Omaha daily bee., 1895-05-01
WOMAN'S WORK In ENGLAND
Some Phases of the New Philanthropy as
Seen in Great Britain.
IlMPaoy MsNT IN EDUCATION METHODS
Changes In the Laws Concerning Property
Women as Factory Inspectors aud
Poor Law Guardians-Revival
of Home Industries.

In the good old days Of which some folk
love TO speak, the only idea Of helping ones
fellow men was to dole out gifts. Even now
In that old country on the east of the Allan
tic, where the Anglo Saxon race was Graded,
there are many strange bequests extant.
In some parishes a weekly dole OF oaves
is given to the widows at the door Of the
church, in others blankets, Goals, soup, ETC..
are regularly given from funds left long ago
There are also foundations of various kinds
aims houses for the aged, free homes for
the orphan, and every parish district has its
poor house, to which any one born in the dis
trict is admitted, housed and fed when in
need.
But leaders Of thought and work are begin
ming to realize that the true way Of helping
our fellow men is to help them to help them
selves. We find all sorts Of schemes tried to
enable the shiftless, the ignorant the needy,
to become self-helpers.
In the little island of Britain, as in this
great and glorious republic, philanthropy"
is becoming less and less a giving by the
wealthy to the poor, by the great to the
humble and more and more a raising Of the
race a wiping out of class distinction an
endeavor to set each individual on his own
legs and bid him "help himself"
Two great women's organizations in Britain,
the Women's Liberal federation and the Brit
ish Womens Temperance association (affl
lated with the Women's Christian Temper
ance unon) are working along these lines,
especially for women and children. Both
recognize that their first aim should be to
teach women to think. Both are teaching
women to understand that there is big
world outside their own front doors, world
that needs uplifting and regenerating Book
let's, and indeed big stirring novels. are writ
ten, telling Of the dark blots in our civiliza,
tion, and many woman, aye, and many
bright young maiden, is giving herself to
work for her fellows. Hence the college set
Elements, where educated girls and women live
in the slums and spend their lives in the up
lifting of humanity. Hence our girls clubs,
where girls who have leisure and education
meet every evening those less gifted and
teach them music, history, etc. Physical
training is also given and is necessary to
lessen the fearful mortality caused by long
hours Of confinement in work rooms, stores
or factories.
Improved legislation for factories has been
another advanced step. "A factory in this
sense includes any place where five women
or children are employed 1t is now Illegal
to employ any children under IA, and such
only for certain hours. Forty years ago
children of 6 or worked ten or twelve hours
day. Only four years ago it was stated
by one Of our own leaders that in asking for
women to be appointed as factory inspectors
women showed their Ignorance they might
possibly be appointed as assistants, but the
insp2c ctors' were in many ways unsuted to
women. Today England has women factory
inspectors employed at the same salary
men, and our home secretary (Mr. Asquith)
has promised to appoint more, because of the
very satisfactory manner in which their
duties have been fulfilled
Women now a have right to money they
earn, Formerly their husbands had control
of il ell. Women sit on our school boards,
on our parish and district councils and as
guardians of the poor.
The great curse Of Britan-drink-s at
tackled by both these associations, because 1t
is felt that until this evil is rooted out edu-
cation, legislation, good wages and leisure
will avail but little. The b. w. S. A. has
opened one inebriate home to prove that
drunkenness can be cured. Imprlsonments Of
seven to fourteen days have proved futile.
One or two years may eradicate the evils
which fifty sixty short imprsonments fail
to touch. Great womens meetings have me-
moriazed our home secretary on this ques-
ton, urging him to found homes for the
inebrate to which persons SHALL be COM
mitted for terms Of at least one year and
there employed in suitable occupations and
treated as diseased persons rather than as
criminals.
AS poor law guardians women saving
many dsheartened sisters, are seeing that lit
tie children are warmly clad; that old couples
allowed to live together; that the
wretched are separated from the deserving
and honest poor.
Another work of the new philanthropy is
The Horticultural college in Swanley, Kent,
begun but few years ago in very humble
manner, is now turning out women florists,
market gardeners, tomato growers and mush-
room tenders, thus putting pretty and con-
| genial trade into the hands of women. The
| revival of the home industries Of weaving
and spinning is another trade which is begin
| ming to attract attention, while cerkships in
| our postal telegraph and government offices
are kept open to women on equal terms with
| men, save on the one question OF pay. Why
| does a women receive less money for work
| equally good and equal in quantity? Does
| the question suggest a further thought? How
| do some of the girls in our dry goods stores
| and other places live on the wages they re-
ceive?
Lady Dixie, aided by whole band Of
workers, is trying to remedy this evil strictly
| on the lines of the new philanthropy. Britain
| Is now covered with a network of women's
trades unions. Strange to say, the women
themselves are the greatest hindrance in
| furthering this. Many care to do nothing
but the lowest class of work; many pay their
subscriptions irregularly and are Indifferent
| Still, nearly every trade Is now organized
| and believe without exception the men up
| hold the women in their endeavor. They
realize how fatal to their interest is the
| cheap labor of women and children.
| The old boarding school, where accom-
| plishments, carriage, demeanor were the main
subjects taught, has been replaced by high
| schools, where a sound education is given at
about one-fourth the cost of the old private
establishments. In these schools girls are
prepared for our universities and fitted to
! enter life as heads of good businesses, doc
| tors, lawyers, etc. The misery Of six daugh-
| ters at home, cayiling and carping, prnking
| and envying is fast becoming thing OF the
past. Daughters have their calling well
| as sons and are becoming educated accord
| ingly. Even in the homes of the arstOcracy
girls are demanding a free hand-a profess
sion, a lfe's purpose other than the mere
| sopipty life and weary waiting for a suitable