The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-07-06
WOMEN AS GUIDES.
why They Are Employed At tho Buresn
.,f EnrrnrInr aud rrintlnr.


why They Are Employed at Tho puresn
~ Engraving and Printing.
Tho bureau of engraving aud printing
is the only place in Washington or any
other we'll known place of interest where
young women are employed us guides.
The guide is an important person &c
all visitors and sightseers. His effective
ness hangs on his ability to spin the
w.-t extraordinary yarns to always
e an answer ready, whether correct
not, and the man who can pour the
most information into tourist in the
least time is the one who flourishes
That is the regulation government
guide. But the bureau of engraving and
printing pridcs itself ON superior brand
of guide in the shape of six southern
young women, Miss Fannie Gilman,
Baltimore; Wilhelmina Ballman of
Washington; Mrs. Diana Danforth, For
est Glen, Md. Mrs. Myrtle Duffy,
Wheeling, Miss Mccarthy, Washington,
and Mrs. Lottic Adams of Tennessee,
who act as ushers to all visitors to the
bureau. OF course the place where the
government makes its money has an
oycrpowcring attraction to people from
all over the country, and ON account
Of the work done in the building more
than the usual care has to bo taken as to
the admission Of visitors Indeed it is
almost as hard for person to get out as
| to get in if he or she has been allowed
/ to walk through the main halls alone to
/ call ON an Office clerk.
Visitors who are taken into the work
/ ing sections are subjected to closer scru-
tiny than they would relish if 1t was
suspected. These six young women are
model guides. They are not appointed
Just to positions Us guides. They have
passed civil service examinations and
been appointed to actual labor in the
mechanical divisions.
The best guides are those who have
worked in the greatest number of diff
fcrent divisions, so that they are able to
impart information because they under
stand precisely what operations are be-
ing carried on and can answer questions
intelligently.
Once years ago men were employed
for guides, but man S work costs more
than wOman's labor, and so some bril-
liant chief determined to try girls. 1t is
utterly impossible to allow ordinary
guides such as are admitted in other de.
partments to be about among the work
going on II must necessarily be some
responsible employee, and not only does
the bureau pride itself on its detailed
corps Of Young ladies', but visitors in.
variably exclaim: "Ob, she's CIR
guide. I'm so glad. I'm tired Of men. y
'It's not hard work physically, only
we do wish sometimes that people would
ask new questions" said one. Every.
body asks just the same questions. We
always know beforehand what to ex.
pect -
''Do you ever give visitors souvenirs?'
The six looked ut each other merrily.
"There, that's one Of the usual ques
tions. Give them souvenirs 1t would he
more than our heads are worth to try it
) Why, every scrap Of paper here has to bC
accounted for, even those that are spoil
cd. Everybody wants souvenir, some
little thing like %l00 bill with only
one side engraved, or some other tritle
And sometimes they do get awfully mao
with us because we can't yield. If they
want souvenirs, they have to buy then
on the steps outside.
do You think you are smarter thar
men guides?"
"Of cOus:e we arcn conceited. You I
better ask the chief. / can tell you
though, that five Of us have handled 500
visitors in day. The captain Of tn,
watch divides them up into squads a,
large ms we can conduct around. Yol
see we are expected not only to give tn,
information. but also to keep our eye
On every motion, because visitors are de
teTmined to have souvenir somehow o
other aud don't stop to think it is III
absolutely necessary rule Of the bureau
not to allow them TO take anythin!
away. -
"The hardest thing, though, " said ;
pretty blond haired widow, sis to refus
the gifts visitors want to make u.s. O
course we are paid for our services ant
are not allowed to accept presents o
money or anything else. Some peopl
v really become quite indignant at that
g and droll things result. One western
woman to whom had given more tim
;, than customary because she had aske,
I sensible questions wanted to give M
/ some money and then offered me othe
things. OF course tried to explain tina
it was against the rules Of the bureau
when she took out package of chewing
: gum, We'll, guess they won't min,
YOU re taking some gum.
Mrs. MCQUIRK.