The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-25
GIRLS AND THE CENSUS.
Porter Makes Compare
sons Not Factoring to Men.
Gan Wyaucisro Call


Can Francisco Call
Mr.. Robert Porter, superintendent Of the
census, has made the men SO mad by his
figures that he not unnaturally proposes to
make friends among the women. He pub
fishes statement that women are better
adapted for such clerical work as the
enumeration Of the people than the male
sex. He says that the average number Of
persons counted by his female clerks was
$500 families, or AZ $50 individuals, while
the average number counted by his male
clerks was only 6.587 families. or 80 1886 in
dividuais. In other words, the women did
so per cent more work than the men for
the same money. This Is q point worth
considering.
pl0yed In clerical capacity, II follows that
sooner or later they will supersede men as
clerks. The change is going on before our
eyes. Many Of the cashiers in retail stores
are females. They are chosen for such
posts because, rs q rule, they are at least
as accurate and as faithful as young men,
and also, We fear. in too many instances,
because they command smaller salaries.
Women made their way into merchants
offices rs typewriters. II was soon dis
covered that . bright girl could keep set
of books as correctly and as neatly as her
brother, and from the day OF that discovery
women began to fill clerical positions in
merchants counting houses. They are
now to be found in some of our largest
wholesale houses, in banks, insurance
companies, and even in lawyers Offices,
tons apparently to the satisfac-
ton of their employees. There is
no prospect that they will lose the ground
they have conquered. while the prospect of
their extending their conquests in the field
of clerical work is very bright indeed. The
example of France. where almost all the
bookkeepers and cashiers are women,
points the way.
That the revolution which appears to be
in progress will have the effect OF reducing
the demand for young men for clerical
positions il probable. Every reform works
injury to some one. But if the young
mems field is narrowed py the extension OF
their sisters opportunities. the ultimate
effect will be that smaller number OF
youths will look to clerical work as q call
ing, and larger number will acquire some
special mechanical or professional knowl-
edge for the purpose of earning their
bread. And this will be gain all round.
The boy who tries to gain his living with
no knowledge except that which he
acquires at school is not really fitted
for the battle of life. He is too
0.ous ~ ScS Oh. Nc can 90
nothing which gives him valid claim on
society for living. He is worse off than
the shoemaker or the carpenter. 1t is
only when he possesses some special
knowledge of his own that he can feel
sure OF his power to earn his bread.
knowledge, be it of law, or of medicine. or
of mechanics, or of agriculture, or of any
one OF dozen arts and sciences, COM
mands money everywhere; the youth who
possesses it can snap his fingers at the
world.
If the gradual substitution of girls for
boys in clerical positions, while It swells
the number of young women who are not
compelled to marry for home, leads to
an extension of technical education among
young men, the change will be benefit in
every Way.