New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-27
MIR HEWITT ON WOMEN'S wORR
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN DONE Sic SER
VICE
v.x suor,o NOT WOMEN ENTER THIS FIgLD AND

Hev ON
In this city Mr. Hewitt Is one Of the MANAGERS OF the
coo,cr Institute and as such has thorough knowledge
of the question he discussed He H. furthermore repro
OF all that is practical both In phahopy ana
the means which render IL possible What ne ssys IN re-
gard to the duty which working women ana girls owe to
themselves by entering OF employment tnat arc
open them and waiting to receive them instead OF
crowdng nto branches OF industry that are already over
stocked said In kindness and doubtless In the hope mat
his advice may have weight Mr. Hewitt Is In fact, ono
OF many citizens who believe that the greater the number
of respectable girls entering domestic service the higher
will be the standard OF snch service for II VIII become at
last just what they themselves make IT, lie maintains
that both the employers the employed will be benefited
by such sccessons He regards domestic service ~ thor
oughy honorable His belief Is that life In the household
presents fewer temptations thaa those which are asso
cated with other pursuits and that the surrounding In
Gnences are Ia every way He sces In doneSuc
servtce an unlimited Of employment for young
girls and docs hesitate to express his regret Mt tho
manifest indsposon their part % render Themselves
useful in pursuits for which they ara by nature specially
qualified
his views on this subject for publication. Mr. Hewitt
ceeruy consented being particular to state In adFancc'
however that spoke only In his capacity as pVae
citizen and not any the Mayoreect OF the city,
"Unquestionably." said Mr. Hewitt. 'the women not
only of this great city, Of ohor great cities are suffer-
ing from the want OF what to them acceptable occ
nations In the pursuit of which they may earn ven-
hood There comparatively few avenues open 70
women for employment and all hut one oil these II over
crowded There unlimited field for them In domestic
service my mind there is nothing Illuminating lie that
mode of earning ying On the conrar there Is moth
ing so well adapted the functions and characteristics OK
women "a occupations associated with inc housch"d anu
the family do think however. that society Is some
what to blame because Of barriers has erected In the
home against domestic servants. ltwoud IN my opoh'
no very fortunate thing indeed II the odfashioned rela
tionship between employer and employed In the family
| circle could be restored refer 10 tho
| tunes when the servants OF the ho"So-
| hold really formed part ef the isuiiy' oi"h-
times sitting at the table. Why at my mothers
table when was q boy the servant girl always sat az
the same table with the family We never felt or tried
TO make her feel that better than snc was
and she never set herself up the belief that she was
| any better than We We paid her the wages sue
| earned and she gave us In return her work
what is wanted appeal To the employers III tne
household to make the condition OF the domestic servant
more toleale and more TO respectable girls
In this way both Will be benefited beuer claSs vi
girls would be attracted to this home service and the en-
ployers would be gain Advantage thrcueh the
inevitable In the grade OF servants Seeking
er,nloyuent OF course what is known as fashionable
society could not undertake TO establish basis OF eqna
ity between and servant. or employer AN" e'n
ploycd within the social circle That IL not 10 DO OK
pected where ordinary common sense prevails III 'i'
country where individual merit may win the highest dis
tnciion and honors il is unnecessary to argue at Po
Rut what have said applies the great mass OF society
the country To express my meaning more p'"'"''
I will say that believe 1t possible for houseRcepers
wherever they occupy the position OF employers 10 rcer
their homes agreeable instead OF disasreeaoe '" .o
| eirls and women In their service. OF course tle
fr. aim and may say the natural aim. OF woman u mar
riaceto become wife and mother. and as such he cen
tire of interest ia family But all women cannot
o at any rate do not get married yet even falling 70 90
co. the true mission OF woman Is still WITHIN the iSh
1 latina tn he
. put continued Mr. Hewitt 90 long there Is such
large BODY of women seeking occupation In other drec
TONS il is the duty Of intelligent eluzen ana every
benevolent Institution to do all they can TO anod iac
| tiles for their employment The Cooper Institute
| was founded that purpse among other tings' VIC
o.an viii, the Art School which immense success,
and il has led TO the establishment Of similar institutions
all over the United States Hundreds OF women are ed'f
Gated every year who get remuncratNe anu cof
genial employment We have added teegraphy and
senoeraphy and typewrtng and with admirable results
But il is simply impossible society to absorb In TINS
direction the great surplus OF who must earn the
own livelihood. For tlese there remains the unlimited
resource of domestic employment for all VINO VIII
they win not seek t." was sagges,ted asS and %t
them This being the is it not true that owing 70
the great supply they ground down 70 low wages Wy
henr dependent upon what they earn and HAVING
Others dependent upon thom for support they are oi'e
we replied Mr. Hewitt law can put G ,s i
into employers into bnyes That must an De Of f Constant
adnontion from the Church The class OF work nave
1seSG 70 have OPEN the 70 sreaie e possible sympathy
with the poor girls and women who became exposed te
market but, the other hand, have neither symlsihy
with those who enter upon life % shane no
est livelihood In a that seems far preferable
that which many Of them choose si their oMn tSe great
number of young girlsEI mean girls from twelve v9
:ss$i "5' Sass:s ;Ss
there somsthng radically wrong at the bottom onS
society in this city Hence mai MAXI the pc bo%es
people their daily bread more stn set
I'VE os aresicns as this iSr that
exist they win only Sss I ssoi SS
they win command much more interest on inc part OF
hearers and better results , ~o s ee ia e past In
paper read at the Church Congress In Ci""au LII "'o
The harch ministers and above all It's intel
ngent aymen. engaged In attsrscan hasten ts Son
| coming by efforts enlghien both those VINO employ
l. and those who employed to point ont tnat ueusn
are evil ns yot i 4ss nls e D has - been Steady
! resistble. unmstable prostsss IA ,ne M @ ~, "a n
other thatthe strife which has been 80 eospc
GUS instead Of being an Indication OF the
and society Is the violence OF
ward better state Of things and that ,he QUESTIONS po
entsd although s at Is t. g1o% oa When
comfort the patriot console ths phnahihiop'' """ Gu
!" ST11sre i no question in my Judgment. which the
Church could take hold OF with much glory TO nseli
and with such large resulting ~yan,age TO society ms tas
which pertains the Improvement III the CONDITION oi .o
workirg,xomen As citizen an, glad 10 see an asia
tiou of the subject These poor tolnS gris anu women
need not only sympathy but our practical ~ %
efforts But women aid ms in oar efforts I'd heP
them by following counsel rather than ~ ops'l-
uatciy refusing into other equally hohoaoic Pur
suits -.
al will mention an Illustration enc curious esiarc as
socated with the operations OF the cooper iisuue
take these young girls. and glad to take thcm nta
ON Arr school for the purpose ot educatng them 80 th'
they may be qualified 10 their own living Inc no
sulf is they are made cultivated aud neined thai
they are snapped up like hot cakes by worthy Young e
they married within after leaving
the SCHOOL instead VI earning their own LIVING As they