St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-01-01
How Are Women and Girls to
Earn a Living.
BY FRANCES J. DYER.

| BY FRANCES j. D1 En-.
| In rely to this question asked in a
religious exchange aud there called an
"insoluble enigma" | would suggest,
! in the first place, that women and girls
must be educated to more sensible
views OH this whole subject of selfsup-
port. When they are willing to re-
gard any honest employment with ia
vor and will refrain from silly dscrim-
| nations between work that is Gladly
| like" and work that is "vulgar," doors
of usefulness will open on every hand.
! Scarcely month passes in which |
am not importuned, both personally
and by letter, to assist girls in getting
something to do on newspaper"
which vague expression when ana
| lived. is found to be Il desire to write
articles, and never a wish to learn
/ type setting, or to do any of the rOu-
tine drudgery which is an. essential
part of newspaper life. These young
women usually point to Miss Phelps,
or Miss AlcOtt, or Mary l.. Booth, as
| illustrations of how easy it is to com
mand high wages as an author or edi-
tor; they fasten their eyes on the pres
ent position of these distinguished
writer's, but overlook entirely the long
and thorny road of earnest effort by
which they have attained such an en-
inence. Probably every reader of this
article who is in position to give en-
plOyment can testify to the fact that
hundreds apply for, and expect to re-
ceive places at the top, without any
previous training, but who quite re-
sent any proposition to begin at the
foot of the ladder.
Now, to the women and girls who
are honestly DESTROYS to earn their lIv-
ing in ways that are not crowded with
applicants, would like to offer few
suggestions founded upon cases which
have come under my own observation.
First. there is the training school for
nurses. Three years ago young lady
graduate of western college entered
the lists in the Boston city hospital to
learn the art of nursing. She took her
place with the others, claiming no IA
vOrs because of superior education or
social advantages, submitted to the
necessary discipline without n muir
muir, and performed the unpleasant
duties with the same cheerful spirit as
the more agreeable tasks. At the end
of two years she received her diploma,
and what is more to the point, flat
tering offer from the superintendent to
fill position of peculiar honor and re-
sponsibility. Declining this, however,
she returned west to apply her knowl-
edge in even a broader field of inhu-
ence. And yet. when this branch of
usefulness is recommended tn the av-
erage girl, she rejects it with scorn.
Only last week it was my privilege
to have an interesting conversation
with woman who is engaged i'll pOul-
try raising. For some years she was
in the family of II college president,
not AS servant, but in every way rs
an equal; but her health becoming
impaired by an indoor life, she retired
to Il farm in New Hampshire and en-
tered into the poultry business. Last
wear she Matched out 1000 chickens,
snd received a handso no income from
the sale of eggs ANA poultry. She is
finely educated, aud takes pride i'll
studying the best scientific books aud
that will aid in her work
She gave personal oversight to the
construction of a hennery, and no one
accuses her of being any less a lady
because of her ability to give intelligent
directions to workmen. Another case
in mind is that of widow with one
son. After completing a course of
study at an agricultural college, the
young man looked about for means to
support himself and mother. TOgeth-
er they make butter and supply one or
two boarding houses, besides few
private families, from their modest
dairy. They receive what is termed
Clancy" price, and why9 Because
they pay the most careful attention to
details, and whatever comes from their
hands bears the marks of nicely. One
young woman has made a speciality of
Strawberries, securing the
patronage of a few families every sea
son, who prefer her berries to those
that come from market. Still another,
an enthusiastic botanist, has met with
so much success in Horticulture as to be
able to build a greenhouse of quite
respectable dimensions and to hire a |
gardener for doing the heavy work.
Nellie Rossiter's wonderful achieve |
ments in the line of silk culture is a
hint of what other girls may accom-
plish in the same direction.
Then, despite the almost universal |
objection to housework, there are ex-
cellent openings in lovely Christian J