The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-12
woMAN's WORK.
Teaching and Sewing Not the Only oc-
cupations-Three Hundred Others.

work for food, ralment andlshelter the de-
mand usually comes suddenly and the
poorest work is gladly accepted. Yet the
editor OF the new Business Womdn's
Journal says that woman in the United
States is in more than 800 different occu-
pations. Here are some Of her suggestions:
"What shall do? This is the question
that is being asked more frequently than
any other by the women OF today. Happy
is she to whom it has not been presented
too late TO insure to her freedom ofcholce.
How many have uttered these words with
cry OF despair AS they have suddenly
found themselves face TO face with grim
necessity, compelled to earn their bread
without one hour OF preparation Tor their
work. What can they do but rush into
the crowded ranks Of unskilled labor and
receive the pittance that such work COM
| mands2
NEARLY every profession has at last
thrown open its doors TO women. They
may become physicians, lawyers, clergy
men, journalists, artists, authors, sculptors,
dentists, druggists, trained nurses, teleg-
raphers, stenographeB, typewrlters, ac-
countants, bookkeepers, chashier3, famr-
agents, brokers and presidents OF horse
railroad companies and banks. In fact
| they are now eligible to almost any EN-
ployment in which men are engaged, and
in addition to these many others peculiar
10 their sex. Statistics show that in the
| city OF Philadelphia women are actually
employed in every business in which men
are engaged. IL would seem, therefore, as
| ha for I'M m
unwise selection.
"Yet 1t is true that with all these oppor-
tunities the tendency on the part OF the
mass Of women is 10 leave the new fields
untried and rush into those employments
TO which they first gained access and
which are most easily learned. So much
is this the case that some avocations which
two years ago were considered new en-
Payments for women, are now ~ over
crowded us teaching has been in the past
Tho consequence has been, Of course, Il
lowering of salaries. This is true Of the
business Of teegraphy.
"Ten years ago q woman expert ut the
wire could earn $40 a month, now operators
of the same ability receive from so to $50
amonth. Scattered throughout the country
are telegraph Offices under the entire charge
of women, many Of which do a business
in which millions Of dollars are involved
Yet, although the responsibility placed
upon them is so great that some OF them
find il almost impossible TO be absent from
their posts for day, most Of them receive
no higher salaries than 5000 n year, and
some less. The salary given 10 a beginner
is SO a month. How long an operator $
salary will continue at that figure, after
she has gained experience, is always a
matter OF uncertainty. An instance has
come TO my knowledge OF one VINO re-
manned In the employ OF the Western
Union two years at the salary OF s25 a
month, with which she commenced. work
ing as most, II not all other operators OF
that company do, from s o'clock in the
morning until six O'Clock at night. This
state Of affairs is undoubtedly due 10 the
rush OF women into the business Of tele-
graphy. IL is no wonder that operators
of the other sex at first opposed this in
noyation. But Il was for the interest OF
the great company that women should be
employed. The young men have found
this opposition rs futile rs all other at
tempis at self assertion. Now. in the great
building on the corner OF Dcy street and
Broadway, they work contentcdly beside
the woman operators. Many OF them. IN.
deed, have found IL wiser 90 compromise
matters and enter into life partnership
with their lair companions, their Joint
earnings in some cases not exceeding
what was formerly earned by men experts
alone. The effect Of an over supply il
more ruinous in this business than any
other. from the fact that the telegraphers
hold their positions at the option OF a
great monopoly.
"Is II not better, therefore, before an
swering this momentous question OF
what shall / dog 10 look carefully over
the field, This Is wisdom on the part Of
all, whether driven by necessity or choice
10 seek an occupation. Unfortunately
most women in seeking employment have
only one idea in view aud that il 10 earn
money "a soon as possible. The result il
that business Il oyerrun with the unskill
ful in every department Of labor. This In.
efficiency Is perhaps eNcusable in the poor
girl who finds herself suddenly thrown
upon her own resources with starvation
staring her in the face, but young women
who have both time and means for a good
education are greatly 10 blame when they
TAIL 10 select wisely, and then learn
thoroughly the business OF their choice.
professional life, with lis long years OF
study aud writing. should only be selected
by those who have either capital or nm.
limited energy andcnthusiasm, aud withal
love OF study and an ever present desire
for advancement. TO such as these the
professions OF law. medicine aud Journal.
ism, with their ineNhausiible fields of
research, offer not only employment but
ever recurring delight This Is equally
true OF the study OF music aud art In all
Of these the student must be a lover. not n
slave. When her work begins TO assume
the form Of drudgcry let her abandon il at
once and take up n merely mechanical oc.
cupaiion. The young woman who has not
sufficient talent to justify the devotion OF
her time 20 high art may vet, ii she have
artistic taste. learn many kinds OF business
In which that taste may be successfully
applied;
"ln decorative work, especially, women
excel. Many OF them are now earning
excellent salaries In decorative pottery.
Tho fashion Of having menu aud invita-
ton cards highly decorated has furnished
lucrative employment for many women.
Decorators Of plush are also in great dc.
mand. There are probably thousands who
/ attempt decorative work and fail 10 find
employment Their failure IA usually due
| Ga the fact that they arc either devoid of
artistic taste, that they have not taken
/ sufficient time 90 educate themselves for
the work, or that they do not know how
| 30 find employment.
"ln the preparation Of catalogues Of
machinery, etc, women can be employed
most successfully first, in making the
drawings, and, secondly, In engraving the
plates