New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-15
lie made and lOveth all.

One Of the greatest drawbacks TO woman's success
in any work which she undertakes is the lack Of .
fixed social status in this land Of freedom. AnOm-
a,os as the statement may SEEM it is far easier for
a woman Of refinement ard culture 10 make her living
without losing her social cast in England than in this
country. There social ranks fixed. Toe teacher,
the professional woman. The trained nurse is never
confomndrd for moment with he shopworlan nor IS
the shopwonan conOunded with the domestic servant.
The position OF each Is accorded 10 her. and the very
fact that the lines distinctly drawn makes 1t I'M
possible that they should be ignored. In this coun-
try, unfortunately, working women are too often
cassed together and their necessities made tho
gauge OF their social position. All this Is wrons.
md snobblsh to the last degree, but unhnppyy. tho
social snob ioursh,s 20 superabundance in our
republic.
1t is not unusual to ask the daughters Of farmers
who are men Of intelligence and accustomed 10
perfect equality in the village where they brought
ND and have received the advantages good pubic
school education TO ont domestic servants, 90
cupying "A kitchen I'm common with coarse mcnals,
who come from foreign shores ard who belong TO rs
distinctly different elias, the mistress o. tho
man sion does. such girls not asked 10 take the
place OF lady help. but the place Of m"nlal. com
paint from trained nurses. women who have
been educated several years in their calling and
nr entitled to the respect ~ their pace. that they
frequently sent To the servants kitchen take their
newly rich but In the families OF leaders Of society
who choose to ignore the difference between an edu
Gated wOrldn gsOman and mental, but VINO draw
very closely the lines of social precedence which
separate them from their less Fortunate but equally
cultured ncighbors.
II Is common thing for cooking schools to DO
started for the benefit Of public school children
in the large cities, with the ayowed purpose Of seour
ing a better class of servants in the kitchens OF the
wealthy patrOnesses. As n matter ~ fact the girls
who attend the public schools are not the class II
young people who become servants. They quite often
become salcswOmen, teacher. boohkeepers, Cashiers
stenogupher elographcrs. NpcwIi;ers, and they I'll
various other posts OF trust, and when their work Of
the day is done thoy g., their own their parents
home where they are exempt from the mental place
OF "A servant and their time belongs 10 themselves
There Is much Of social separation between these
working girls and the kitchen maid As there is b.
tween the leader Of society and the poor radesmans
wife, whom she wOuld most cmphaiically ignore. Untu
there is a complete change in the system Of our Kitchens
until we are ready u accept the distinction between
lady help kitchen slavery, cannot expect our
American girls look with favor kitchen work, what
ever their necessities may be and whatever pecunlarJ
Inducements NAV be held ont.
There Is another side of this problem which arises
also from our axty Of social lines. The woman WHO
comes into family purely business basis, shoua
on 10 account expect the social recognition Of friend
The fact that she is accorded such in some familas
has nothing 10 d. With the case All that hcF Posit'on
demands is a dieniiied recognition OF her place. she
must expect that her meals will be served to her by
herself or with persons of Smiar standing III tho
household. and II she IS woman OF refinement, she
will be thoroughly satisfied with such an arrangement.
The camsrcss the professional nurse, ana the house,
keeper IN large houses usually gwen their meals In
q dining room set apart for the purpose. sometimes
their meals are brought to them BY the footman. In
smaller houses where such arrangements as these are
inconvenlcnt they may be- invited to the family table.
There i, no possible that any worker, however
refined should expect any social recognition than
her business relations call for but she hhs right TO
resent promptly and should resent promptly, any at
tempt to place her Il lower status than that which
she occupies.
Isinglass a preparati1n Of cela,ne taken from the
intestinal parts of fish. che best from Russia
and IS prepared from sturg which Is in great plenty
in Russian waters lsnglass Is much more highly
esteemed than geatinc Tor all culinary purposs. aud
especially for desserts.