West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-12-14
FEMALE AMANUENsEs.
Some of the Many Requirements They
Are Expected to Possess.

Some of the Many Requirements They
Are Expected to Possess.
From the Photographic World
To be an acceptable amanuensis
you must ~ be an expert writer OF
shorthand: (2) and expert operator
on the typewriter: (3) a fair pen
man: (4) a good English scholar,
and (5) good girl. Perhaps you
think the last requirement the easi-
est, and so it is-to a good girl.
But to be good girl in the sense L
mean is something more than being
good natured, obliging, truth-loving,
or even faithful. All these you
must be beyond them you must be a
person whose presence as well as
whose work is desirable. In homely
phrase, you must be just that kind
of girl whom people like to "have
around" There is no objection to
your being pretty-if you can't
help it; but if you should happen
to be pretty, don't presume on your
good looks, nor imagine that they
will in any way atone for your
shortcomings. A sweet smile from
bright face delights any man of
sense; but, if there is nothing be-
hind it, it does not go far.
1t is every girls privilege-it
ought never to be spoken of as a
duty-to dress becomingly. The
girl amanuensis is dressed becom-
ingly when she is dressed appropri-
ately to her business; and to be
thus dressed need not detract a
single charm from her loveliness; in
fact. it will only add TO her lowell
ness. 1t is begging the question to
say that girl should be neat, both
in her attire apd in her person;
that her hands should be clean, hel
finger nails well trimmed, her hair
properly arranged, her teeth clean
and white, and her breath sweet.
She should have no bad habits, not
even the habit of gum chewing, and
she should be lady in all that the
word implies.
The girl amanuensis need never
be nuisance: but on the other
hand, she should make herself as
welcome and desirable in her bust
ness as she is in her home. To do
this she has only to be helpful, and
to be helpful is not to be unpleasant
ly aggressive, nor to be over anx-
ious and fidgety. Least of all is it
to be prevailing and effusive-to
"stand around" like a superservicea-
BILE clown in a circus, seeming to do
everything while really doing moth
ing. Repose is the quality best fit
ted to the girl amanuensis, or to the
girl ANYTHING; repose of manner that
so well BELTS softness of speech and
ouietness and efficiency of action.
The young lady who speaks in a
high key and with loud voice,
who slams doors after her, and adj
vertises her coming and going by
the ringing of bells or the blowing of
whistles, might pass for weak i'm
itation of q locomotive, but she
would in nowise impress one as be-
ing q good office companion or an
effective worker. The best work is
that which is done with the clearest
understanding and the least fuss.
To do things without seeming to do
them, and to attract attention
through things accomplished rather
than through the mechanism by
which they are accomplished, is the
secret of acceptableness.
The presence of the girl aman-
uensis should be felt rather than
observed; and when, for any cause,
she is absent from her post, those
whom she serves should miss her.
not from the greater quiet that has
come to them, but from a realizing
sense that something sweet and
pleasant has dropped out Of their
routine: that the Office is more
gloomy and less attractive, and that
somehow things don't get on as
they should.