Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-09-15
FEMININE ToTLERS.
WALKS OF LIFE IN WHICH SOME
WOMEN EARN THEIR BREAD.
Views of Practical workers-Type-wr Writ
ers, Sale women and Typesetters
Give Their Opinions.

1
appointed mercantile office down town, and
before typewriting machine of one of the
most approved patterns sat bright and
blooming little somebody, who, for thep past
FIVE years, has tripped over the bridge
daily in shine or shower to earn an excel.
lent salary from the firm who employ her
as frst-class stenographer and type,
writer.
ais typewriting good vocation for
young womenp asked Grace Conroy, the
expert lady interviewer of the New York
Star, who was out gathering information,
and whose story we give in her own lam
guage. The question was echoed by the
winsome little operative as she leaned
| back in her chair and smiled meditatively
before replying to my question. well,
| that depends upon circumstances" she an
swered. You know, if young woman is
simply typewriter, with no knowledge OF
stenography, she cannot hope to receive
more than very moderate wages, and may,
indeed, find considerable difficulty in OBJ
tanning employment. Since | began this
| kind of work you have no idea how the
schools for instruction in typewriting have
multiplied, and the result has been sur
plus of applicants, and now, besides, most
| business men require girl to be a stenog-
rapher as well as typewriter. One who is
only typewriter cannot earn more than
Sc or So a week, and even at that low
| figure her services are in demand only In
the offices of insurance companies or other
corporations, where it is not unusual for a
large number of girls to be thus employed
Business men and lawyers pay the best sal
aries, but they have little use for girl
who is not tolerably expert in stenography
too"
"But is it not very difficult to become an
expert in stenography?" l asked.
81 think one must have a knack for it,
although the people who give instruction
generally maintain that any one can ac-
guire it who brings industry and persever-
ence to bear upon her endeavors. But |
am convinced to the contrary and feel war
ranted in saying that perhaps only one in
twenty-five of the girls who try to learn
stenography succeed in acquiring even the
moderate amount of skill essential to hold
position in a mercantile Office, to say
nothing of the ability required for such
work as the reporting of public speakers,
which forms the most difficult part of a
stenographer's vocation"
| The little woman gazed through the
glass windows Of the partition which sepa-
rated us from the Office, in which a broad
shouldered, good looking man was leisurely
| smoking cigar with a high white hat on
the back of his head, and continued, with
a suspicion of sarcasm in her quiet smile
"You see, one advantage possessed by a
| girl in mercantile office is that the aver.
age business mans range of ideas is not
particularly wide, and his vocabulary is
equally limited consequently the stenog-
| rapher's work consists in daily repeti-
tion of almost the same ideas, expressed in
practically the same language; and So
when she once gets into the rut, as you
may say, the task becomes comparatively
simple"
''But your hours are shorter than is the
case with most of US working women, and
you have pleasant surroundings" | re.
marked.
The pointed toe of her tiny foot, en-
! cased in a little Newport tie traced out the
pattern on the Turkish rug which covered
| the center of the parquet floor, and, rails
| ing her pretty arm and shaking back a
dozen little silver bangles from her wrist,
| she assented.
"That is true. The usual time for be-
ginning work is 9 o'clock, and continues
rarely beyond o'clock in the evening
while think most of us finish work about
4 or 5, but some disagreeable old curmudg.
cons, who are convivIaily inclined during
the middle of the day, postpone the writing
of their letters till the last moment. This
entails necessity for rushing the work on
the part of the typewriter in order to fin.
ish in time for the dispatching of the
mails"
"But if girl is fairly competent as a
stenographer and skilllul as a typewriter
does she receive a comfortable compensa-
tion?"
"Ges, as women's wages go. 1t pay.
better, generally speaking, than standing
behind the counter of n retail store, and
must, suppose, be much more agreeable
| think there are are few occupations fol
women in which better wages can bt
earned, but, you know, that is not saying
a great deal. A skilled stenographer anc
typewriter can be obtained for from $40 tC
Sl2 week. They generally begin at 8
lower salary, and one who earns $l2 q
week must be able to work rapidly and
accurately. OF course some of us get bet
ter salaries-many perhaps earn from SIS
to SIS week by reason of uncommon ex.
pertness, or by some powerful influence be,
ing brought to bear in our favor"
Suppose young girl wishes to Learn
stenography and type-writing, how woulC
you advise her to set about it ~
swell, there are numerous schools il
which she can acquire the rudiments anC
have the advantage of testing her fitness
for the occupation. These schools are usu
ally supplied with the various kinds O
machines, so that girl can learn to us,
any or all of them, which increases he
opportunities of securing a desirable po
sition, as advertisements frequently specifl
the one that is preferred by the employer
The schools are usually open from 9 A. NJ
to 10 P. NJ, and the pupils can have tn,
use of machines and stationery at charge
of about $40 a month. But young wo
man should undertake course of instruc
tion in stenography as well, and she cal
probably obtain tuition in the two branche
together at cost of S35 for three months
payable in installments, if it suits her con
yenience better"
"How long do you think it would be be
fore girl could call herself sufficient,
competent to apply for 4 situation?"
The fair operative took hairpin iron
her Psyche knot, gathered a few truan
hairs in her neck, secured them in plac
with the pin, smoothed the well-fttin
basque down at the waist, and, taking
clean sheet of paper, laid it into the ma
, chine, and, before beginning the click
click, click of her labors, said:
, sOh, if the person has any adaptabilit,
, for the work at all, / should think sh
might be able to apply for and obtain
! situation after three or four months study
, certainly. In that time she can probabl
obtain a speed of 130 words in stenograph
/ and be able to write fifty to seventy-fv
, words on the machine, if she has any quail
iications necessary for the work"
, Young women gifted with some enter
prise, a little capital and fairly larg
acquaintance among lawyers who need tn
occasional services of typewriters, can es
: tablish profitable business on their owl
account by opening an Office, preferably i
r large Office building, and executing worl
for those who desire their services on legal