The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-08-24
THINGS GIRLS CAN DO.
An Expert on Woman's Work Discusses
Different Trades.

m Expert on NOmhnS WORK discusses
Different Trades.
Miss Alice Woodbridge, as secretary
of the Working Women's Society, is ac-
qnainted with all sorts and conditions
of working women. In the interests of
the labor bureau which the society has
recently put in operation she has in
yestigated opportunities and wages in
a great variety of women's occupations.
She considers the question of the best
trade for girls a very difficult one.
Generally speaking" she said to
reporter for the New York Press, girls,
rs know them, give very little thought
to what they are to do for living A
sister Or L friend, perhaps brother, is
employed somewhere, vacancy occurs,
and ii one of the girls of the family is
fifteen or sixteen she is only too anxi-
Gus TO take place and give as little work
as she can for as much wages as the
employer chooses to give. She rarely
feels any responsibility about the work.
1t never occurs to her that work that is
worth doing at all is worth doing well,
and as for refusing to take smaller
wages than somebody else can afford
she may be in other ways the most con-
scientious creature in the world, but
she has absolutely no scruples in this
sort of seltishness.
Probably the factory worker is bet
ter paid than the saleswoman or stem
Ographer. Girls employed in silk mills
receive the highest wages of any of the
factory workers. They will average
six dollars or seven dollars a week.
That's really high average. Ofcourse
they make very much more in busy
times, but there are many full weeks
when they make less. The work re-
auires considerable skill.
THE occupation of saleswpman has
very little to commend it ID the girl
who has any choice at all in the matter
There are, of course, a few women
heads of departments who receive
twelve dollars to eighteen dollars a
week. But have in my mind very
ambitious little woman who is employ
ed in big city store, who has been
working six years for the firm, who is
recognized as faithful, trustworthy,
in every way satisfactory saleswoman,
and who receives six dollars week.
Outside of the financial reason for not
adopting the occupation of saleswoman,
there is the question of health. No
matter how unhealthful the factory
girls occupation, the saleswoman's is
worse. Women are untitled by nature
Tor constant standing.
~Stenography and typewriting were
until few years ago the most lucrative
Shings woman could take up But
to-day am sure | could hire whole
army of them from three dollars n week
ap. some of them competent, too The
average stenographer and typewriter
receives about five dollars a week, while
tho girl who gets twelve dollars regards
herself as u particular favoritc of for
tune. Remarkably enough the great
reduction in the wages of this class OF
vage-earners is due to great extent
"a little business of her own. She goes
around to the offices where work done
hy stenographer or typewriter is
needed She offers to take the dicta.
zion and return the typewriter copy al
cheaper rates than the employer can
get it done by keeping a stenographel
IN his office. If that does not persuade
him 20 give her the work she proceeds
20 nnderbid herself, and being bust
MSS man he proceeds to let her do il
nnsil she reaches rock bottom. | know
woman who rather than let a job o.
shsat sort go will take one dollar and ;
h--if for work she ought to get five dol
sars for, and no amount of talk that
DO seems to convince her that she is no
ssaly doing herself an injustice but is
wnsnging whole army of workers a
well
-"Thc best occupation a girl can adop'
l. something new If she can originate
Jasie she can make a good living sc
losrg as she can be alone in the field
As her competitors increase, the occu
prssion Is bound to be less and less desi
rzhle from the financial side of Thu
sDessiosl.
The next best thing is to get into
field hitherto monopolizcd by men
Piano timing seems to be one of these
| salked few moments with plan,
manufacturer the other day about it
de SEEMED to think it an occupation
sn- which women's dclicacy of toucl
poruiiarly fitted them, and he offers t
sc.rclz \ few women. The prices pai'
ere nigh- The wages earned depent
r,oT the number of orders a tuner cal
rrs- This occupation. of course, woul
rasy5ssze a suich car and some knowledg
re tzsrsic- Women have not entered tn
frurssprc or the silversmith's shop, bot
of WHICH seem peculiarly suited to them
Just nj present the trained nurs
Neeurs tS be particularly well off in
sraEsrial way. II is a fashionable fG
.nnsu- rich women TO have an attac
Of -nern.s.'' and u have the doctor PR
.-.ibr Sojourn a, health resort an
straiacl nurse.
The oc,:upation Of tn" nurse Is nc