The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
SCHOOLS FOR SERVANTS.
work IN A NEW FIELD WOW GOING
ON AMONG AFRO-AMERICANS.
The Department or Domestic Science to ne
Opened ut the Hampton Institutc-Resuits
Accomplished Already by an Exchange
In NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or the Plan.

In OF inc Plhn,
HAMPTON. Va, July 26.-The difficulty that
housekeepcrs in oil parts of the country have in
securing competent and Trustworthy servants
has grown to DO of tho most pcrplexing and
aggrnvating character. The decline OF the Afro
American house servant in the North and the
West and the deterioration in his efficiency In the
South. where he has not yet been replaced to
any great extent by white holp, have been the
subject of constant complaint by housekeepers
and Of comment in the public prints.
Tho deterioration and displacement Of Afro
American help arc traceablo to many causes,
but mainly to the fact that domestic service has
been regarded as degrading by the better
class of Afro-American men and women, who
have been able to 1.-Two at homes OF their own,
and have preferred to seek an outlet for their
activities In school teaching and tho learned
professions. Those who have been unable 10
establish homes and enjoy scholastic advan-
tnges, and have been the moro incompetent and
Enthusiastically on that account, have taken to
domestic cmployncnts, not because they liked
1t, but because they could not help themselves.
The reaction against the so-called mental emf
Payments to which Afro-Amcricans wero con.
fined under the system of slavery was of a wide.
spread and alarming character, and has naturally
resulted IN displacing them to q disastrous degree
in the basic occupations. They are beginning to
tCSlt hio III ioh ~ sAhSt ~ 'O eaS Nv
mand for school teachers 10 growing less, DO.
cause OF ovcrsupply, and the professions are boz
coming uncomfortably crowded.
Afro.American girls Of education are begin.
ming to feel the shoe pinch, and with appalling
moral as we'll as economic results, as the illegiti-
mato birth rate in all tho large cities will show.
1t is becoming n burning question among them
in all sections Of the country as to what they
are to do with an education after they get IT.
how they are to make an honest living. Andit
is even more pressing upon the ignorant who
have to work to live.
The Hampton Institute, tho controlling policy
Of which is industrial education, has deter
mined to help to solve the existing difficulties
by opening with the approaching school year q
department of domestic science. The largo brick
building to be devoted to that purpose is now in
course of erection. 1t will DO a beautiful and
commodious structure, and 1t will be of meal
culable service to Afro American girls and to
kousekeepers all over the country.
A great many learned and experienced Afro.
American educators from all parts OF the coun-
try have been in conference here during the
past week, upon invitation Of Principal H. B.
Frissell, the broad-minded successor Of Gen. 9.
c. Armstrong. Among them was Mrs. Fannie
Jackson Coppin. the principal Of the institute for
Colored Youth at Philadelphia. Mrs. Coppin 10
an alumnn OF Oberlin College, and an educator
OF twenty-five years standing. She has made o
speciality of the needs of Afro.Americans and Of
Industrial methods Of education. and she was
listened to with marked attention whenever she
spoke. The writer asked Mrs. Coppin for an 40
count of the work she Is doing.
"Wehave Just closed the second year OF work,
at Philadelphia. in the interest OF skilled labor,
the improvement Of domestic service and Chris
tian association benefits for colored girls" said
Mrs. Coppin. We have established an ex-
-l- r. -~- ,1s~l a q, =, @1nNt-- -
question brought up by the exclusion Of colored
people of the North from the ordinary avenues
nent exhibition. 1t takes and finds sales
for the work OF our ,women.,men are
n tSsao by E y tt th in are sD{y ryi KIND to make of art an ho or
est living. The trades represented cover most
Of the Occupations in which our women earna
but the encouraging feature is that we could
have sold more than we had on hand. We have
demonstrated to our satisfaction that there is 9
the effort to find that out
Our main difficulty from the beginning has
been the lack OF materials 10 keep our women
employed. They have been too poor to purchase
sh %ay :' to e so h9 9 nns e ehis. TSe STEADY nss we demand sns "a
for the work makes this possible.
is to e be t tos ldG in the ihee wide 9Ee is'e OF so 11 eSa s ssr
vice, in which more than a million women are
service our color does not dcbsr us. / have no
patience with the shoddy idea that anything
SSS sfd. AYf serriee is to a tas wGiS &c 10 ' osr hf Iord
when il is well and faithfully done. To
saconEage and improve such workers .
II proved an attraction from the start At these
reeept .o;.s Instructive talks upon the scientific
PREPARED food is furnished BY trained cooks as a
subject OF cookery. The dignity OF the work 10
inculcatcd by a sensible teacher. who shows
ana snG' r% aSt Snts ,1n arc ne Sts.niHs Tor Su those tsee who are
employed as household servants.
We teach those in the domestic science class
OF the exchange that opportunities Of the high
est usefulness and trust are TO be found IN
training NIL the time and sent out as their Ct
ness warrants. Not only the important but also
the simplest work OF, the household is taught,
and pai9stHk!ng are Is insisted upon in order TO
good launaress. especially shirt ironcr. is a
necessary. Some one has said that millions Of
collars are annually wasted in, :he kitchen.
and while Congress considers the tariff and kim
bred subjects the cooks ought to be in confer
Il have found that emergency girls can 10
very useful; Taking akin PLACES in families where ~.
tho immediate employment Of other persons
necessary. 1t is a relief TO know that n trust
S %9Tthy person can oe secured While permsnCns
girls acted in emergency cases last year and
WEE We're highly spoken Of; The corps of emergency
Our bureau OF Information. registration. and
cinploymont serves as n means OF communica-
avn ANNSI VIZ "oulu tililbN ALL lIO
best service we can supply. There are fair
minded persons who are disposed to give us .
chance. but We do not know who they are, and
they do not know where 10 find us. We ara
gradually establishing this medium OF com-
nuntcation, and We hope in time that our testi.
moniAl Will be a PASSPORT TO employment by the
person holding il. One of our girls, who waq
highly educated. took a place as waitress, and
has been promoted to The post OF governess.
The upper rooms OF our exchange have been
used as n dormitory Tor worthy Young women
whose minds are fixed upon fitting themselves
for some useful life work and who are not afraid
OF toll and self.tenial in order 10 accomplish
their purpose. Twelve young girls were accom-
modated in the house last year. Seven were
learning trades and twelve were studying to be
teachers. They came from North Carolina, Ken
lucky. Delaware. Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
They aid all the work OF the house themselves.
One hreadmaker and three housokcepers were
appointed each week, and those who have visited
the house can testify that 4, was kept scrupu-
lously neat and clean. No young woman in our
dOrmi,ory Is ashamed or afraid OF work. Those
in the city took places in the summer and excel
lent reports were received from their employers.
81 am in deep sympathy with ali those who
nra mn \ inns II NynrE tllnfr 49, y.,,rl E.,lNnl nR