
No doubt the Indifference to wo:k and
the iDsolence displayed by colored PEG.
pie, especially young women, is greatly
owing to their free schools. do not
wish to depreciate education. but the
experiment Of educating the masses is
AZ old IN the hills, and such "occr edu-
cation" long since proved an evil
II is reasonable to suppose that Miss
Dinab Snow, just from school, where
she has at least acquired smattering Of
learning, feels little inclined 10 take
orders from the grocer's wife, whose
educational requirements are limited 10
the three RS. Being a woman, she
presumes on tho privileges Of her sex,
is impertinent, while her brother, better
informed as to the ways of the world,
is more polite, and being generally re-
spcctful, finds employment and prosperS.
With rare exceptions does the educa-
ton Of the young colored woman help
her TO earn living Such must have
been tho opinion Of the "old time" Aunty
who declared, in speaking Of the cduca-
ton Of her race, "Grammer and clean
corners never go togcdder." The want
OF modest bearing, the instruction 10
useful domestic duties that their mothers
received, proves, that 10 their case at
least, "a little learning has proved u
dangerous thing"
Let all our girls, white aud colorcd.
study kitchen as well as political economy,
TO cook roots as well an 10 do sums 10
cube. II they are we'll to do, they will
then be enabled to direct their servants