The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-30
thrOughout the land.

MRS. MARGARET E. SANGSTER.
1t was with rather deprecatory shake
of the head that Mrs. Sangster greeted a
visitor recently, who wen- to her asking
an opinion upon the subject of Women
in journalism"
Il am not sure that have any views
to formulate upon this matter" she said,
laying aside, with gesture that had in
it no hint of annoyance at work inter-
rupted, the Ms. she had been reading.
cit is fully twenty years since | began
my literary work, and although my ex-
perience has naturally been wide and
varied, still in the great field of daily
newspaper work, with which in my
mind the word journalism is most init
mately allied, [ am in one sense a
stranger.
''Who are some of the women earliest
prominent in this field?" repeated Mrs
Sangster. Il can hardly reply with ac-
curacy on so brief consideration. That
strong and brilliant pioneer in the work,
Mrs. Swisshelm, is, of course, the name
which first suggests itself. Since her
time, however, the field has widened on
every side and her followers are legion.
The reasons for this are obvious. The
greater interest in home decoration, the
wider scope of women's lives, the many
new avenues Of self support open to her
sex and making this particular epoch so
different from that in which, fifty years
ago, a woman who had her own or her
children's bread to win found, if she were
a lady, only sewing and teaching her
available arts-all this and more have
made it practicable for women to engage
in journalism. The fashions, the home
economies, the care Of babies, the educa-
ton of the older children, the ethics of
daily life, social customs, etiquette,
amusements and other topics which
equally touch life at the fountain head of
the home enlist womans attention
Where forty years ago a mothers
magazine, pure indeed, but intensely
narrow and conservative, monopOlized
the field, we have bright housekeeping
and home making periodicals, weekly
and monthly, which are as various in
their contents as the homes to which
they go and which carry help, advice,
sympathy and a note of cheer wherever
the swift mails carry them. TO this de-
partment of journalism, as legitimate
and as honorable as any other, the edu-
Gated woman brings her tact, her cul-
ture, her conscience and her brain.
''And the work IS as much pIeasanter
than the old time methods of woman's
bread winning as its scope and opportu
mites are greater. You viii rarely find
that the woman who writes regards her
occupation, though it may entail hard,
almost unremitEng labor, with other
than enthusiasm There is fascination
about seeing one ideas and OpiniOni set
out in type that does not wear away with
repetition. A score of years has not
stated me with the experience. Why,
positively look forward to every issue of /
Harper's Bazaar: I study it with zest and .
eagernesS: its contentC are familiar vet
delightfully."- fresh in their new setting.
] wish that every one of its readers may T.
find half of the interest ana enjoyment (
between its covers that do.
'Of women reporters tits scarcely fair (
for me to speak; know only by hearsay
of their branch of the WORK; it is differ .
ent in so many respects from the depart
ment in which | have always labOred .
that | am not competent authority in the .
matter. | know a number of lovely wo- 4
men who have made a beginning in this .
way, and as many. too, who are still fol /
lowing it. Their large measure of sue /
cess indicates the aptitude OF women for .
this phase of newspaper enterprise. /
think. however, that women ike 70 get /
out of general reporting as soon as pos
sible. II is arduous work and approaches /
more nearly the distasteful, so some Of /
my friends have told me. than any other
branch Of journalistic effort.
Concerning the working of the sexes
in journalism. f" continued Mrs.. Sangster
in reply 10 further questioning, my ex-
perience is that women have absolutely
nothing 70 complain Of concerning their
by their brother la0orers.
do not know that they have done 50, al
though lady not long ago did express
% me a little qua-ulously, in speaking Of
! visit % a publication Office during its
busiest time. that she was not even Of
,ered chair. A woman should not ask
90 much. A courteous civili.y even IN
Ter the greatest pressure OF work she
viii always get, and more ought not 70
)e insisted upon One does not expect
ne gallantry of the drawing room in the
-ush OF psremptory and absorbing labor
my more than one looks for white and
gold cabinets in the appointments Of the
business Office"
What do you know. Of the recently /