Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-01-26

read works on political economy. Ia
Dor and capital snl similar objects.
bought every book 20 be had on woInen's
department. duties aud spheres. But
nowhere could gain information Of pur-
suits that women could enter and earn a
livelihood. for no such printed inforina-
ton had been given to the world 60 I
determined 10 learn by observation and
from personal inquiry what wanted.
To do so must go TO the places where
men and women were at work. usual
" rode and walked from 8 o'clock in the
morning until places Of business closed
and reached my boarding place about
dark. There were then no elevators in
buildings, and l and my hired compan-
ion. for always employed one. climbed
up stairs, generally TO the ninth. tenth
and eleventh floors. all day long. week
after week. month after month and year
after year.
Twisted between 5000 and 600 places
h Philadelphia. New York city. Boston
and the surrounding towns Ny object
was to see tho mode of operating, ascer-
tain the wages paid. the time of learn
ing, the effects Of occupations on the
health end many other things Of kin
dred nature. Tho one and only aim in
view was to gain a knowledge Of what
employinents were feasible 10 women.
the qualifications needed and the pur-
suits to which they were best adapted.
also tho likelihood o. gaining footing in
various occupations. the probable result
pecuniarily, tie length OF time 10 pre-
pare and the expense of living while DO
ing SO. with come inquiry into the cost
Of tools or the cap:tal required for cur
rying ON the business. 2 carried on indie
pendently. lfound the majority of pnr-
suits followed by men were capable ~
being performed by women
The size and character Of the places
visited ranged from the mammoth build
ings Of the Harpers 10 the lore attic.
where a maker Of spectacle frames
worked alone and lived with his mother
less two-year-old child have gone TO
places ranging in variety from shot
tower 10 q cobhler's workbench in a
basement.
| here take this opportunity 20 ac-
knowledge the uniform kindness and
courtesy received from employers and
employed wherever went. Not raae
word. not n coarse look. did ] EYER have
from one Of the thousands ~ men and
women saw. Perhaps such changes
have taken place that meme VIII reDlesn-
Der me. But my picture ~ then WAS
may recall me TO the minds OF Few EN-
ployers OF employees.
How well | succeeded IN my efforts
may be Judged from the fact that when
| commenced only about SIX occupations
were generally ENGAGED in by women.
and they were scch a. cur women an
cestors had worked Ia from time imine-
mortal. OF course there were a few IN a
small number Of Others. mostly IL the
higher and better class ~ work. as jou1
nalists. authors and artists. A woman
preacher. doctor or lecturer WIS curl
osity. Now women are occupied in
about 400 pursuits. Some of these are
new occupations that time and circurn-
stances have develorcl. and which were
not then invented and consequently not
named by me when ] FIRST studied the
matter. from 1888 10 1861
The results ~ my four years labor
were embodied in a volume ensiaie
The Trioioyments n Women.- after
ward Published As Five Hundred En-
plovnsents Adapted TO women.- and
sin later 80 How Women Can Maize
Money Tie second book. kindred in
nature. hat not statistical. was oaiiel
Think and Act
nv first sc,ive work va Commenced
ID philadelphia. recall with pleasure
my trits, filroaeh many u the large -
tsil:shnseHas ~ lat sify l was sbesa
tsrorea Tower s wesgftspass IaAora
tory ard permitted e tax with tie en-.
r;sge~. | resnssassr ny walk shrouzsl
fiessssls' val paper fsetosy. throagh
larrancottss heokmak;ng establishments
All .ieaxaut chat wifii Mr.. Lapssncoss.
ssrss frierts ard myself snsds visst
- fentranit fe4les hefne. waars we
fsoaa tie srtssf wcrksnE q, the exfs-
fras usts1nai f-srtFsat = Washington.
Ar inseisix~zs gnia1 ensfnctea -
throaxh tAe nssnt hal eeks-hsfes
TAX Nth sfFerse y. Chaa.. wha wrose
- sse IL .sH - fo'ipe "a snsxht -