The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-01-07
THE SERVANT PROBLEM.
Why American Women Hav'
Trouble Getting DOmeStics.

why American women rave
Trouble Getting DOmestics.
England has long enjoyed the reputa-
ton of having the best domestic service
o: any country, and the rich people of
New York, where the servants are
admittedly very indifferent, have for
some time past been drawing on
England, particularly for coachmen
footmep, nursery maids and house
maids.
1t seems, however, that the domestic
servant question in England is in less
satisfactory condition than 1t was
thought to be. There have been
ominous growls heard of late from the
English cooks and iootmen. A servants
union has recently been organized in !
London; and we are told by the telegraph |
that it has suggested the populist
remedy for the present domestic evils
the organization of aD employment
bureau by the government to enable SER
wants to secure places"
as important as ever, but we are be-
ginning TO understand the subject
better aud TO realize that the trouble is
not altogether with the servants.
Prof. Lucy Salmon, of Vassar
College, has been investigating the
matter lately, and has shed much ligh:
on it. She finds for instance, that
domestic servants receive comparatively
good wages, far better than the average
of women of their class. Taking !
Boston rs il sample, she finds the actual
receipts of a cook, including what she
gets in the way of board, a., equal to
those of female school teacher and that
the cock is able to save as much or
more money than woman who has had
to study many years to fit herself for
the position she fills in the schools.
1t seems strange that with such good
pay-be:ter than the average OF the work.
ing ciass-so few men or women should
be found willing to go into domestic ser
vice and Professor Salmon set to work to
discover the reason of this. Investiga-
ton developed the following reasons
why women preferred other work to
domestic service:
Pride social condition and unwillingness tobe
called servants: 10.
Conhnements evenings and sundays. 20
More independence in other occupations. 90;
Too hard and cOntining ..................... AZ,
Other work pays better. ~
Lack of consideration by mistress. "
DO not like housework....... NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. .
DO not know how to do housework .............!Z
Can live at home by working IN shops. .........
Girls are too lazy.
Health considerations. .............. fs.......
Girls are too restless. "-......
100 lew privileges. ....... .....,. '.''-.-....
Hard work, little pay.
Other occupations easier.......... ''''..''.....
different tfSteS........ - ''''........
Bad character OF some reflects ~'''''-..........
Too lonely and meals alone ooiei leaS0l
Constant change in work,o explanations il
M ch SHee tor promoit is kept to, mnc
Miscellaneous reaso too little indene,do.-
1t will BE- herself, and is looLsd o
unda--' - much social coutemnt ~ on
nouiS OF work expected of her oor,d no
49, 49," .eiS established, and they were NJ
noie than in other kinds of Iaho~ no
;no" aoie that there would be a prsata~
Incentive than there is to.d,s o"'''
De''ef class of women to en.cr w.; w.
domestic service. i"'o
viewed from the employers st,ndn
.ne ioliowIng explanations vero p0'n
servants: soou domestic
FauIt -, -, |
Economic oyees..........
rrauIt OF employers '''''''..............i0s
0i a. reasons. -..........2IS
NO difficulty exists ''''..-......... :. 1oI |
T. 80. .............
binL ,t 10 seen that even emplover.
VII a mat the masters aud mistros
largely responsible for the oieion,.
'"' economic reason-ap ,,,h;1;. [
y enough to get good CO.. ~
"'ucn to do with it and that rho
J.. themselves are responsible ror :
~ " lhlrd of the difficulty III
we oil the South are somauh r.
Wy situated from our No..t. -
sstern brethren because of the nanra ana Il
y '"''ef furnish an abundant 80, =
ra1 service and the wages aro \
lo"er here than anywhere 49, arc
, !uA'''y is poor. More servants ara -
1'ie e., Tor the work to be done 60 .r -
OH 's'le Is saved, aud the serv,n.a II
, snst"ilS Careless sloVenly and oir,r
- nepS here also large mart 80 ~,
s could be obviated BY tho
II Ssss- If they CONCERNED ,,
"o' aoout the Condition of tho;n III,
- % ipoked into their quarters and wv 8
"ethods of living, and ;n.;a III u
De.t rooms be kept cleaner, thsu
nave the servants e,earon '-'s
careful about the house also anu
NC III fair way however 70 e. "a
the ones,ia, "hen we under locate
''''er' as We do falling
Il be s,,5 of Elk
= oe SAD briefly that servants W. g. !
han 10y entitled to shorter Has
nc nan 'ney get moro independence
ere au ON the part Of Dan
, ~ ana that they should bo
0okeo after. held to moro r;.g iead>
d anu require to prove their en-,
,n,;. IN the other hand, employ S1 q
,ss ard o'0 WORK, greater -Hai!il WI
possessas more skill than is HOUSE
u service ser, II these principles les 23O Ac
az o1a. "o inay reasonably hope IN, ;.
VI ciass of servants or5 lhe CHI
Of the worst -I "uu relief churches
,er;o. i' oi domestic excellent.
permits a