The evening world., 1890-03-25
NOT ON The RIGHT TRACK.
The Problem Of What Shall We DO
With Our Girls /"
Commercially, Financially IndBtrIaII,
tho Real Question.
Il IL q Labor Problem and Has Moth
ing to do with the Amenities OF
Conventlonalitles Of Society.

are not on the right tnck. Ihey are
considering the moral. ethical and socia
side of the problem, whereas an indus
trial solution is the one wanted.
The question at Issue Ia, What shall W.
do with u girls commercially, finan
oially, individually
II is a labor problem and has nothing
to do with the amenities or convention
alities Of society. The theory of pretty
manners, piety. gentleness, neatnes',
fliai love and sisterly devotion are al
beautiful enough, but not p~ertinentto the
subject. II Is not q question OF saying
nice things, wearing dainty morning
dresses, keeping the baby quiet, helping
mother. warming fathers slippers and
rubbing brothers feathers the right way,
but Of income and expenses. profit and
loss. wages, occupation, capacity. appli'
cation. skill and technical knowledge. In
q word, 1t 10 business.
BY way OF hypothesis, Maria Jane Barrel
Ia nineteen years of age N q graduate oil
School 2. 002. The family consists OF Mr..
and Mrs. Barrel. brother George Bismarck
Barrel. the aforesaid Miss Barrel and hVc
or six little kegs. The home is comfort.
able. cosy, sweet. The hsarthstone is
always warm and bright. there are pre-
serves and pickles in tho pantry. good
clothes In the wardrobes. a tight little
money bag In some safety vault. and
everything ia lovely In the home nest.
Brother George. who is nearing his
majority. has q position in q commercial
house aud a salary OF 81. 200. which, with
the $4,000 earnings OF MIR. Barrel, sr.,
helps to make the home the heaven 1t is.
Miss Barrel 10 bright. quick, independent
and restless. She wants to do something.
She is loo good to be turned into Q
kitchen drudge. 1t is q sacrilege to pol
lutte her pretty white hands with stove
polish. soapsuds and chimney soot. Any
quantity OF tramp element can be had for
q daily dime to carry up coal, carry down
ashes. beat carpets, scrub out corners and
clean windows. A big. strapping erena-
der Of o girl. with Polish roses in her
cheeks and iron-like muscles In her arms,
may be hired in Castle Garden for a dozen
dollars O month. who cnn do more house
work in u day han Mrs. and Miss Barrel
can do in a week.
Now comes the question. What shall we
do with the girl2
Let her stay at home and sew?
But she doesn't know how. She can
darn stockings, sew on buttons. apply
patches neatly. keep her W wardrobe
In repair. crochet o little, knit q little,
hemstitch a little, and do little Kensing-
ton embroidery. but she can't fit a basque,
make . cloak OF trim q hat, and her
mother Is powerless to teach her.
Still she 10 restless and getting more so
all the time; she Is discontinued and un-
happy. She wants to kick way the ball.
break the chair. shake of the shaokle.
run out and do something. She wants
freedom. She can't sing, dance or act
hut wants en- engagement-not to star or
even play leading lady. 4 juvenile part
OF two lines will delight her. or she could
be joyful, contented. satisfied with chorus
work. What she wants Is work-honora-
BILE remuneraiive, congenial work.
But where will she find itl What will II
pay ? How shall she perform it. and what
will it lead tor These are the questions
involved IN the i~nterrogative, 4" What
shall we do with our girls2" These are
"oints that the readers of The EVENING
WORLD are invited TO consider.
A generation G women were allowed
to enter but few occupations. Now there
are S4s industries in which they are
actively engaged. Whenever any indus
trial operation is simplifed by the use Of
machinery or otherwise to such an extent
that ome can perform the labor hereto.
fore done by big, strong men. wage have
been lowered To meet the capacity of the
newcomer, which reduction has been the
means of driving the men from the bust.
ness. By these changes in the industrial
conditions the limit of the employment OF
women has been indefinitely extended
and the opportunities for earning wages,
if not a livelihood. increased.
In displacing the male laborer the
women have taken advantage of oppor,
t~uniiies which were not open to them and
for which they ara not httsd Tbay could